Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.

Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.

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Brown Girl Dreaming is wonderfully written. I wasn't sure how I would like Woodson's writing, but I enjoy her style. This is a Memoir but it reads as if it's fiction. The way she can write moments and feelings made me feel them along with her. I got lost in this world and with these characters. The relationship between the siblings is one of my favorite part of this book. (I always enjoy a sibling plots.) The switching between South Caroline and Brooklyn is like two different worlds. That made the story movement and pacing fill more fuller. This was such a fast read but with such a powerful story. If you haven't read this, or if free-verse poetry isn't your thing don't let that stop you from reading this, you may not love it but I think you could and will learn something from it.