A Glimpse at Rikers Island

"The loudest sound in the world is the soft click of prison gates locking behind you. Maybe it's how final it is - the loud slam of the gate, then the quick, gentle click. Then the scary feeling of it all being forever." (page 94)

Poetry Saves the Day

Jacqueline Woodson frequently weaves poetry through her stories. Her poems help to give her stories a richer voice and a more personal touch. Her use of poetry allows her characters to become more dynamic and vital. A good example of her use of poetry can be found in her book "Locomotion" and its companion "Peace Locomotion". These two books chronicle the life of Lonnie C. Motion and his sister Lili who are placed in foster care after the death of their parents in a fire. In "Locomotion", Lonnie turns to writing poetry in an effort to come to terms with his parents' untimely deaths. The story continues in "Peace Locomotion" which is told through a series of letters that Lonnie writes to his sister who has been placed in a separate foster home. He writes them as he says, "to be the rememberer" until they can be together again.

Some of Her Favorite Things!

With twenty-four titles to her name, multi-award winning author Jacqueline Woodson is still as passionate as ever about her writing "because it makes me happy. Even when the words are slow in coming and the story seems all lopsided, writing keeps me happy." Her favorite subject in school was English "and anything where we got to do writing." She loved to read, often reading the same books over again. Among her favorite childhood authors were Virginia Hamilton and Judy Blume. Beloved stories include Oscar Wilde's The Selfish Giant, Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Match Girl and Jon Steptoe's Stevie.

The last book, Stevie, is about the relationship between a young boy and his foster brother....does this ring any bells?

Foster Care Art

An artistic expression of foster care. Taken from San Diego Youth Services.

More from Jeacqueline Woodson

Many of Jacqueline Woodson's stories are very poignant and filled with sorrow. She frequently writes about loss and how to cope with it, whether it be loss of a parent, a best friend, one's freedom, one's identity, or one's home. Some excellent stories that deal with loss include:

I hadn't Meant to Tell You This Lena

Miracle's Boys If You Come Softly


Behind You


For full descriptions of these stories (and more) visit:
http://jacquelinewoodson.com/ya.shtml#

After Tupac & D Foster Book Trailer

A quick trailer that provides readers, before they begin reading the book, with a glimpse of what the story is about.

From one of Utah's most vibrant and attended festivals, Utah's Foster Care Foundation's Chalk Art Festival. This artwork was done in dedication to those children in the system and the families who nurture them.

Many of Woodson's books focus on the foster care system. Although New York doesn't have such a festival as this, it's great to see artwork is being created to bring recognition to the children within the foster care system.

Reading Strategy: Character Mapping

Character Mapping is a good tool for students to use when comparing and contrasting two characters from a book, two characters from different books, or characters from a story to themselves. By writing out the characteristics of different people in a visually appealing way via a character map, students have an easy and memorable way to develop comprehension through their similarities and differences. Here is a quick explanation, from www.fcit.usf.edu on how to create one for use in your classroom.

Reading Strategy: Story Maps

Story Maps are a great way for students to make connections, follow along, and develop comprehension about the text they are reading. Story Maps help students identify important features about the text such as setting, plot/theme, & characters. Here is a quick .pdf file from www.readingquest.org to help create a Story Map in your classroom.

Reading Strategy: Compare and Contrast

Throughout the story the main character & Neeka would always reference how they viewed D when they would hear Tupac's music. Using what you've read and this Venn diagram, compare some similarities & differences you have found between these two characters Woodson writes about.

Reading Strategy: Synonyms

"I'm down for y'all, when homies call," D sang. "I was just a shorty," she said. "But that song to me, it was all about having good friends." p. 58, Woodson

Woodson uses the vernacular particular to African-American culture when writing dialog in this conversation between D, Jayjones, Neeka & the main character. Look at the underlined slang terms and think of synonyms that come to mind when you read this passage.

1. Down

2. Y'all

3. Homies

4. Shorty

Getting to Know Jacqueline Woodson

An interview that examines the different types of issues Woodson touches on in her writing. Topics include: race relations, incarceration, foster care, etc.

Jacqueline Woodson Picture Books

Similar to After Tupac and D Foster, Jacqueline Woodson's picture books have deep meaning and mature themes.
Show Way details her own lineage from slavery to the civil rights movement to the present. This book literally gave me goose bumps because it was so well written. I could feel the emotions coming through the words and illustrations.
The Other Side depicts an African-American child and a white child on opposite sides of the fence. They defied cultural norms of segregation by building a friendship.

As a social studies teacher, I would supplement my lesson with these books to help my students get a grasp on the lives and culture of those times.

What Drove Jacqueline Woodson To Write

As a child, Woodson had a knack for telling outlandish stories and, by her own account, telling "outright lies." A turning point in her life came in the fifth grade, and it changed her forever:

"That year, I wrote a story and my teacher said 'This is really good.' Before that I had written a poem about Martin Luther King that was, I guess, so good no one believed I wrote it. After lots of brouhaha, it was believed finally that I had indeed penned the poem which went on to win me a Scrabble game and local acclaim. So by the time the story rolled around and the words 'This is really good' came out of the otherwise down-turned lips of my fifth grade teacher, I was well on my way to understanding that a lie on the page was a whole different animal — one that won you prizes and got surly teachers to smile. A lie on the page meant lots of independent time to create your stories and the freedom to sit hunched over the pages of your notebook without people thinking you were strange."

Years later, she is still telling stories...but now, EVERYONE is saying, "This is really good."


Post based on Woodson's biography from her website: www.jacquelinewoodson.com

Favorite Poem by Tupac

The Rose that Grew from Concrete
-Tupac Shakur

Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.

This is my favorite poem by Tupac because it speaks so much to the adversity he, and many others who relate to him, faced growing up. Its message of perseverance in the face of impossible odds is so powerful yet elegant at the same time.

Other books by Woodson

Here is a list of books that were also authored by Woodson. Click Here

Personally, I think Behind You looks pretty interesting and I will probably pick that up the next time I go to the library.

Double Dutch

"Young girls at play are unaware that they are socially performing the embodied memories of a black musical past, but this explains the subconscious links between the generations of youth, between youth and adults, over time…. In other words, girls are telling stories through their embodied play: dramatizing the "infinite process of African-American and black musical identity construction" by practicing and performing the mnemonic rituals of a kinetic orality."

Excerpt from The Games Black Girls Play: Learning the Ropes from Double Dutch to Hip Hop.

Home Sweet Home

While reading about D and her wandering ways, it reminded me of when I was a kid of the same age. My brother and sisters and I would take off on summer mornings and just wander around Cupertino on adventures. Like D, we rarely had a destination picked out before we left home. We would just go where our fancy led us that day. We would stay away all day, returning home around dinner time. Reading about D sparked a whole flood of memories of those times for me. I thought about things I hadn't thought about in years. Like how we would go to different neighborhoods and look at the houses and imagine about the lives of the people who lived there. Like D, we were free to roam at will as long as we came back before dark. It was a great way to grow up and learn about ourselves and the world around us.

A Sad Reality

I've met many people who criticize Tupac's lyrics saying "Why does he have to use foul language? Why's he always talking about such horrible things?" The sad reality is that most of the world does not live in cozy homes and have food to eat everyday. Like D said, Tupac speaks to her. It's like they are the same person. With his raw lyrics, he speaks for many children and adolescents who go to sleep without any food in their stomachs and have no other option but to go to school hungry. Tupac is the voice for so many without one. He expresses what they are feeling, letting them know they are not alone. He talks about an issue that few others actually talk about. It is sad to think that there are people who continue to ignore the conditions of poverty in which children and adolescents live here in the United States and all over the world.

Thug Life

"He ain't a thug," I said. "That's just his... persona. The way he acts so people think he's a true gangsta."

Mama looked at me. "Wouldn't matter if he was," she said. "First Amendment says people got a right to freedom of expression without government interfering- everybody knows that. Judge doesn't like the way he looks, didn't like the way he is in the world, what he talks about, what's on his stomach... that's the crime here." p.51, Woodson

As the main character and her mom discuss the lack of justice in Tupac's case, we can see how this relates to the three girls who are living in this urban neighborhood. Tupac was close to being convicted for a crime that had no evidence aside from what a girl was claiming and what's written on his stomach. Tupac is easily judged by his lifestyle, words, and choice of appearance. Just like Pac, we can see that people from the three girls' neighborhood face these stereotypes each day. Most of the time these assumptions are made from people outside of the urban lifestyle. But in the story we can see that even the characters conform to some of these stereotypes. Jayjones, Neeka's brother, was told by Neeka herself that he needed to stop cutting class, and to wear a suit to keep the cops away. He responded by saying that he does stay in school, and if he was cutting class so much, why have colleges already shown interest in him. Neeka's response to this is, " 'Cause you over six feet tall and can throw a ball in a basket, that's why." We can see here that Neeka believes that the only ticket out of their urban neighborhood for her brother is sports. She, just like other people in this world, didn't even bother to think about Jayjone's ability to succeed academically. It's a sad reality that characters like the ones in this story face everyday; having to go through life being judged by their upbringing, language (slang), choice of dress, and ideas.

The significance of the Urban Stoop

The dictionary defines a stoop as a small staircase leading to the entrance of a building. In urban culture, the stoop is more than that. It is a place of social gathering where a community gets to know one another. It is a place where kids such as D and the girls have most of their interactions. It is a place where mothers can look out the window and know that their kids are safe. Neeka and the narrator are known as "stoop kids". They grew up on these very steps. Their mothers would not let them go beyond the stoops or hang out on corners where a lot of mischief might take place. The stoop is like a clubhouse, yet it is not exclusive. The neighborhood girls can play double dutch in front of it and Neeka's brother can stop by any time to bring chicken and brag.

A look at the Author, Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson is an American Author who writes books for children and adolescents. Her work usually centers around strong African American themes.

"I wanted to write about communities that were familiar to me and people that were familiar to me. I wanted to write about communities of color. I wanted to write about girls. I wanted to write about friendship and all of these things that I felt like were missing in a lot of books that I read as a child." - J. Woodson

Biography

Juice

I remember watching Juice when I was in 5th grade on VHS at my friend's house. I thought that movie was so awesome because at that time (1995) "California Love" had come out. Even though I didn't have anyone clock me or watch me and I didn't have diamonds shining looking like I had robbed Liberace, I still felt like I could relate to the culture. Of course, as a scrawny suburban Asian kid I'd never been fresh out of jail California dreamin', never stepped on a scene hearing hoochies screamin' and it wasn't till recently that I've been fiendin' for money and alcohol, but when Pac sings from "Oakland to Sactown, the Bay Area and back down" I can't help but feel represented in some way.

Brenda's Got A Baby

The first Tupac song I ever heard was "Brenda's Got A Baby." I was in college, participating on an assignment for my Humanities class. Students were divided into pairs and asked to bring in a song of their choosing that had substance. We were to provide lyrics for everyone in the class. Then, as each song was played, we listened intently and analyzed the lyrics.

The girls in After Tupac and D Foster feel a deep connection to Tupac and this song.

"He was so beautiful, I felt like I could see Brenda inside of him. Like even though he was singing about a girl who threw her baby away, he was thinking about himself."

"It's like I look at him and see myself. It's like I'm looking in a mirror."

They see Brenda in Tupac, and Tupac in themselves.

How can one song make all of these connections?

When I heard this song, I was taken aback by its cruel reality. I'd never heard anything like it before. I had known girls like Brenda and I suddenly gained a profound compassion for her and those like her. I truly believe that compassion, empathy, understanding - all of these things - are the highest achievement that the arts can make.

The Reality of Foster Care

What does it mean for D Foster to be in the foster care system?

"I been in the system long enough to see how jacked up it is. Kids living in the streets because they couldn't get along with their foster mamas. Kids all caught out there and whatnot. I am so not trying to go down like that."

The system is meant to provide a temporary family for children whose parents are unable or incapable of taking care of them; a kinder alternative to an orphanage. The goal is to eventually return children to their parents. So, why does D see it as being so "jacked up?" Perhaps because, despite the goals of the system, children actually end up moving from one home to another. They are in a state of constant flux during a time when they need stability most. Without a consistent parental figure, they feel alienated and unwanted.

D, however, sees the big picture for herself. She knows that she will be with her mother once again. Recognizing that her situation is only temporary, she stands firm in her belief that she will not get lost in the system and "go down like that".

You want to see how other People be Living

D's been to and has seen so many places in her life, and she continues to "roam". As the girls struggle to understand her reasoning, it's clear that... "we all just out in the world trying to figure out our Big Purpose"-D

all the girls wanted to see were Tupac's eyes

Prettiest eyes of any rapper

Big

Sad-looking

thick dark eyebrows that made you think of soft things

sees stuff, knows stuff

living deep and true

Dear Mama

Tupac-Dear Mama by JFriszz

"What else do you have in common with Tupac," Neeka said.

" It's like his mama was a mess sometimes and he still loved her- people's moms be all complicated, and it's not like you got a bad mama or you got a good mama the way people be trying to judge and say."- D

I love you. I need you. I appreciate you.

A Medical Miracle

"I remember thinking, He ain't gonna try to get revenge on nobody and he ain't trying to be a disgrace to anybody either. Just trying to keep on. Even though he wasn't smiling I knew he was just happy and confused about still being alive."- p.3 Woodson

--After being shot five times; twice int he head, twice in the groin, and once through the arm & thigh. Unbelievably Tupac checked himself out of the hospital, against doctor's order only three hours after surgery. In the following days Tupac entered the court house and was found guilty of sodomy, sexual abuse, and weapons possession. via 2pac 1994 shooting

Most of the parents in the story were saying he was a disgrace to the race. That he was setting the wrong example for the kids, especially black kids. Yet many of the kids marked this moment as the moment where Tupac was a "true gangsta". While those were two opposing views, the main character saw that Tupac wasn't either of those things. He was simply a man happy to be alive, and striving to "keep on".

A glimpse into Tupac Shakur's Life.

A background look on Tupac Shakur to see how his life and music touches D foster, Neeka and her best friend's lives.