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.

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#

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.