Jacqueline Woodson

Author profile

born

in Columbus, Ohio, The United States

February 12, 1963

gender

female

website

http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/

genre

Literature & Fiction, Children's Books, Young Adult

About this author

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I used to say I’d be a teacher or a lawyer or a hairdresser when I grew up but even as I said these things, I knew what made me happiest was writing.

I wrote on everything and everywhere. I remember my uncle catching me writing my name in graffiti on the side of a building. (It was not pretty for me when my mother found out.) I wrote on paper bags and my shoes and denim binders. I chalked stories across sidewalks and penciled tiny tales in notebook margins. I loved and still love watching words flower into sentences and sentences blossom into stories.

I also told a lot of stories as a child. Not “Once upon a time” stories but basically, outright lies. I loved lying and getting away with it! There was something about telling the lie-story and...more I used to say I’d be a teacher or a lawyer or a hairdresser when I grew up but even as I said these things, I knew what made me happiest was writing.

I wrote on everything and everywhere. I remember my uncle catching me writing my name in graffiti on the side of a building. (It was not pretty for me when my mother found out.) I wrote on paper bags and my shoes and denim binders. I chalked stories across sidewalks and penciled tiny tales in notebook margins. I loved and still love watching words flower into sentences and sentences blossom into stories.

I also told a lot of stories as a child. Not “Once upon a time” stories but basically, outright lies. I loved lying and getting away with it! There was something about telling the lie-story and seeing your friends’ eyes grow wide with wonder. Of course I got in trouble for lying but I didn’t stop until fifth grade.

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.

Lots and lots of books later, I am still surprised when I walk into a bookstore and see my name on a book’s binder. Sometimes, when I’m sitting at my desk for long hours and nothing’s coming to me, I remember my fifth grade teacher, the way her eyes lit up when she said “This is really good.” The way, I — the skinny girl in the back of the classroom who was always getting into trouble for talking or missed homework assignments — sat up a little straighter, folded my hands on the desks, smiled and began to believe in me.(less)

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Jacqueline Woodson's Books

Average rating: 3.83 · 23,629 ratings · 4,513 reviews · 52 distinct works · Similar authors

	Feathers 3.54 of 5 stars 3.54 avg rating — 2,383 ratings — published 2007 — 19 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson, E.B. Lewis (Illustrator) 4.42 of 5 stars 4.42 avg rating — 1,832 ratings — published 2001 — 3 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Locomotion 3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 avg rating — 1,924 ratings — published 2003 — 22 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	If You Come Softly 4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 avg rating — 1,898 ratings — published 1998 — 16 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	After Tupac and D Foster 3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 avg rating — 1,426 ratings — published 2008 — 10 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Beneath a Meth Moon 3.63 of 5 stars 3.63 avg rating — 1,191 ratings — published 2012 — 16 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Miracle's Boys 3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 avg rating — 1,037 ratings — published 2000 — 23 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson, Hudson Talbott (Illustrator) 4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 avg rating — 871 ratings — published 2005	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, E.B. Lewis (Illustrator) 4.32 of 5 stars 4.32 avg rating — 668 ratings — published 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Peace, Locomotion 3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 avg rating — 774 ratings — published 2009 — 15 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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February 2012, Jacqueline Woodson
"Her Favorite Books About Real Teen Problems: Trade vampires for these true-to-life recs from the author of Beneath a Meth Moon, a young adult novel about a Katrina refugee." ...More

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Quotes by Jacqueline Woodson

“You can't always be pushing people away. Someday nobody'll come back.”
― Jacqueline Woodson, The Dear One

39 people liked it

“I wouldn't mind the early autumn
if you came home today
I'd tell you how much I miss you
and know I'd be okay.

It's funny how we never know
exactly how our life will go
It's funny how a dream can fade
with the break of day.

Time can't erase the memory
and time can't bring you home
Last Summer was a part of me
and now a part is gone.

—Margaret”
― Jacqueline Woodson, Last Summer With Maizon

24 people liked it

“Time comes to us softly, slowly. It sits beside us for a while. Then, long before we are ready, it moves on.”
― Jacqueline Woodson, If You Come Softly

23 people liked it

See all Jacqueline Woodson's quotes »

Polls

What book shall we read in July?
I have chosen books that are getting a lot of attention, or the authors have other Newbery honors, and were published in January and February. My hope is that a lot of libraries might have them in their shelves by now.

If you get the chance, check and see what your library has before you vote.

Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

4 votes 40.0%

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine

3 votes 30.0%

Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

1 vote 10.0%

Happenstance Found by P.W. Catanese

1 vote 10.0%

Scat by Carl Hiaasen

1 vote 10.0%

The Farwalker's Quest by Joni Sensel

0 votes 0.0%

10 total votes

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Next Best Boo...: OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009	6462	8064	Jun 14, 2009 02:57pm
The Newbery Award...: Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922-Present	12	41	Jan 15, 2010 10:54pm
Mock Newbery 2014: Local Mock Newbery Results	10	192	Jan 25, 2010 05:39pm
The Newbery Award...: 2006 Honor - Show Way	1	2	Feb 08, 2010 09:54am
The Newbery Award...: 2008 Honor - Feathers	1	3	Feb 08, 2010 10:01am
The Newbery Award...: 2009 Honor - After Tupac and D Foster	1	3	Feb 08, 2010 10:04am
The Seasonal Read...: WINTER CHALLENGE 2009-2010 COMPLETED TASKS	3171	2979	Feb 28, 2010 09:02pm
The Seasonal Read...: Winter 2009 - Tasks, Questions, Scores, etc.	388	421	Mar 01, 2010 08:16am
Young at Heart: Favorite Young Adult Authors	22	155	Mar 14, 2010 03:59pm
Room 107, Period 2: Three books for the holidays	29	36	Dec 13, 2010 10:59am

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Jacqueline Woodson

Author profile

combine editionsJacqueline Woodson's Books

Upcoming Events

Interviews

Quotes by Jacqueline Woodson

Polls

Topics Mentioning This Author

combine editions
Jacqueline Woodson's Books