Reaching into her own family history, Woodson presents the stirring story of generations of African-American women who inspired each other with the...
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Feb 09, 2012
Moehee01
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February marks Black History Month, and many of you will be looking for quality books to share with your children. One of my personal favorites is Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson. Gorgeous mixed- media and watercolor illustrations create contrasting moods corresponding with the haunting stories of slavery and the hopeful stories of love passed on between several generations of African American women. The common thread that binds these women together is the show way quilt and the colored thread se
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Nov 07, 2011
Maria
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Show Way is an interesting historical fiction picture book that tells the stories of eight African American women. The first one begins with a little girls sold into slavery from Virginia to a plantation in South Carolina. The last one is the author's daughter. One commonality among all these women is that they all loved their baby daughters and they inherit an artistic quality from their ancestors. At the same time the readers learn about these women’s stories, they also learn about the hi More...
Oct 25, 2011
Meghan
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Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson is an absolutely stunning book. It tells the story of many generations of African-American woman from slavery to freedom to the civil right movement to present day. It begins with Soonie's great grandmother being taken away from her family when she is 7 to go to another planation. All she is given is a piece of muslin and some thread. She learns to sew from Big Mama who teahes her to quilt show ways. A show way is a quilt that helps slaves find their way to
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Nov 06, 2010
Theresa
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Show Way-picture book for older readers historical fiction
Woodson, Jacqueline G.P. Putnam Sons c2005 ISBN 0-399-23749-6
The author writes of her female ancestors on her mother’s side and touches on their lives covering nine generations up to her daughter. She begins the story with a little girl who is sold away from her family at a young age, who learns to sew quilts that show the road to freedom, called Show Ways, hence the title of the book. Her daughter, Mathis May, is also sold a More...
Woodson, Jacqueline G.P. Putnam Sons c2005 ISBN 0-399-23749-6
The author writes of her female ancestors on her mother’s side and touches on their lives covering nine generations up to her daughter. She begins the story with a little girl who is sold away from her family at a young age, who learns to sew quilts that show the road to freedom, called Show Ways, hence the title of the book. Her daughter, Mathis May, is also sold a More...
Jul 06, 2010
Seth
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Show Way by Jacqueline Woods and illustrated by Hudson Talbott is a pretty amazing book. This book follows a family tree from its beginning when a small 7 year old from Africa was sold into slavery and sent to America. The concepts in this book are quite advance. Although the reading is quite easy, I would recommend this book to upper elementary or middle school students. The book is about a little girl in Africa who is taught to sew. As she grows up she has a child that she teaches how to
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Mar 10, 2010
Ch_ebonysmith
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A book about a family’s history, Show Way is a glimpse into the past about a family’s rise from slavery to the present day (well when the book was written). The story is about the family’s struggles to past down their history. The “Show Way” is a quilt that knitted to be a secret map for slaves. Slaves follow the map to freedom. The author is the one of the present generations of women in her family. She wrote the story as a way to share her history with her daughter and the world. The rhythm o
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Oct 31, 2009
Laura
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Summary-
This picture book is written for elementary school students. It tells stories of Jacqueline Woodson's family history. Starting many years before her time her family began using quilts to tell stories and pass along messages. These quilts have connected her family for generations. Her great-great-great-great grandmother began sewing quilts while she was a slave in South Carolina. Her quilts helped send messages to other slaves through symbols and pictures. Later, her family us More...
This picture book is written for elementary school students. It tells stories of Jacqueline Woodson's family history. Starting many years before her time her family began using quilts to tell stories and pass along messages. These quilts have connected her family for generations. Her great-great-great-great grandmother began sewing quilts while she was a slave in South Carolina. Her quilts helped send messages to other slaves through symbols and pictures. Later, her family us More...
Oct 27, 2009
Sarah
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Tracing back to her great-grandmother’s great-grandmother, Jacqueline Woodson (the author) explains to her daughter the significance of the art of quilt making in their family. Based on the real history of her family, the author weaves together a story of the fortitude of the women that came before her. By including her daughter to this line of females, she shows that the strength of such women will continue on to future generations. The author’s poetic phrases echo the story-telling traditio
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Sep 28, 2009
Valerie
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Summary:
This book tells the historical stories of the roads the strong woman in the author, Jacqueline Wood’s family traveled in their lives and the love and quilts that tied them together. Starting with her great-great-great-great grandmother’s slavery in South Carolina, to her great-great, great grandmother’s quilt making, to her great, great grandmother (Mathis May) sewing clothes and quilts helping slaves to escape slavery, to the freedom, cotton picking, and quilt making (and sellin More...
This book tells the historical stories of the roads the strong woman in the author, Jacqueline Wood’s family traveled in their lives and the love and quilts that tied them together. Starting with her great-great-great-great grandmother’s slavery in South Carolina, to her great-great, great grandmother’s quilt making, to her great, great grandmother (Mathis May) sewing clothes and quilts helping slaves to escape slavery, to the freedom, cotton picking, and quilt making (and sellin More...
Feb 01, 2012
L12_Marie Schiller
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Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson is the story of the author’s heroic ancestors starting with slavery, marching in the civil rights movement and ending with the present day passing of traditions to her daughter. It depicts the life of Soonie, an African American slave and the generations of relatives who were sold away from their family as children. Soonie used her talent for stitching picture “crossroads” and “paths” on patches (used as pictorial maps) that would ‘’show the way” to freedom for e
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Jun 13, 2011
Nikki
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This is one of those rare books that could easily have been awarded both the Newbery Medal (for writing) and the Caldecott Medal (for illustration). Jacqueline Woodson, a three-time Newbery Honor Book winner, uses African-American idiom so well that, reading the words silently, one can hear them spoken in the mind. Show Way is many things: a matrilineal genealogy that emphasizes the liberating role of creativity; a history of African-Americans over the last 150 years or more; a book about family
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Mar 01, 2010
Jaclyn
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Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson is a picture book intended for readers in grades three through five. I gave it four stars. “And the words became books that told the stories of many people’s Show Ways.” This is a story of Woodson’s family tree, starting back in the days of slavery. The tale is woven together by the art of quilting Show Ways, which were quilts stars, moons, and paths that would lead slaves to freedom. It was this skill of quilting and the stories of freedom and love that got
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Oct 08, 2011
Jennifer
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This book is definitely for younger readers but may entice mid level ones as well. Lots of beautiful artwork and history are used to follow the ancestry of the author from great-great grandmother, through the line of matriarchal lives in slavery to the present day. The book outlines traditions such as broom-jumping for marriage and quilting for hope, the luxury some slaves had of raising their own children and the memories others kept alive of their families.
On first reading the book More...
On first reading the book More...
Jan 31, 2010
Heidi
rated it:
2006 Newberry Honor Book
Grades 2-6
Woodson’s personal account of all the women who came before her takes at least two reads, as it is a little hard to follow. It drops immediately into the story of how the author’s great, great, great, great-grandmother was sold into slavery at the age of seven. From there, each baby girl learns how to sew beautiful quilts-“Show Ways”-that either literally or metaphorically show the way to freedom through the thread that stretches from past to futur More...
Grades 2-6
Woodson’s personal account of all the women who came before her takes at least two reads, as it is a little hard to follow. It drops immediately into the story of how the author’s great, great, great, great-grandmother was sold into slavery at the age of seven. From there, each baby girl learns how to sew beautiful quilts-“Show Ways”-that either literally or metaphorically show the way to freedom through the thread that stretches from past to futur More...
Oct 01, 2009
(NS) Mary
rated it:
Show Way by Jacueline Woodson, Illustrated by Hudson Talbott, Putnam Juvenile (September 8, 2005)
Soonie's great-grandma was just seven years old when she was sold to a big plantation without her ma and pa, and with only some fabric and needles to call her own. She pieced together bright patches with names like North Star and Crossroads, patches with secret meanings made into quilts called Show Ways—maps for slaves to follow to freedom.When she grew up and had a little girl, she passe More...
Soonie's great-grandma was just seven years old when she was sold to a big plantation without her ma and pa, and with only some fabric and needles to call her own. She pieced together bright patches with names like North Star and Crossroads, patches with secret meanings made into quilts called Show Ways—maps for slaves to follow to freedom.When she grew up and had a little girl, she passe More...
Dec 07, 2011
Chris
rated it: 
Purpose: Picture Book (Wide Reading Project)
Genre: Autobiography
Format: Picture Book
Grades: Primary to Middle School
Subjects/Themes: See the bookshelves above.
Classroom Use: While there is controversy about the existence of freedom quilts, I would not hesitate to read this book out loud to students especially during a unit on slavery and the Underground Railroad.
Review: Woodson really poured her heart and soul into this au More...
Genre: Autobiography
Format: Picture Book
Grades: Primary to Middle School
Subjects/Themes: See the bookshelves above.
Classroom Use: While there is controversy about the existence of freedom quilts, I would not hesitate to read this book out loud to students especially during a unit on slavery and the Underground Railroad.
Review: Woodson really poured her heart and soul into this au More...
Apr 24, 2011
Leah
rated it:
This books makes me cry whenever I read it, no matter how many times, not so much out of sadness as just being moved by the love following children throughout the Woodson's family history. It traces the author's family back to the times of slavery, when slaves would make quilts to show the route to escape to freedom. The narrative is beautifully illustrated in a complex quilt of different media and styles. It follows the family from slavery to Jim Crow all the way to present day Woodson, who "
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Jan 20, 2010
Kim
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Jacqueline Woodson books are not easy to review. Given their length, it may make you think otherwise, but the words of other writers don't do them justice. It's hard to deny that the woman has a way with words, and her devoted fans would continue to flock to her work even if she came out with a 600+ page book. But how does she handle the picture book? Considering the strength of "Show Way," I would say she handled it considerably well.
Woodson does what she does best here: s More...
Woodson does what she does best here: s More...
Mar 30, 2009
Heidi
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I know there are historical questions about the validity or otherwise of the "Underground Railroad Quilt Code". But questions or not, this book tells a story that has clearly been handed down, generation to generation, mother to daughter and on again, through Jacqueline Woodson's family. Thus it is truth to that family, as much as any other truth (such as the truth that an ancestor of mine helped to build the Anglican Cathedral in Hobart).
The illustrations are beautiful, More...
The illustrations are beautiful, More...
Jan 19, 2011
Ryan
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Show Way has wonderful illustrations and a very sweet, simple story that is all the more powerful for its simplicity. The author traces her mother's family from Soonie, her great-grandmother, back as far as Soonie's memory takes her, and tells the story of young women who grew up in slavery, made freedom quilts and taught their children to do the same. The story is almost poetry, with themes repeating - I can hear my own children saying the words along with me..."and mama loved this baby up
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Dec 06, 2011
Sara
rated it:
1.This is a junior book, other, a historical fiction.
2.Jacqueline Woodson tracks back her own heritage to tell a story about slavery and ‘Show Way’ quilts which helped lead slaves to the north.
3.A. Jacqueline Woodson has written a lovely story that oozes with love through generations. Her way of writing about her ancestors, their hardships and relating it all the way to present day is magical and gives everyone the hope of change.
B.The greatest aspect of this More...
2.Jacqueline Woodson tracks back her own heritage to tell a story about slavery and ‘Show Way’ quilts which helped lead slaves to the north.
3.A. Jacqueline Woodson has written a lovely story that oozes with love through generations. Her way of writing about her ancestors, their hardships and relating it all the way to present day is magical and gives everyone the hope of change.
B.The greatest aspect of this More...
Mar 01, 2010
Christine
rated it:
Approximate Interest Level/Reading Level: Elementary
Format: Picture book
Awards: ALA Notable Books for Children (2006), Notable Books of the English Language Arts (2006), Newbery Honor (2006), Notable Social Studies Trade Books (2006)
Inspired by her own family history, Woodson passes down the history of several generations of African American women through the making of “show ways,” or quilts that were once used as secret maps, showing the way to freedom, and p More...
Format: Picture book
Awards: ALA Notable Books for Children (2006), Notable Books of the English Language Arts (2006), Newbery Honor (2006), Notable Social Studies Trade Books (2006)
Inspired by her own family history, Woodson passes down the history of several generations of African American women through the making of “show ways,” or quilts that were once used as secret maps, showing the way to freedom, and p More...
Nov 13, 2010
The author tells her daughter the tradition of the show-way quilt passed down from her Great-Grandma Soonie by Soonie's Great-Grandma. So we are taken through history beginning with a young seven year old girl being sent away from her family as a sold slave girl. In South Carolina, Big Mama raises the young girl with many other slave children, teaching her to sew colored thread into stars and moons and roads; these quilts held symbols for landmarks and the trail to freedom for many slaves
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Oct 01, 2009
(NS)JenniferA
rated it:
Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson, is a story of generations of an African American woman. It is written in a very poetic way, including some rhythm and rhyming. It plots the history of African American people from the time of slavery, through the Emancipation Proclamation, into the Civil Rights Movement to the present time. The author uses quilt making as a metaphor for sewing and weaving the path of the lives of a family. This book is complex and would be wonderful to read to middle school stud
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May 28, 2010
Rachel
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A Show Way is a quilt made during slavery that showed in pictures the stars and moons and roads for freedom. This is a tale of the author's ancestors, from women who were enslaved to those who had to fight for freedom during the Civil Rights Movement. It is beautifully woven with the illustrations and tied together with images of the Show Way and quilts that helped tie these women together through the generations. The illustrations do a wonderful job of detailing slavery, freedom, and fightin
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Mar 31, 2010
Sarah
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First of all, I absolutely love the cover of this book. The cut-out that shows a picture of Mathis May is so cool and unique. The illustration style of the whole book is unique. I love the way that the show way quilt continues throughout the pages in a line like the generational line described in the text. The progression from slaves at the will of their masters, to free people facing segregation, and finally to people who remember the stories so that their children know about the struggles of t
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Apr 05, 2009
Josiah
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This is a deep, resonant picture book that faithfully and affectionately looks into Jacqueline Woodson's richly warm family past, into times and people that are as different as could be. Jacqueline Woodson never writes a bad book; in fact, she never seems to write anything that is not truly exceptional. Show Way ranks among the finest picture books that I have read, and the text is complimented well by Hudson Talbot's sensitive, extraordinary illustrations. I wonder why this did not win the 2006
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Jan 04, 2012
Laura
rated it:
Show Way is the remarkable tale of Woodson’s maternal line. She begins with her great-grandmother’s great-grandmother who was sold away from her parents at the age of seven. The female ancestors passed down the tradition of sewing quilts which once contained coded messages that would show slaves the way to freedom. Later, the quilts helped preserve the unwritten history of the families.
Without explicitly getting into the historical facts about how slaves were not allowed to learn to More...
Without explicitly getting into the historical facts about how slaves were not allowed to learn to More...
Apr 25, 2010
Stephanie
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Summary: Show Way, written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by Hudson Talbott, is a 2006 Newbery Honor Book. This book goes through the history of an African American family who started out as slaves. It shows the progression of slavery and oppression through to the present time. From generation to generation, the skill of quilting was passed on. First, this was passed on as a message, explaining how to get to freedom. Then, over time, it became a story of their history, with the message, "
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Nov 21, 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grade Level: K-3
Summary: "Show Way" is a book about the African American culture. It begins with slavery and moves through history and family generations to the Civil War, Civil Rights Movement, and present day equality. The books shows a family, who has all girls who learn to sew and have a "show way". The "show ways" change throughout the years, but they are never forgotten. I really enjoyed this book because it is a grea More...
Grade Level: K-3
Summary: "Show Way" is a book about the African American culture. It begins with slavery and moves through history and family generations to the Civil War, Civil Rights Movement, and present day equality. The books shows a family, who has all girls who learn to sew and have a "show way". The "show ways" change throughout the years, but they are never forgotten. I really enjoyed this book because it is a grea More...
