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The House You Pass on the Way
When her aunt's adopted daughter Tyler comes to stay with them for the summer, Staggerlee, a self-proclaimed loner, finds a soulmate in Tyler, but their intense feelings for each other catch them off guard and force them to make some difficult decisions. Simultaneous.
128 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 1997
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About the author
Jacqueline Woodson
82 books9,095 followersI 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.
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.
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July 12, 2010Snapshot: Set in the rural South, this book is the story of Staggerlee, a 14-year-old girl who is searching for her own identity while also attempting to understand her complicated family legacy. Staggerlee is caught between worlds in terms of race--her mother is white and her father is black in a mostly black community--and in terms of sexual orientation--Staggerlee is trying to come to terms with being gay. A visit from a cousin who seems to understand her enables Staggerlee her own awakening.
Hook: This book is fundamentally about gaining the strength to be yourself, a theme most teenagers can relate to. Woodson's language is gripping, precise, and honest, and offers Staggerlee a powerful voice of discovery. The books is a short read, so students might like it for that. But anyone going through the hard work of figuring herself out would find an ally and a comfort in Staggerlee's story.
Challenges: While the language is beautiful and poetic, I think Woodson's novel would be challenging for beginner/intermediate-level ESL students. There is a great amount of American historical context for a student to understand the family legacy thread of the book: race, interracial marriage in the South, the 1960s American civil rights movement, and cultural attitudes toward homosexuality.
Students in mind: Specifically, students working through sexual orientation identity issues. More broadly, I think many teenagers who feel out of place, alone, and isolated through puberty would appreciate the themes of this book. I think it would be most appropriate for strong English-language readers who would be able to benefit from the nuances of voice and language in the book. I also think this book is more appropriate for girls; I'm not sure most boys would hold interest for long.
Conference notes: How do you think Staggerlee's family's background contributes to her confusion about who she is? What do you think Staggerlee learns through her relationship with Trout? Do you think Staggerlee would encounter similar issues if she lived somewhere else? What are the attitudes toward homosexuality where you come from?
Level: High School, advanced readers in English
Hook: This book is fundamentally about gaining the strength to be yourself, a theme most teenagers can relate to. Woodson's language is gripping, precise, and honest, and offers Staggerlee a powerful voice of discovery. The books is a short read, so students might like it for that. But anyone going through the hard work of figuring herself out would find an ally and a comfort in Staggerlee's story.
Challenges: While the language is beautiful and poetic, I think Woodson's novel would be challenging for beginner/intermediate-level ESL students. There is a great amount of American historical context for a student to understand the family legacy thread of the book: race, interracial marriage in the South, the 1960s American civil rights movement, and cultural attitudes toward homosexuality.
Students in mind: Specifically, students working through sexual orientation identity issues. More broadly, I think many teenagers who feel out of place, alone, and isolated through puberty would appreciate the themes of this book. I think it would be most appropriate for strong English-language readers who would be able to benefit from the nuances of voice and language in the book. I also think this book is more appropriate for girls; I'm not sure most boys would hold interest for long.
Conference notes: How do you think Staggerlee's family's background contributes to her confusion about who she is? What do you think Staggerlee learns through her relationship with Trout? Do you think Staggerlee would encounter similar issues if she lived somewhere else? What are the attitudes toward homosexuality where you come from?
Level: High School, advanced readers in English
March 2, 2011
I'm always amazed by how quickly I get sucked in to Jacqueline Woodson's books. The House You Pass on the Way is barley over 100 pages, and yet it is full of growth, a well-rounded cast of characters, and so much emotion. It even covers enough time to be both a little bluesy and a little hopeful at the same time. It's the perfect book for a rainy afternoon.
Staggerlee is kind of a loner, and, for the most part, she likes it that way. It gives her space to think and to play her music. In a town that is mostly Black, her mother is white. The statue in the center of town is of her grandparents, and it marks Staggerlee and the rest of her family as "special," something her classmates see as "better than." Also, we find out early on, Staggerlee was in love (in a sixth grade kind of way) with her ex-best friend Hazel. She has no words to describe the feeling she had for Hazel, but she knows she should keep them a secret. She feels different and out of place in her small town.
And this is where Staggerlee's cousin Trout comes in. They understand each other in more ways than they could have predicted at the beginning of their summer together. They spend that crazy, transformative summer between middle school and high school together, and they each gain from the other the strength to figure out who they really may be.
Though the circumstances may not be universal, Staggerlee's feeling of being on the outside is something just about everyone has experienced at one time or another, and her friendship with Trout, the way it helps Staggerlee to define herself and the vulnerability that creates, is beautifully rendered in the text. Even though The House You Pass on the Way can be read as an overall sad book, the melancholy is never overwhelming. And the writing, oh the writing, is so lyrical, emotional, and just plain gorgeous.
Book source: Philly Free Library
Staggerlee is kind of a loner, and, for the most part, she likes it that way. It gives her space to think and to play her music. In a town that is mostly Black, her mother is white. The statue in the center of town is of her grandparents, and it marks Staggerlee and the rest of her family as "special," something her classmates see as "better than." Also, we find out early on, Staggerlee was in love (in a sixth grade kind of way) with her ex-best friend Hazel. She has no words to describe the feeling she had for Hazel, but she knows she should keep them a secret. She feels different and out of place in her small town.
And this is where Staggerlee's cousin Trout comes in. They understand each other in more ways than they could have predicted at the beginning of their summer together. They spend that crazy, transformative summer between middle school and high school together, and they each gain from the other the strength to figure out who they really may be.
Though the circumstances may not be universal, Staggerlee's feeling of being on the outside is something just about everyone has experienced at one time or another, and her friendship with Trout, the way it helps Staggerlee to define herself and the vulnerability that creates, is beautifully rendered in the text. Even though The House You Pass on the Way can be read as an overall sad book, the melancholy is never overwhelming. And the writing, oh the writing, is so lyrical, emotional, and just plain gorgeous.
Book source: Philly Free Library
September 9, 2012
JAQUELINE WOODSON CATEGORY
Contains homosexual themes.
The daughter of mixed-race parents in an all-black southern town, Staggerlee has learned to avoid curious or deriding neighbors by keeping quietly to herself. She spends most of her time walking her dog by the river, alone. Though she longs for a friend, she feels alienated at school because her once-close friend Hazel has tuned the other girls against her. Secretly, Trout knows she and Hazel shared more than friendship, having had an experience kissing in a field of flowers before the girls entered high school. But after Hazel's rejection, Staggerlee struggles to know what kind of girl she is, and to understand her own budding sexuality. When Stagerlee's cousin Trout comes to stay, and shares that she too is struggling to know if she is gay or not, the two girls form a strong friendship. But when Trout goes home again, and then slowly drifts away from Staggerlee, the protagonist is left reeling, wondering how she will deal with the changes in her life.
I hated this book. My reasons are listed below:
1) It's too short. The plot is totally underdeveloped, and little is developed or resolved within the family relationships presented. There is a sub-plot about Staggerlee's grandparents having been famous civil rights activists and entertainers, and their activism is frequently referenced, but never fleshed out. It seems like a needless side plot that is never fully realized. As is the segment about Staggerlee's struggles with her siblings, and her mom's apparent poor mental and physical health.
2) The theme of discovering one's sexuality is poorly played out. Indeed, the book seems to advance labels at an unhealthily early age (13-14), with a poorly defined "gay" meaning you've liked kissing someone of the same sex. Moreover, Staggerlee's emotions are never fully explained. Is she reeling from the loss of friends? Or is she struggling because she thinks she's gay, or both? The book never explains.
3) Trout's character is flat. Yes, she later decides she's not gay, but why? And why do we care? Because there is no real character development in her, and all her change occurs off stage, we don't have any real reason as readers to care about her change at all.
4) There are no real resolutions in the book. Plus, the story starts awkwardly from the beginning, with Staggerlee seeking some understanding in a church, and then wondering if she's betrayed Trout. How is this possible?! From the reader's perspective, Trout is the one doing the betraying to some degree, but the author has the story end with her more confused and lonely than ever.
Overall, this book seems to be a lesson in confusion–as a teen, and even more so as a writer. It feels stuck together and poorly developed. Almost like a concept piece more than a novel. If a student is struggling with their sexuality, or wants to read a book with homosexual themes, I'd point them elsewhere. There are other books that deal with these subjects much, much better.
Contains homosexual themes.
The daughter of mixed-race parents in an all-black southern town, Staggerlee has learned to avoid curious or deriding neighbors by keeping quietly to herself. She spends most of her time walking her dog by the river, alone. Though she longs for a friend, she feels alienated at school because her once-close friend Hazel has tuned the other girls against her. Secretly, Trout knows she and Hazel shared more than friendship, having had an experience kissing in a field of flowers before the girls entered high school. But after Hazel's rejection, Staggerlee struggles to know what kind of girl she is, and to understand her own budding sexuality. When Stagerlee's cousin Trout comes to stay, and shares that she too is struggling to know if she is gay or not, the two girls form a strong friendship. But when Trout goes home again, and then slowly drifts away from Staggerlee, the protagonist is left reeling, wondering how she will deal with the changes in her life.
I hated this book. My reasons are listed below:
1) It's too short. The plot is totally underdeveloped, and little is developed or resolved within the family relationships presented. There is a sub-plot about Staggerlee's grandparents having been famous civil rights activists and entertainers, and their activism is frequently referenced, but never fleshed out. It seems like a needless side plot that is never fully realized. As is the segment about Staggerlee's struggles with her siblings, and her mom's apparent poor mental and physical health.
2) The theme of discovering one's sexuality is poorly played out. Indeed, the book seems to advance labels at an unhealthily early age (13-14), with a poorly defined "gay" meaning you've liked kissing someone of the same sex. Moreover, Staggerlee's emotions are never fully explained. Is she reeling from the loss of friends? Or is she struggling because she thinks she's gay, or both? The book never explains.
3) Trout's character is flat. Yes, she later decides she's not gay, but why? And why do we care? Because there is no real character development in her, and all her change occurs off stage, we don't have any real reason as readers to care about her change at all.
4) There are no real resolutions in the book. Plus, the story starts awkwardly from the beginning, with Staggerlee seeking some understanding in a church, and then wondering if she's betrayed Trout. How is this possible?! From the reader's perspective, Trout is the one doing the betraying to some degree, but the author has the story end with her more confused and lonely than ever.
Overall, this book seems to be a lesson in confusion–as a teen, and even more so as a writer. It feels stuck together and poorly developed. Almost like a concept piece more than a novel. If a student is struggling with their sexuality, or wants to read a book with homosexual themes, I'd point them elsewhere. There are other books that deal with these subjects much, much better.
July 17, 2009
"And freedom? Oh, freedom.
Well that's just some people talking.
Your prison is walking through this world all alone."
—The House You Pass on the Way
"What did it sound like...having someone call your name across a crowded school yard? How did it feel to turn to the sound of your name, to see some smiling face or waving hand and know it was for you and you alone?"
—Staggerlee, "The House You Pass on the Way", P. 43
From before I even read page one of this book, I was drawn into it by the powerful, quiet lyricism that hides within all of Jacqueline Woodson's words.
I perhaps have never been so attracted to the style of a writer as I am to that of Jacqueline Woodson. Each time I have read one of her superbly crafted stories I once again find myself falling in love with the potential variances within the English language, and the power that such words have to charm and to wrap up one's life with that of another person.
Such is the case in "The House You Pass on the Way". Jacqueline Woodson quietly tackles issues that are painful and jarring, but in a smooth style that is SO good that the thoughts and experiences of Staggerlee and Tyler are as resounding as if they were our own. Perhaps that is because they ARE our own, laced so inseparably with the feelings of sadness that all of us have experienced that they can be powerfully and universally felt by all who have felt rejection of any kind.
This book largely defies synopsis, and I will not try to go into an in-depth analysis of what happens. "The House You Pass on the Way" is one of the more powerful books that I have read in quite a while, and I can only shake my head in awe at the never-faltering writing ability of the one, the only, Jacqueline Woodson.
"I have all this stuff—all these thoughts going on inside me and they all seem so—so dangerous."
—Tyler, "The House You Pass on the Way", P. 95
"If I loved someone enough, I would go anywhere in the world with them."
—Staggerlee, P. 89
Well that's just some people talking.
Your prison is walking through this world all alone."
—The House You Pass on the Way
"What did it sound like...having someone call your name across a crowded school yard? How did it feel to turn to the sound of your name, to see some smiling face or waving hand and know it was for you and you alone?"
—Staggerlee, "The House You Pass on the Way", P. 43
From before I even read page one of this book, I was drawn into it by the powerful, quiet lyricism that hides within all of Jacqueline Woodson's words.
I perhaps have never been so attracted to the style of a writer as I am to that of Jacqueline Woodson. Each time I have read one of her superbly crafted stories I once again find myself falling in love with the potential variances within the English language, and the power that such words have to charm and to wrap up one's life with that of another person.
Such is the case in "The House You Pass on the Way". Jacqueline Woodson quietly tackles issues that are painful and jarring, but in a smooth style that is SO good that the thoughts and experiences of Staggerlee and Tyler are as resounding as if they were our own. Perhaps that is because they ARE our own, laced so inseparably with the feelings of sadness that all of us have experienced that they can be powerfully and universally felt by all who have felt rejection of any kind.
This book largely defies synopsis, and I will not try to go into an in-depth analysis of what happens. "The House You Pass on the Way" is one of the more powerful books that I have read in quite a while, and I can only shake my head in awe at the never-faltering writing ability of the one, the only, Jacqueline Woodson.
"I have all this stuff—all these thoughts going on inside me and they all seem so—so dangerous."
—Tyler, "The House You Pass on the Way", P. 95
"If I loved someone enough, I would go anywhere in the world with them."
—Staggerlee, P. 89
November 23, 2015
There really aren’t enough words to describe how beautiful, how moving, and how vital this story is. I looked to see when this book came out and it was in 1997 when I was 17 years old. By that point, I had already fled my birth family’s home and at that age I already had enough confirmation to know that, within my birth family, being queer was not and would never be okay. But when I think back to age 13 and 14, the age of Staggerlee and Trout, I remember that sense of trying to figure out who I was, what my skin color meant to who I was, and what all of these feelings stirring inside of me meant. There’s an excitement with that first kiss or when a friend that happens to be a girl smiles at you, leans in, or touches you in a way that ignites those little butterflies in the belly. There was such a beauty in watching Staggerlee discover that and then a devastation in knowing that others, starting with her family, may ascribe an “ugliness” or a “wrongness” to these beautiful and new emotions developing within her. That knowing was intensified in Staggerlee because, as young person of color, she’d already received ugly messages from society about her skin color. This was where I have nothing but praise for this author in being able to deeply explore the complexities of identity and how does a young person become who they are and understand who they are when they are constantly being assigned identities and told which identities are “right” versus “wrong”, “beautiful” versus “ugly”, or “acceptable” versus “unacceptable”.
The feelings of isolation that go with that exploration of oneself as well as that deep sense of wanting to belong, connect, and be accepted were profound throughout this story, and repeatedly brought me to tears. There’s no happily ever after or happily for right now ending in this – we see two young people veer in different paths. For Staggerlee, her path involves trying to be true to who she is while trying to gain acceptance and, for Trout, her path involves the silencing of who she is to hold on to some semblance of acceptance. There was a part of me that really wanted this story to be longer – to maybe see Staggerlee and Trout come to a place where they can develop into who they are – but I also understood how honest this ending was and that the author was really giving me a story not on the development of these two people but on the part of the journey they’re taking towards that development.
The feelings of isolation that go with that exploration of oneself as well as that deep sense of wanting to belong, connect, and be accepted were profound throughout this story, and repeatedly brought me to tears. There’s no happily ever after or happily for right now ending in this – we see two young people veer in different paths. For Staggerlee, her path involves trying to be true to who she is while trying to gain acceptance and, for Trout, her path involves the silencing of who she is to hold on to some semblance of acceptance. There was a part of me that really wanted this story to be longer – to maybe see Staggerlee and Trout come to a place where they can develop into who they are – but I also understood how honest this ending was and that the author was really giving me a story not on the development of these two people but on the part of the journey they’re taking towards that development.
October 22, 2018
I like this book very much. It has barely 100 pages but it contain full of emotions and eager want to read further.
Staggerlee, a 14-year-old girl who is a main and adorable character in this book is on to find her identity. She has not any best friend at school until her cousin Trout come to visit for summer vacation. Trout is beautiful and has a soft even voice. Staggerlee and Trout become best friend and they share their personal secret and along this there is family matters, black/white debate some emotional situations which make your eyes wet. Also conversation and the way nature described arouse an eager want to read next and next page.
When I finished this book I was unsatisfied, because I wanted to read more about Staggerlee. I Trout make you mind blow by the latter she wrote to Staggerlee it is the "game chenger" letter. I must say this is my favorite book for this month
Jacqueline Woodson's writing style is very simple to understand as well as full of depth of knowledge. That's why I'm giving 5/5 stars
Staggerlee, a 14-year-old girl who is a main and adorable character in this book is on to find her identity. She has not any best friend at school until her cousin Trout come to visit for summer vacation. Trout is beautiful and has a soft even voice. Staggerlee and Trout become best friend and they share their personal secret and along this there is family matters, black/white debate some emotional situations which make your eyes wet. Also conversation and the way nature described arouse an eager want to read next and next page.
When I finished this book I was unsatisfied, because I wanted to read more about Staggerlee. I Trout make you mind blow by the latter she wrote to Staggerlee it is the "game chenger" letter. I must say this is my favorite book for this month
Jacqueline Woodson's writing style is very simple to understand as well as full of depth of knowledge. That's why I'm giving 5/5 stars
July 22, 2020
“I know what I am.”
Trout narrowed her eyes, smirking. “What are you?”
It was a test, Staggerlee knew. One she had had to take a thousand times. Choose a side, Trout was saying. Black or white.
“I’m me. That’s all.”
this book did for me what i think aristotle & dante did for most other people. it was short and quick, but it was quietly beautiful and provocative. staggerlee is fourteen years old and she is struggling. she has no friends. girls at school think she's stuck-up because her grandparents died during a civil rights riot and have been idolized for it in their small town (not to mention that her parents inherited their money and - i believe? - their house). her mother is one of only a handful of white people in their predominantly black town, and is naturally shy and closed-off, which also leads staggerlee's classmates to believe she, as well as her mother, have a chip on their shoulder. on top of that, staggerlee knows she's different, and the one girl she could have confided in abandons her and eventually moves away.
staggerlee's loneliness changes when her cousin, tyler, AKA trout, whom she's never met, comes to visit. trout stays the entire summer and the two girls are inseparable. as someone who grew up playing with my cousins, this felt particularly special to me. partway through the summer, staggerlee and her cousin confess the same secret: they like girls. they've told almost no one before now, and their secret brings them closer together... till the summer ends, and it kind of falls apart.
i did think the ending to this was the weakest part. i expected a reunion of some kind between trout and staggerlee, and i thought the ending was too abrupt. but i liked the explanation trout gave for "ghosting" her (not that that term existed in the nineties, when this is set) and thought it made sense. it would have been nice to have more exploration into trout's bisexuality, but i do understand that this slice-of-life sort of novella was intended to end on an unsure note. neither staggerlee nor trout are sure of their identity; they're only fourteen, and they still have a lot to learn.
overall i thought this was honestly pretty beautiful. i know i used that word already but it's the only word that's coming to mind. i wish this had been just a tiny bit longer and more fleshed out, but i appreciate the open ending and the themes presented throughout. despite the fact that this takes place in the nineties (or eighties? i'm honestly not sure), the writing and the descriptions of this quiet southern town gave it this lovely timeless feel. and i want to thank jacqueline woodson for writing such a genuine and heartfelt portrayal of discovering sexuality way back in 1997.
I think somewhere inside of me, I’ll always be Trout. But I’m Tyler too. The way you used to say about being both black and white—I’m both and all of it.
March 7, 2015
Thank goodness for Jacqueline Woodson.
In The House You Pass on the Way she has written a lovingly understated story of identity and family. As a young teenager, Staggerlee is seeking answers and understanding and relationship -- trying to figure out who she is and her place in the world -- big questions for anyone. As the biracial daughter of a Black father and a white mother living in a nearly all-Black, Southern small town, she has spent her entire life living the legacy of racism and its consequences in the real life experiences of her own family. And as she steps into womanhood, she is trying to understand what it means to be a woman and how to deal with complex questions about her own sexuality rolling around within her. Enter Trout -- Staggerlee's adopted cousin from Baltimore sent by their long estranged family to stay with Staggerlee's family for the summer. The girls' relationship becomes a context for both of them to think together about the difficult questions of their lives.
I think books like this are much-needed for young audiences. There are so many young people who can relate to Staggerlee, whether because they identify as biracial, are questioning their sexuality, or because they feel like an outsider. The book is an advocate for allowing oneself to just be exactly who you are, without necessarily needing labels or boxes by which to define oneself. And I appreciate the complexity of the ending. I find it realistically complex. There are no easy answers or perfect endings in life. But there is growth. In addition, the story isn't heavy-handed. I feel as if it gives young readers just what they need without giving them too much.
However, I don't really see the need for the preface chapter. I found it confusing and think it detracted from my own reading of the story. And I'm not really sure what the book's title has to do with the story itself.
All-in-all: A solidly, quality read.
In The House You Pass on the Way she has written a lovingly understated story of identity and family. As a young teenager, Staggerlee is seeking answers and understanding and relationship -- trying to figure out who she is and her place in the world -- big questions for anyone. As the biracial daughter of a Black father and a white mother living in a nearly all-Black, Southern small town, she has spent her entire life living the legacy of racism and its consequences in the real life experiences of her own family. And as she steps into womanhood, she is trying to understand what it means to be a woman and how to deal with complex questions about her own sexuality rolling around within her. Enter Trout -- Staggerlee's adopted cousin from Baltimore sent by their long estranged family to stay with Staggerlee's family for the summer. The girls' relationship becomes a context for both of them to think together about the difficult questions of their lives.
I think books like this are much-needed for young audiences. There are so many young people who can relate to Staggerlee, whether because they identify as biracial, are questioning their sexuality, or because they feel like an outsider. The book is an advocate for allowing oneself to just be exactly who you are, without necessarily needing labels or boxes by which to define oneself. And I appreciate the complexity of the ending. I find it realistically complex. There are no easy answers or perfect endings in life. But there is growth. In addition, the story isn't heavy-handed. I feel as if it gives young readers just what they need without giving them too much.
However, I don't really see the need for the preface chapter. I found it confusing and think it detracted from my own reading of the story. And I'm not really sure what the book's title has to do with the story itself.
All-in-all: A solidly, quality read.
February 7, 2017
"I don't want anyone to find it and get stupid."
Staggerlee watched her a moment. "You think the day'll come when you can write something like that in the dirt and it won't faze anybody?"
Trout smiled and started writing their names again.
"Guess it won't ever come if it doesn't start someplace, right?"
A book about a biracial lesbian tween in an all black town. Honestly the story could have been amazing. Staggerlee had famous grandparents killed in a bombing, unreconcilable family disputes, and romance that breaks her heart. There were so many things that Woodson should have and could have gone into while writing this, but it's so lacklustre and underdeveloped. Smatterings of interesting bits that never fully develop. I felt like I was reading a bad summary for an interesting book. Very disappointed with it. It really could have been done better. However i do applaud Woodson for writing about such a topic in the late 90's. It still wasn't acceptable, however I think she chickened out at the end of the story and made it more acceptable, more palatable for homophobes. The ending gave readers the imagination to think both Trout and Staggerlee would end up with men instead of women.
Staggerlee watched her a moment. "You think the day'll come when you can write something like that in the dirt and it won't faze anybody?"
Trout smiled and started writing their names again.
"Guess it won't ever come if it doesn't start someplace, right?"
A book about a biracial lesbian tween in an all black town. Honestly the story could have been amazing. Staggerlee had famous grandparents killed in a bombing, unreconcilable family disputes, and romance that breaks her heart. There were so many things that Woodson should have and could have gone into while writing this, but it's so lacklustre and underdeveloped. Smatterings of interesting bits that never fully develop. I felt like I was reading a bad summary for an interesting book. Very disappointed with it. It really could have been done better. However i do applaud Woodson for writing about such a topic in the late 90's. It still wasn't acceptable, however I think she chickened out at the end of the story and made it more acceptable, more palatable for homophobes. The ending gave readers the imagination to think both Trout and Staggerlee would end up with men instead of women.
August 15, 2024
“Waiting Staggerlee thought. They were both waiting. Waiting for this moment, this season, these years to pass. Who would they become? she wondered. Who would they become?”
The transition into high school can be scary, but before that, who were you as an individual? Lack of friendships, connections, or maybe the loss of them and even the need to understand your body while navigating society’s acceptance, school, and home life. Mix that with your family’s history that has seeped into your small town and who you are to become may be hidden for so long, but is it due to no one seeing you or you not wanting to be seen? The House You Pass on the Way is short but packed with so much. Being biracial in a Black-only town with your family’s legacy stamped on it is a lot to bear, but so is being a father, whose parents were murdered, and whose sister's disowned because he married a white woman.
The protagonist, Staggerlee, lets us into her home, mind, and hidden secrets that center around understanding her affection for other girls. How one kiss with a girl lingers in her mind and the feelings she gets but knows she must not tell until she finally can tell someone and feel a sense of being seen.
The transition into high school can be scary, but before that, who were you as an individual? Lack of friendships, connections, or maybe the loss of them and even the need to understand your body while navigating society’s acceptance, school, and home life. Mix that with your family’s history that has seeped into your small town and who you are to become may be hidden for so long, but is it due to no one seeing you or you not wanting to be seen? The House You Pass on the Way is short but packed with so much. Being biracial in a Black-only town with your family’s legacy stamped on it is a lot to bear, but so is being a father, whose parents were murdered, and whose sister's disowned because he married a white woman.
The protagonist, Staggerlee, lets us into her home, mind, and hidden secrets that center around understanding her affection for other girls. How one kiss with a girl lingers in her mind and the feelings she gets but knows she must not tell until she finally can tell someone and feel a sense of being seen.
Read
June 27, 2015"I'm me. That's all." That's the attitude that helped Staggerlee get by in a small, Southern town called Sweet Gum. Her grandparents were famous entertainers, and after their tragic deaths, there was a memorial erected in their honor. But even famous ancestors didn't make up for the fact that Staggerlee and her siblings were the product of a mixed-race marriage.
Her daddy was black like most of the people in Sweet Gum, but her mama was one of only a handful of white people. Staggerlee didn't mind who she was, at least not until she entered middle school. Known as a loner, she wasn't bothered by her biracial heritage, but rather by a deeper feeling that began with the onset of puberty. Staggerlee was more interested in girls than in boys. A surprise kiss with Hazel in a field of blue cornflowers thrilled her beyond belief.
Hoping she had discovered a kindred soul, Staggerlee was devastated when Hazel's reaction to their encounter was to shun her and join up with the other popular kids, leaving Staggerlee alone once more. Happily, the summer between middle school and high school brought an unexpected visitor. A long lost cousin was sent to visit Sweet Gum for the summer holiday. It didn't take the two girls long to discover they had more in common than being cousins. For the first time Staggerlee felt she had a true friend.
Three time Newbery Honor author Jacqueline Woodson published this book in 1997. Although it doesn't seem that long ago to this seasoned reader, Woodson's story holds up well and should be of value to today's teen readers. THE HOUSE YOU PASS ON THE WAY is worth checking out as a middle grade read for those questioning their place in the world around them.
Her daddy was black like most of the people in Sweet Gum, but her mama was one of only a handful of white people. Staggerlee didn't mind who she was, at least not until she entered middle school. Known as a loner, she wasn't bothered by her biracial heritage, but rather by a deeper feeling that began with the onset of puberty. Staggerlee was more interested in girls than in boys. A surprise kiss with Hazel in a field of blue cornflowers thrilled her beyond belief.
Hoping she had discovered a kindred soul, Staggerlee was devastated when Hazel's reaction to their encounter was to shun her and join up with the other popular kids, leaving Staggerlee alone once more. Happily, the summer between middle school and high school brought an unexpected visitor. A long lost cousin was sent to visit Sweet Gum for the summer holiday. It didn't take the two girls long to discover they had more in common than being cousins. For the first time Staggerlee felt she had a true friend.
Three time Newbery Honor author Jacqueline Woodson published this book in 1997. Although it doesn't seem that long ago to this seasoned reader, Woodson's story holds up well and should be of value to today's teen readers. THE HOUSE YOU PASS ON THE WAY is worth checking out as a middle grade read for those questioning their place in the world around them.
June 23, 2010
A quick read, but quite interesting. The racial issues along with the questioning of sexuality as 14-year-olds makes for a fairly intelligent story. I'm glad I read it!
p.5 "Again & again she had searched through the photo albums. Again & again she saw the pictures of Evangeline Ian -- pretty, smiling baby. As she grew older, that smiling baby girl became her own tiny burden. She was the good child -- the happy one. The one that never needed, never asked for anything, never caused any trouble."
p.6 "But Mama was more than 'white.' She was Mama, quiet & easygoing. She kept to herself. When she smiled, her whole face brightened, & tiny dimples showed at the edge of her lips. Why as white the word that hung on people's lips? At school, when the kids talked about her mama, they whispered the word or said, 'Your mama's white !' and it sounded loud & ugly, like something was wrong with Mama. And if something was wrong with Mama, then that meant that something was wrong with all of them.
Some evenings they would sit out on the porch laughing & carrying on ... Those evenings, they were not black or white or interracial. They were just a family on a porch, laughing & making music ... And when people asked her what it felt like to be both black and white, she didn't have an answer for them."
p.54 "It was the kind of beautiful you couldn't put a finger on. Separately, all the parts of Tyler's face didn't add up to anything. But together they were beautiful."
p.5 "Again & again she had searched through the photo albums. Again & again she saw the pictures of Evangeline Ian -- pretty, smiling baby. As she grew older, that smiling baby girl became her own tiny burden. She was the good child -- the happy one. The one that never needed, never asked for anything, never caused any trouble."
p.6 "But Mama was more than 'white.' She was Mama, quiet & easygoing. She kept to herself. When she smiled, her whole face brightened, & tiny dimples showed at the edge of her lips. Why as white the word that hung on people's lips? At school, when the kids talked about her mama, they whispered the word or said, 'Your mama's white !' and it sounded loud & ugly, like something was wrong with Mama. And if something was wrong with Mama, then that meant that something was wrong with all of them.
Some evenings they would sit out on the porch laughing & carrying on ... Those evenings, they were not black or white or interracial. They were just a family on a porch, laughing & making music ... And when people asked her what it felt like to be both black and white, she didn't have an answer for them."
p.54 "It was the kind of beautiful you couldn't put a finger on. Separately, all the parts of Tyler's face didn't add up to anything. But together they were beautiful."
October 11, 2019
Short, sweet, and real. This book illuminates just how confusing love and relationships can be. Stagerlee comes from a big, mixed race family, which makes her stand out in the small, rural town of Sweetgum, South Carolina. When her adopted cousin Trout comes to visit for the summer, Stagerlee and Trout form a friendship based upon more than just family ties: they both learn that they like girls.
This book is a very quick read, but it stays with you long after you've finished. Everyone can relate to the confusion of finding yourself as a teenager, finding your place in your family, in your school, and in your own skin. I recommend this book to everyone.
This book is a very quick read, but it stays with you long after you've finished. Everyone can relate to the confusion of finding yourself as a teenager, finding your place in your family, in your school, and in your own skin. I recommend this book to everyone.
December 9, 2010
Themes: sexual identity, homosexuality, self-discovery
Fourteen-year-old Staggerlee Canan has been a loner, an outsider, for as long as she can remember. She doesn’t have close friends at school, she doesn’t demand a lot of attention in her family, and because of her natural introversion, she has a reputation for being stuck-up and aloof among the other kids her age. Her father, the son of the now-dead, black heroes of the town, have not been in good standing with Staggerlee’s aunts, living a few states away ever since he married the woman who became Staggerlee’s mother, because she was one of only three or four white women in their town. However, one of the aunts sends her daughter, Tyler, to stay with Staggerlee’s family in an effort to heal the breach after a family death. Tyler and Staggerlee soon find in each other a new kind of relationship they’ve never experienced before—a relationship that changes how they see themselves and all the world around them.
I didn’t love this book. I felt that the characters were a little flat, and I didn’t feel like there was enough conflict/resolution—rather it seemed that the focus was on Staggerlee’s exploration of her sexual identity. It seemed like it was trying to bring in other aspects of her exploration of self through her conflicting feelings about her mixed race, but it didn’t spend enough time with that issue to really unlock it. I don’t typically love books that solely explore sexual identity, because I feel there is so much more to a person’s identity, especially a teenager’s developing identity than that. However, the book’s redeeming factor for me was its short length (114 pages), and its sensitive treatment of this discovery as a process. Nothing, including Staggerlee’s lesbianism, was set in stone at the end of the book, which seemed healthy to me. I’m not sorry I read it, but I don’t know who/if I’d recommend this book to others.
Fourteen-year-old Staggerlee Canan has been a loner, an outsider, for as long as she can remember. She doesn’t have close friends at school, she doesn’t demand a lot of attention in her family, and because of her natural introversion, she has a reputation for being stuck-up and aloof among the other kids her age. Her father, the son of the now-dead, black heroes of the town, have not been in good standing with Staggerlee’s aunts, living a few states away ever since he married the woman who became Staggerlee’s mother, because she was one of only three or four white women in their town. However, one of the aunts sends her daughter, Tyler, to stay with Staggerlee’s family in an effort to heal the breach after a family death. Tyler and Staggerlee soon find in each other a new kind of relationship they’ve never experienced before—a relationship that changes how they see themselves and all the world around them.
I didn’t love this book. I felt that the characters were a little flat, and I didn’t feel like there was enough conflict/resolution—rather it seemed that the focus was on Staggerlee’s exploration of her sexual identity. It seemed like it was trying to bring in other aspects of her exploration of self through her conflicting feelings about her mixed race, but it didn’t spend enough time with that issue to really unlock it. I don’t typically love books that solely explore sexual identity, because I feel there is so much more to a person’s identity, especially a teenager’s developing identity than that. However, the book’s redeeming factor for me was its short length (114 pages), and its sensitive treatment of this discovery as a process. Nothing, including Staggerlee’s lesbianism, was set in stone at the end of the book, which seemed healthy to me. I’m not sorry I read it, but I don’t know who/if I’d recommend this book to others.
June 3, 2008
The House You Pass on the Way, by Jacqueline Woodson is a riveting book that examines the relationship between two friends and how the confusion of the coming of age affected their friendship. There are so many factors I had never considered that could complicate such a close relationship. First of all, the main character Staggerlee confused her extremely close friendship with her best friend Hazel, for love. She questioned her sexuality as well as her personal worth. Her mother had dark skin, which caused the rest of her family to ignore her until her mother sent her away. Staggerlee then befriended someone who had something in common with her. She and her new friend Trout were both attracted to girls. They bonded based on this acceptence for eachother, but then in the end Trout did as her mother expected and got a boyfriend. This exhibits the extreme amount of pressure this girl was under, first questioning her sexuality, and then changing herself to be what her mother wants. This is truly one of the most effective coming of age books I have ever read and it really encouraged me to sympathize with this likeable character. Strangly enough, Trout's confusion almost made her more appealing. I wonder how that can be explained.
May 3, 2016
Staggerlee is a young girl in the south trying to discover who she is. Her name is one she chose on her own. She deals with being the granddaughter of revolutionaries who became martyrs. She also has to deal with being biracial and being made to feel like she doesn't belong.I think her thoughts on family and seeing how she felt about her own skin growing up was so compelling to read.
This was a really great story.A very fast read. I loved how it had a lot to do with family. Staggerlee's family is estranged from the rest of their family just because Staggerlee's father marries a white woman. The issues in the family and the issues in the town are interesting to see framed from Staggerlee view.
Staggerlee is also discovering things about herself in the story. She is exploring what her feelings toward a female friend mean about her. Something she isn't even able to voice until she finds someone she feels she can be close with. Until she finds someone who might be like her. I honestly really loved where Staggerlee gets to by the ends of this. She is ready to move forward wherever that will be.
This was a really great story.A very fast read. I loved how it had a lot to do with family. Staggerlee's family is estranged from the rest of their family just because Staggerlee's father marries a white woman. The issues in the family and the issues in the town are interesting to see framed from Staggerlee view.
Staggerlee is also discovering things about herself in the story. She is exploring what her feelings toward a female friend mean about her. Something she isn't even able to voice until she finds someone she feels she can be close with. Until she finds someone who might be like her. I honestly really loved where Staggerlee gets to by the ends of this. She is ready to move forward wherever that will be.
May 13, 2008
I wanted to like this book more than I did. If I had read this book at 10 it would have made me feel less alone but scared I think. If I had read this at 16 I would've hated it. Now, at almost 30, I think it was really thin. 99 pages. Everyone is sketched so thinly. It's hard to really care about anyone. I'm glad I read it though. It's one of the few books that deal with a maybe lesbian black (& biracial) teenager. I just wish it was a little deeper. And it's kind of a lonely book. It's lonely when you think you're gay or know you are and you have no one to talk to. There's a point made in the book where she's excited about her first kiss with a girl, really happy you know. So she's running home to tell someone, anyone and she stops and thinks no one will be happy that she's met someone she thinks is beautiful and who thinks she's beautiful and they shared a beautiful moment. No one to talk to. I had my cousin and my brother at least when I was first feeling those feelings and even then it was very heady. Anyway, the book was ok.
April 4, 2010
What happens when you have a secret, deep inside yourself, and absolutely no one to share it with? What if your life is complicated enough, living in the south, with famous grandparents who even have a monument built to them in the center of your small town, your father is a true community figure, and your mother, who is white, has no friends?
For Staggerlee (born Evangeline), there are competing examples of how to socially fit in. Her tall, handsome black father is at ease in his hometown. Her mother has no desire to make friends and is truly at ease being by herself. But she fully understands that the feelings she has for girls instead of boys is a secret that definitely cannot be shared, until she meets her long-lost adopted cousin, Trout (born Tyler).
This book has a great premise but is extremely dissatisfying in terms of plot development, attention to the primary and secondary themes, and character development. By the end, I felt cheated; like the book was incomplete and I could not figure out why. The writing style is engaging and appropriate.
For Staggerlee (born Evangeline), there are competing examples of how to socially fit in. Her tall, handsome black father is at ease in his hometown. Her mother has no desire to make friends and is truly at ease being by herself. But she fully understands that the feelings she has for girls instead of boys is a secret that definitely cannot be shared, until she meets her long-lost adopted cousin, Trout (born Tyler).
This book has a great premise but is extremely dissatisfying in terms of plot development, attention to the primary and secondary themes, and character development. By the end, I felt cheated; like the book was incomplete and I could not figure out why. The writing style is engaging and appropriate.
March 19, 2016
I was kind of disappointed by this one, but that's also because I had high expectations. It was pretty quiet and subtle, sad, and underdeveloped. I felt like there was some kind of meat or action missing, like I was waiting for the "real story" to start but it never did. There was more showing than telling, and emotionally it felt distant, even though the characters were supposed to be feeling a lot.
This was also a really serious book, and I felt needed some humour to lift it up a bit!
I appreciate how important the subject matter of this book is (interrogation of racism from the perspective of a mixed-race girl and middle-reader age queer girl protagonist) but I just didn't enjoy reading it that much. Also, the revelation that the main character's cousin is dating a boy confused me: is she straight now? Bi? What was the point of that plot point?
This was also a really serious book, and I felt needed some humour to lift it up a bit!
I appreciate how important the subject matter of this book is (interrogation of racism from the perspective of a mixed-race girl and middle-reader age queer girl protagonist) but I just didn't enjoy reading it that much. Also, the revelation that the main character's cousin is dating a boy confused me: is she straight now? Bi? What was the point of that plot point?
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February 4, 2016Rating: Undecided
This was a really quick read, and because of that, there isn't a lot to say on it. If this is a black perspective on homosexuality...I don't really know what that is. the book seems more to be to be about race than anything else, as Staggerlee is mixed. But other than that, I don't know. Nothing really happened, I felt. There wasn't any depth. I think she should've continued the story because though her flashback was interesting, that was basically the whole book-a flashback. I feel like this could have been made a short-story, for all that trouble. Not that it wasn't well written, I just didn't see the point.
This was a really quick read, and because of that, there isn't a lot to say on it. If this is a black perspective on homosexuality...I don't really know what that is. the book seems more to be to be about race than anything else, as Staggerlee is mixed. But other than that, I don't know. Nothing really happened, I felt. There wasn't any depth. I think she should've continued the story because though her flashback was interesting, that was basically the whole book-a flashback. I feel like this could have been made a short-story, for all that trouble. Not that it wasn't well written, I just didn't see the point.
March 30, 2020
I thought this book was quiet and thoughtful and left a lot to my imagination. I liked the story of Staggerlea and her cousin Trout. I liked that they each were exploring their sexuality and found a safe friend to share their feelings with. I liked that Woodson didn’t put the characters in a box and leave them there.
I think this would be a great book for middle schoolers, in part because of all it doesn’t say. There’s much room for discussion and interpretation. Woodson has created characters we can all relate to and left them in this book for us to hang out with for long after we finish the book.
I think this would be a great book for middle schoolers, in part because of all it doesn’t say. There’s much room for discussion and interpretation. Woodson has created characters we can all relate to and left them in this book for us to hang out with for long after we finish the book.
April 4, 2015
A very good read! Though the ending was bittersweet.
To read my full review, click here.
To read my full review, click here.
May 25, 2011
4.5 stars!
beautifully written, poignant and sweet.
a wonderful novel on self-discovery. this
was my first read by woodson and i look forward
to many more.
beautifully written, poignant and sweet.
a wonderful novel on self-discovery. this
was my first read by woodson and i look forward
to many more.
December 28, 2014
Four stars, right up until the end, when it just... Ended. I wanted to know more! Too short!
November 14, 2016
3.5
Good book a little dry and it went quick
Good book a little dry and it went quick
January 5, 2023
cada páxina fíxome sentir calorín nel pechu
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December 31, 2020Cross-posted from my blog where there's more information on where I got my copy and links and everything.
I actually saw this on lists of queer MG, but I fully consider this YA. The main character is fifteen, going into high school, and talking about becoming an adult. I think this is a case of people assuming a shorter book is obviously for a younger audience despite the subject matter or actual, you know, book. In my opinion, this is basically a hi-low book, but it is indeed a YA book. And whoever categorized the copy I have agrees, ’cause it has a YA sticker on it. So there.
And a really good YA at that. The writing is simple enough that I think selective readers would find it on their level, but still is lyrical and honestly beautiful. Hi-low books are great, but they can sometimes, due to the nature (and also kind of strict rules? Like, there are rules and stuff) of them, be a little more basic. Woodson really manages a balance of simplicity and almost poetic prose.
Oh, and I’m calling this historical because I think it’s set around 1988-1990, and although it would probably be considered contemporary when it came out… I’m just gonna call it historical, lol.
Not to harp on the hi-low thing, since I don’t particularly think that is what it’s supposed to be, but part of the appeal of those type of books is subject matters that don’t talk down to the reader just because they read at a lower level than their peers. This totally nails that, honestly. There is a lot going on this book, all very complex stuff. There are parts that feel a little under-developed, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
The only thing that really made me sad was a bit at the end. Gay and straight are very much seen as binary options, and the word bisexual or anything else is never used. However, I kind of also don’t so much think that two 15-year-old girls in the South in the late 80s/early 90s would have had a lot of opportunity to hear a lot of queer terms, so I can’t really complain about that too much. Maybe an author’s note in updated revisions would be a good addition though!
Honestly I think kids today would find this really interesting looking at it as a historical book, and seeing the context of it being at least 30 years ago. This would be a really good book to buy for a classroom, too. And it’s a short read, so if you need to pad out your goodreads reading goal… just sayin’.
I actually saw this on lists of queer MG, but I fully consider this YA. The main character is fifteen, going into high school, and talking about becoming an adult. I think this is a case of people assuming a shorter book is obviously for a younger audience despite the subject matter or actual, you know, book. In my opinion, this is basically a hi-low book, but it is indeed a YA book. And whoever categorized the copy I have agrees, ’cause it has a YA sticker on it. So there.
And a really good YA at that. The writing is simple enough that I think selective readers would find it on their level, but still is lyrical and honestly beautiful. Hi-low books are great, but they can sometimes, due to the nature (and also kind of strict rules? Like, there are rules and stuff) of them, be a little more basic. Woodson really manages a balance of simplicity and almost poetic prose.
Oh, and I’m calling this historical because I think it’s set around 1988-1990, and although it would probably be considered contemporary when it came out… I’m just gonna call it historical, lol.
Not to harp on the hi-low thing, since I don’t particularly think that is what it’s supposed to be, but part of the appeal of those type of books is subject matters that don’t talk down to the reader just because they read at a lower level than their peers. This totally nails that, honestly. There is a lot going on this book, all very complex stuff. There are parts that feel a little under-developed, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
The only thing that really made me sad was a bit at the end. Gay and straight are very much seen as binary options, and the word bisexual or anything else is never used. However, I kind of also don’t so much think that two 15-year-old girls in the South in the late 80s/early 90s would have had a lot of opportunity to hear a lot of queer terms, so I can’t really complain about that too much. Maybe an author’s note in updated revisions would be a good addition though!
Honestly I think kids today would find this really interesting looking at it as a historical book, and seeing the context of it being at least 30 years ago. This would be a really good book to buy for a classroom, too. And it’s a short read, so if you need to pad out your goodreads reading goal… just sayin’.
February 9, 2022
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The House You Pass on the Way, by Jacqueline Woodson is a tender coming of age story set in fictionalized Sweet Gum, South Carolina.
Our MC, Swaggerlee, is wishing she could fit in with the rest of the kids at school and she is especially longing for a best friend.
She feels so confused being from the only biracial family in town whose ancestors are a type of celebrity, but when her family receives a letter from an estranged relative—everything changes.
I really enjoyed this story about the Canaan family and that how even though they are so close knit Swaggerlee still never feels like she has a true confidant. I think lots of preteens can relate.
Swaggerlee really grows into her own true self through heartache, life experiences, and self acceptance and it was a pleasure to read. I love these type of hopeful stories. I need them. Kids need them.
“Somehow she knew there was no one— no one who would say, ‘That’s wonderful that someone made you so happy.’”
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#thehouseyoupassontheway #jacquelinewoodson #puffinbooks #20booksbyblackwomen #10books10decades #the52bookclub2022 #bhm #readmorebooks #readdiversebooks #middlegradebooks #ireadmg #projectlit #projectlitcommunity #shereadsalot
The House You Pass on the Way, by Jacqueline Woodson is a tender coming of age story set in fictionalized Sweet Gum, South Carolina.
Our MC, Swaggerlee, is wishing she could fit in with the rest of the kids at school and she is especially longing for a best friend.
She feels so confused being from the only biracial family in town whose ancestors are a type of celebrity, but when her family receives a letter from an estranged relative—everything changes.
I really enjoyed this story about the Canaan family and that how even though they are so close knit Swaggerlee still never feels like she has a true confidant. I think lots of preteens can relate.
Swaggerlee really grows into her own true self through heartache, life experiences, and self acceptance and it was a pleasure to read. I love these type of hopeful stories. I need them. Kids need them.
“Somehow she knew there was no one— no one who would say, ‘That’s wonderful that someone made you so happy.’”
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#thehouseyoupassontheway #jacquelinewoodson #puffinbooks #20booksbyblackwomen #10books10decades #the52bookclub2022 #bhm #readmorebooks #readdiversebooks #middlegradebooks #ireadmg #projectlit #projectlitcommunity #shereadsalot
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June 25, 2024Leaving this without a rating! I found a lot of value in it and I liked returning to Jacqueline Woodson’s work for the first time in eight years, but I also can’t bring myself to give it a high rating.
Impeccable writing that was easy to breeze through, even if there were some flaws in the pacing. The messiness of teenage identity was depicted with care. I liked Staggerlee as a character, and found her a believable teenage protagonist. But I can’t recommend this book because I can’t accept how the entire queer pining plot was between Staggerlee and her adoptive cousin. And with semi-frequent reminders of them being part of the same family tree! I’m sure if they were related by blood, more reviews would be talking about it, but there’s surprisingly little comment/criticism?
It’s kind of like how watching Sweet Blue Flowers was for me(carefully handled queer rep that was technically ahead of its time, I just can’t ethically recommend it), but instead of the cousin thing being at the beginning and the main character falls in love with a classmate of hers, the order was switched.
I’m still checking out Jacqueline Woodson’s other works, but this one was weird for me.
Impeccable writing that was easy to breeze through, even if there were some flaws in the pacing. The messiness of teenage identity was depicted with care. I liked Staggerlee as a character, and found her a believable teenage protagonist. But I can’t recommend this book because I can’t accept how the entire queer pining plot was between Staggerlee and her adoptive cousin. And with semi-frequent reminders of them being part of the same family tree! I’m sure if they were related by blood, more reviews would be talking about it, but there’s surprisingly little comment/criticism?
It’s kind of like how watching Sweet Blue Flowers was for me(carefully handled queer rep that was technically ahead of its time, I just can’t ethically recommend it), but instead of the cousin thing being at the beginning and the main character falls in love with a classmate of hers, the order was switched.
I’m still checking out Jacqueline Woodson’s other works, but this one was weird for me.
June 26, 2018
This was a nice read but also underwhelming? Maybe I set my expectations super high before reading it. It's a coming of age, self-discovery piece, but something about it feels empty, lacking, or missing. The story wasn't that long, and I'm not saying it needed to be, but I felt like there was little change from beginning to end, with Staggerlee. She gained friends and still doesn't know about the future. She gained a friend and cousin in Trout, then felt disappointed Trout had a boyfriend. That could have developed into more but didn't.
I wonder if this would have been a better story if not for the interracial aspect and having the famous grandparents. Those are two very strong reckonings in one story and both kind of flatlined by the end where I was confused at what it all meant for Staggerlee.
Well. I liked the prose.
I wonder if this would have been a better story if not for the interracial aspect and having the famous grandparents. Those are two very strong reckonings in one story and both kind of flatlined by the end where I was confused at what it all meant for Staggerlee.
Well. I liked the prose.
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