Red at the Bone
by Jacqueline Woodson

This year's One Book selection is an exquisitely wrought tale of the intertwining lives of two Black families in modern-day Brooklyn. The bestselling novel explores personal histories shaped by race and the decisions we make, often under duress or before we can fully understand their consequences.

​A New York Times best seller and Notable Book of the Year, Red at the Bone​ has received widespread acclaim:

​​“A spectacular novel that only this legend can pull off.” —Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist

“An exquisite tale of family legacy. The power and poetry of Woodson’s writing conjures up Toni Morrison.” —People
 
“In less than 200 sparsely filled pages, this book manages to encompass issues of class, education, ambition, racial prejudice, sexual desire and orientation, identity, mother-daughter relationships, parenthood and loss. With Red at the Bone, Jacqueline Woodson has indeed risen—even further into the ranks of great literature.” —NPR

Purchase from a local indie bookstore • Check out from Cook Memorial Library • Check out from Indian Trails library • Check out from Vernon Area Library

Companion Books for Young Readers

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson​
A National Book Award winner, Woodson's memoir in verse was written for middle grade/young adult readers. Raised in South Carolina and New York, the author always felt halfway home in each place. In this collection of poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and a growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. The memoir also reflects Woodson's joy in finding her voice through writing.

​Purchase from a local indie bookstore • Check out from Cook Memorial Library • Check out from Indian Trails library • Check out from Vernon Area Library

Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson
Quilts once served as secret maps for freedom-seeking slaves. This is the story of seven generations of girls and women who were quilters, artists, and freedom fighters. This picture book received the Newbery Honor.

​​Purchase from a local indie bookstore • Check out from Cook Memorial Library • Check out from Vernon Area Library

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
There will be times in life when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you. This beautifully illustrated picture book portrays one such moment.

​​Purchase from a local indie bookstore • Check out from Cook Memorial Library • Check out from Indian Trails library • Check out from Vernon Area Library