Piecing Me Together

Posted on by Renée Watson
Piecing Me Together A timely and powerful story about a teen girl from a poor neighborhood striving for success from acclaimed author Ren e Watson Jade believes she must get out of her neighborhood if she s ever going t

A timely and powerful story about a teen girl from a poor neighborhood striving for success, from acclaimed author Ren e Watson.Jade believes she must get out of her neighborhood if she s ever going to succeed Her mother says she has to take every opportunity She has She accepted a scholarship to a mostly white private school and even Saturday morning test prep opportunA timely and powerful story about a teen girl from a poor neighborhood striving for success, from acclaimed author Ren e Watson.Jade believes she must get out of her neighborhood if she s ever going to succeed Her mother says she has to take every opportunity She has She accepted a scholarship to a mostly white private school and even Saturday morning test prep opportunities But some opportunities feel demeaning than helpful Like an invitation to join Women to Women, a mentorship program for at risk girls Except really, it s for black girls From bad neighborhoods.But Jade doesn t need support And just because her mentor is black doesn t mean she understands Jade And maybe there are some things Jade could show these successful women about the real world and finding ways to make a real difference.Friendships, race, privilege, identity this compelling and thoughtful story explores the issues young women face.

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  • [PDF] Piecing Me Together | by ↠ Renée Watson
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Piecing Me Together

  1. Ren e Watson is the author of the children s picture book, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen Random House, June 2010 , which was featured on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams Her middle grade novel, What Momma Left Me debuted as the New Voice for 2010 in middle grade fiction by The Independent Children s Booksellers Association.Ren e s one woman show, Roses are Red, Women are Blue, debuted at New York City s Lincoln Center at a showcase for emerging artists Her poetry and articles have been published in Rethinking Schools, Theatre of the Mind and With Hearts Ablaze.When Ren e is not writing and performing, she is teaching Ren e has worked in public schools and community organizations as an artist in residence for several years, teaching poetry, fiction, and theater in Oregon, Louisiana, and New York City She also facilitates professional development workshops for teachers and artists.One of Ren e s passions is using the arts to help youth cope with trauma She has facilitated poetry and theatre workshops with young girls coping with sexual and physical abuse, children who have witnessed violence, children coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and children who relocated to New York City after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti Ren e graduated from The New School, where she studied Creative Writing and earned a certificate in Drama Therapy.Ren e currently lives in New York City.

888 Reply to “Piecing Me Together”

  1. And this makes me wonder if a black girl s life is only about being stitched together and coming undone, being stitched together and coming undone.I wonder if there s ever a way for a girl like me to feel whole.Piecing Me Together is such an important and moving book It released during Black History Month, and was perhaps overshadowed by the buzz surrounding the amazing The Hate U Give that followed up a month later Both books look at what it means to be a black teen in modern America, but their [...]

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  3. Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend Uneventful and painfully didactic Piecing Me Together is a well intentioned book that struggles in its execution.

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  4. Why isn t everyone talking about this book I am honestly shocked that I hadn t heard about this before it was sent to me by the publisher though this review is not sponsored or influenced by them in any way as always, thoughts opinions are my own.This story is about Jade who is going into her junior year at a mostly white, wealthy high school in Portland where she is a scholarship student She s learning Spanish, which is a big part of the story, and looking forward to this year because it s the [...]

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  5. I read this book based on two people s recommendations that it was game changing and eye opening On one hand, I do like that this book brings up issues that I haven t seen before in any other books about a young, black teenager, such as reconciling privilege and advocating for racism as a bystander and voicing injustices There were threads and motifs that were woven throughout this book gorgeously, and I also thought that Jade s evolution from someone unsure of herself to someone who is vocal ab [...]

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  6. This is the sort of quiet, underrated book that really deserves attention It is probably not dramatic or dark enough to make much of a wave However, it is so relevant and really makes you think about race in this country and also about the enormous hurdles faced by families living in poverty The main character, Jade, is smart and thoughtful, but she is also frustrated and I really felt for her All she wants is fairness, and it made me sad to see her grapple with a world that is often so unfair, [...]

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  7. Another day of not feeling good so this will be short review.A beautiful, thoughtful, moving novel that makes you think It had a quieter vibe than The Hate U Givebut just as important and powerful We need books like this in the world and add them to every library in schools towns that we can.Would highly recommend Quotes in no particular order And this makes me wonder if a black girl s life is only about being stitched together and coming undone, being stitched together and coming undone.I wond [...]

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  8. PIECING ME TOGETHER is a lovely quick read about a girl trying to find her own place in the world I enjoyed Watson s THIS SIDE OF HOME last year am even impressed by TOGETHER Watson makes strong female characters I loved Jade, this book s MC.Jade lives with her single mom uncle E.J in Portland, Ore goes to a predominantly white school She is a bright student, getting A s tutoring many peers Jade is an artist her goal in life is to travel the world, hence learning Spanish attempting to get a sch [...]

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  9. I loved this book about Jade, a teen girl growing up in a poor neighborhood in Oregon who attends a mostly white private school She is invited to an at risk mentorship program called Women to Women, and Jade quickly figures out that just because her mentor is black doesn t mean they can relate to each other Jade s voice is compelling and real, and the book is interspersed with gorgeous poetry see Chapter 35, Things That are Black and Beautiful The cover is also stunning artwork done by Bryan Col [...]

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  10. A powerful story about class, about how you find yourself, how you lose yourself, and what it means to be a black girl in America Watson s story is full of heart, as much as it s full of moments that are heart wrenching Loved how this book explored friendship and intersectional relationships, as well as the microaggressions that can occur within them This is a smart, savvy look at race than just looking at race relations, this delves into race challenges within the black community Also This is [...]

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  11. And this makes me wonder if a black girl s life is only about being stitched together and coming undone, being stitched together and coming undone I wonder if there s ever a way for a girl like me to feel whole.What can I say Ren e Watson returns with another story of young black girlhood After reading This Side of Home, I wanted from this author She delivered Jade is a YA female protagonist that s needed She offers, on page, the daily mirror almost every black girl reflects upon Issues of clas [...]

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  12. OH MY GOD THIS WAS MAGNIFICENT I highly, highly, highly recommend this book about a poor Black girl artist growing up in Portland Wow Please, please read this There isn t enough hype for this masterpiece, despite the fact that the majority of my friends rated this 5 stars Why aren t people talking about this Or where have I been to miss it Seriously, I wish I picked this up months ago Just read it.

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  13. Sometimes it feels like I leave home a whole person, sent off with kisses from Mom, who is hanging her every hope on my future By the time I get home I feel like my soul has been shattered into a million little piecesAnd this makes me wonder if a black girl s life is only about being stitched together and coming undone, being stitched together and coming undone p 85 86 I loved this story about a girl attending a private school on scholarship and her relationships with the school, with her mom, w [...]

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  14. Sometimes I just want to be comfortable in this skin, this body Want to cock my head back and laugh loud and free, all my teeth showing, and not be told I m too rowdy, too ghetto.It s a shame that one book release on a certain topic such as The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas can create such a buzz, whereas others focusing on similar, if not the same, topics are easily overlooked Both of these books focus on race, injustice, and inequality, but go about addressing these themes in a very different ma [...]

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  16. This book was seriously amazing It destroyed me in the best way Gorgeous writing, wonderful and complex characterization, a beautiful arc I now will read this author s entire backlist because it s just brilliant, in ways than I have words for This novel is told from the POV of Jade, a fat Black poor teen artist growing up in Portland It s very much about class, art, and finding ways to speak up for yourself and be true to who you are It s also about police violence targeting Black folks, and ac [...]

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  17. It s a real shame that this book isn t getting attention It s such a strong contemporary novel This novel follows a teenage black girl named Jade, who attends private school on a scholarship while living in the hood Jade is struggling with her identity, and the novel follows her through her junior year and her new mentorship program.Here s a list of things I really liked about this book There is no romance whatsoever, and I certainly didn t miss having one This is Jade s story, and I love how t [...]

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  18. I love Renee Watson s contemp YAs I just think she always nails not just the voice but the experience she s going for Both THIS SIDE OF HOME and PIECING ME TOGETHER are about Black girls in Portland struggling to be heard in different situations, yes, but they re also about said girls discovering the power of their activism, and how important their voices are and can be, and how to find the people in this world who will help amplify you versus those who will shut you down, and that s an especial [...]

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  19. Solid bookBut I was left wanting Everything is so succinct Characters and events are very relatable, but I have mixed feelings because everything played out a little too perfectly.

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  20. This book is absolutely wonderful and quietly powerful I m going to read this aloud to my freshman classes this year It s a new all time favorite and I want you all to read it.

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  21. More reviews at Mrs ReaderPants.Considering the tremendous success of The Hate U Give earlier this year and still going strong , I think this title got a bitoverlooked Released in February, just two weeks before the release of The Hate U Give, Piecing Me Together deserves a lot attention than it s getting Professional reviews and ratings for Piecing Me Together are solid, and I highly recommend it for all school and public libraries serving teens It s also perfect for middle school readers, som [...]

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  22. I m going to write a book review about this masterpiece.This book is about a girl named Jade who lives in Portland, Oregon and she goes to a white school Basically she is the only black girl in the whole school One day, she gets called out to join The Women to Women project and at first she doesn t like it, until she meets Maxine, a women who is also black and has had similar experiences to Jade When she joins Women To Women she meets other girls who are black and learns a lot about herself If I [...]

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  23. I enjoyed this book It s message driven, but the message is timely and much needed Jade is a scholarship student at a prestigious private school in Portland She is an artist who takes things other people throw away and makes them beautiful Inspired by current events, and the experiences of York, the slave who traveled with Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition, her artwork is her outlet and form of self care To see full review and author interview click here.

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  24. Love, love, love I finished with tears in my eyes and goosebumps on my skin A powerful story of finding your voice, stepping into your power I just loved it The kind of book that you want to hug at the end.

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  25. I love Renee s writing style and stories so much 3Simple and thought provoking at the same time Downright gorgeous Absolutely recommend if you are interested in reading diverse books.

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  26. 3.5 5 stars.This book is about a black girl who s growing up in the predominantly white city of Portland, Oregon I did not grow up in Portland, but I do live in the area now It was so nice to read a book that is set in a place that I am familiar with It did a really great job of illustrating the divide there is between the different sections of Portland I wasn t able to identify with our main character, Jade, on everything, but it was really validating to read about a girl who looks like me who [...]

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  27. I really enjoyed Watson s debut novel so I was excited for this one It really ironed out some of the issues I had with Watson s first novel but shares some DNA that I enjoyed with the first book I was entertained but it had a strong message that I loved and appreciated The structure and rhythm really reminded me of A House on Mango Street but this was accessible and easier to read The characters were living and breathing but really grated on my nerves like real people do at points I find Renee [...]

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  28. Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.A couple years ago This Side of Home was one of my favorite reads so when I found out we were getting a new Ren e Watson book this year it automatically became one of my most anticipated reads Piecing Me Together lived up to all my expectations and then some.Jade lives in north Portland but goes to the fancy private school St Francis on a scholarship She knows this is her greatest opportunity to go to school and get out of Oregon It can m [...]

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  29. To preface and summarize my review of Piecing Me Together You should read this book Of course, now you re asking me well, why should I read it Well, get yourself a mug of tea a comfy chairEverything I loved to the moon back Our main character, Jade, was so, so real, and even though she was imperfect and a bit naive, she was always learning and in the process, teaching me things, too She loved chicken wings and french fries and admitted to the fact that she had flaws, and her journey towards stan [...]

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  30. This was great, probably my favorite of the recent Black Lives Matter inspired books by a narrow margin I really liked them all so far and also the most down to earth It was really relatable to me probably at least in part because of its focus on how to create change in our everyday lives You don t literally need to become a figurehead for a revolution, become a chosen one, or all sorts of YA tropes that even make their way into contemporary settings in a toned down form You are still important [...]

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