Feathers
by Jacqueline Woodson is winner of a Newbery Honor
The story is about a somewhat typical group of 6 grade students who are taken by surprise when a new student walks in their all African American classroom. The new student happens to be "White," as they call him and resembles Jesus. So they give him the nickname Jesus Boy. Frannie, an African American and her best friend Samantha, who reads the bible very often, really start wondering if this new student is really "Jesus." He seems to possess "Jesus" like qualities, according to Frannie and Samantha. Because Frannie is infatuated with Emily Dickinson's poem, "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul..." she questions herself and her family about some of the situations going on in her life, and skeptically believes that Jesus boy might really be message from God. However, after an encounter with the school bully, Trevor and Jesus boy, Frannie and Samantha are regretfully disappointed about their suspicions. Frannie learns that hope is among everyone including herself.
I was curious and anxious to get to the end of the story because I, just like the characters in the story, wanted to know the real reason why he had moved from the "White neighborhood" to the "African American neighborhood." Since some of the characters were questioning about his race, I also thought Jesus boy would reveal the answer at the end of the story. Well, I was left with my own conclusions. I think middle school students would enjoy reading this book. It deals with subjects such as racial discrimination, segregation, handicaps, bullies, and hope.
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