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I will read pretty much anything by Jacqueline Woodson. This one was sort of meta. It tackled the really difficult scenarios facing this cast of middle school characters at home, through the lens of a sort of art project, where the kids were recording themselves telling each other the stories of their lives and families, so there‘d be a record of their voices when they were grown and they sounded different and they were no longer a close group.

#FallTreasures #SchoolDays

Book blurb is from Book Riot.

This was wonderful, as expected, and I‘m glad that #AuthorAMonth reminded me to get to it! Lots for educators to think about in terms of how valuable it is to give students space to talk to each other without authority figures watching and listening. The full-cast audiobook was so great, as was Woodson‘s chat with her son at the end of it.

Great middle grade book from Jacqueline Woodson! She addresses current topics through friendship, trust and difficult conversations between classmates while managing to sound real and not judgements or one sided. Her prose is beautiful as always and she gifts us with some poetry woven into uthe story. I‘ve read nearly everything of Woodson‘s and she never disappoints, always pushes my understanding and empathy. #AuthoraMonth @Soubhiville

A fictionally realistic story of teens talking together about their problems which touch on everything from bullying to racism, incarceration to deportation. Lots of topics handled, and a good diverse middle grade book emphasizing the need for teens and pre-teens to support each other.

Plus the author interview at the end with her son (10 years old) and what he thought of the book and topics, was wonderful. We need more diversity in education!

This was such a powerful story for such a short book. I immediately passed it along to my co-teacher, who has been sending me pictures of passages that speak to her all evening. We've been talking about doing a read aloud with our kids for the end of the school year, and I think this might be the one.
This is my 5th book for the #nutsinmay readathon, but I have only read one middle grade this week. I'd like to finish one more! @Andrew65

It all starts when six kids have to meet for a weekly chat--by themselves, with no adults to listen in. There, in the room they soon dub the ARTT Room (short for "A Room to Talk"), they discover it's safe to talk about what's bothering them--from poverty to incarcerated parent to deportation—all things that make them a #marginal group #maycharacters @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
#authoramonth @Soubhiville
#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

I really enjoyed this book about a group 6 kids brought together by their teacher to talk with one another without any adults present. The conversations they have about police brutality, white privilege, immigration and so much more reminds the reader that children are aware of what‘s happening around them and we as adults need to be open to talking about these issues with them. #AuthorAMonth #BookspinBingo

A slim but powerful MG novel. Set in a Brooklyn classroom 6 students are assigned to meet once a week & share whatever is on their mind without any adult supervision. The 4 boys & 2 girls soon form a tight bond as they reveal their fears, worries, joys and dreams. Topics discussed are deportation, incarceration, police brutality,death and other heavy topics that are sadly becoming common for middle school children. #AAM #MultiCastNarration ♥️

Beautiful and heart wrenching. I am going to read this one with my kids soon. #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

Yes! American is not just English! It is not just white. I loved this so much!

#12Booksof2020 #11 Jacqueline Woodson is a must read author for me. Her books are little bits of lyrical perfection.

I have read some really good books this year. Here are 15 of the best fiction books I read this year.

Would you like to share your best of 2020 lists @Nitpickyabouttrains @Jari-chan @Ash.on.the.line ?

Thanks for the tag, Cindy!

#3books #Ivereadinaday. Sept 7. All 3 of these are short but good.

This is too deep, Amari said. No wonder you so quiet, Red. You all kinds of still water.

Leisure reading outside before it gets too hot today! Chilling with my plant babies!

Before, you used to hear the word immigration and it sounded like everything you ever believed in. It sounded like Feliz Cumpleanos and merry Christmas and welcome home. But now you hear it and you get scared because it sounds like a word that makes you want to disappear. It sounds like someone getting stolen away from you.

I know in my heart…the language we like to speak is music and poetry and even cold, sweet piraguas on hot, hot summer days. But it feels like this place wants to break my heart. It feels like every day it tries to make my mom feel tinier and tinier, like the size of Perrito‘s head in my hands.

And that boy should have been running and playing and jumping off those swings. When I jump off a swing, it feels like I‘m flying. It feels like I‘m more free than anything. That boy should have been having that feeling. He shouldn‘t have been feeling like he was dying. He should have been feeling like he was free.

#3books Sept 4 #WrittenbyaPOC.

I think this is what the world is — stories on top of stories, all the way back to the beginning of time.

I read Jacqueline Woodson's Harbor Me for the third time as part of the Unabridged Podcast Buddy Read. The first time, I read it just for me; the second time, I read it aloud with my older son. Time number three? We had a wonderful and thoughtful discussion about this gorgeous, timely, haunting novel.⠀
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Harbor Me is the story of six students who do not thrive in a "regular" classroom. ⬇️

The breakfast club but for middle schoolers. I love how this teacher brings together I group of kids from all different nationalities and background to hang out and get to know each other. I love how in this 200 or so page book the Kids learn to care about each other and are able to talk to each other as family. A great book💕

#Weeklybookreport #WeeklyForecast. I am really enjoying my #NewYearWhoDis pick of Montauk and my reread of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for a buddy read. I need to start the other two for buddy reads and hope to be caught up by the end of next weekend. Harbor Me was 4 🌟 I love Woodson!

Thanks for starting the year off with a fun giveaway. #lastfirst My last book of 2019 was Zazen which was just a little weird for me. I just finished the tagged book, my first book of 2020. I love Jacqueline Woodson‘s storytelling. Happy New Year!

#WinterGames #TeamFestivus These are the books I received for Christmas and they have all moved to the top of mount TBR. I probably won‘t get all three read before the first but it won‘t be from a lack of trying.

@Graciouswarriorprincess I knew this would be the perfect #jolabokaflod gift when I opened the card and Hogwarts was on the front. Thank you so much for all the goodies and I love the bag they came in. I am so happy to have received Harbor Me and can‘t wait til I can crawl in my pjs and start reading. Everything is perfect including the socks and December Bookpage. Your thoughtfulness means the world to me. Merry Christmas!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jacqueline Woodson never disappoints.

This book was phenomenal. My first of Woodson's but definitely not my last. Her writing is so lyrical and her characters so diverse emotionally, I flew through this book and ate up every word. Highly recommend.
#Booked2019 Diverse Middle Grade
@Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft

My companion during #schoolpickup this week. A beautifully written and touching story of compassion, understanding, acceptance and the uplifting and supportive power of friendship. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Booked2019 #Booked2019Summer #diversemiddlegrade

My #booked2019 for #summer is done! All were picks for me but I think the tagged book was my favorite.
#booktomovie
#muslimauthorormc
#comicorgraphicnovel
#diversemiddlegrade
#bookgiftedtoyou
#genrebusting

I‘ve only read one other book by Woodson (Another Brooklyn) and this one is just as beautiful. Woodson is a fantastic writer! #booked2019 #diversemiddlegrade

Six students in Ms. Laverne's class who all have stories & struggles. Weekly, the 6 students have an hour to simply talk with no adults in the room. They meet in a former art room which they rename ARTT (a room to talk). This is one of the sweetest books I have ever read. Though it doesn't necessarily end where everyone lives happily ever after, it affirms the power of friendship, understanding and hope.

Jacqueline Woodson is a national treasure. It takes a special kind of author to write a story for middle grade readers and make this 41 year old nod along with every page. It just bursts with life and love. 4🌟 My #DiverseMiddleGrade pick for #Booked2019.

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My Sunday afternoon listen on Audible. Harbor: verb to give shelter to, to offer Refuge to. A diverse middle grade read, I like how the six kids in the story support each other.
#MiddleGradeMay @megnews @SaturnDoo

Relaxing on the couch with my kitty-cat and my audiobook.

Awesome read along with my students. It's encouraging a lot of empathy!!

4.5☆ Middle Grade | Harbor Me | Fall 2018
For fans of Angie Thomas, Jason Reynolds,
Elizabeth Acevedo, Nic Stone & Ibi Zoboi
I'm sure to read every new title from Jacqueline Woodson and I'm slowly working through some of her earlier works too. Why is it that racial topics mentioned in her book If You Come Softly [1998] are still relevant issues today, 20 years later? I sincerely hope we aren't still trying to solve today's problems in 2040.

“Read those poems in all kinds of American, son.” 🙌🏽
Esteban‘s father loves to write, and Esteban shares one poem with his friends. 🥰

”If the worst thing in the world happened, would I help protect someone else? Would I let myself be a harbor for someone who needs it?‘ Then she said, ‘I want each of you to say to the other: I will harbor you.‘”

Six Grade 5 students with learning differences have weekly time to talk to each other without adults. A tender novel shows how compassion & friendship can help kids deal with the effects social issues have on them. Full cast #audiobook.

And in the night, when the dog barks at shadows, tell him
not to be afraid of what he cannot see
or the things he does not yet understand.
There is mystery everywhere.
Beneath rocks, there is damp earth
and an army of ants
planning a revolution.

Taking advantage of the delayed opening to finish up this beautiful middle grade book. Woodson is amazing as always.

On today's episode of Unabridged, we discuss the books we're anticipating this year. What books would you recommend that we add to this list?⠀
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#podcast #podcasting #readwithunabridged #unabridged #unabridgedshorts #bookstagram #booknerd #bookworm #bibliophile #bookaddict #booklove #booklover #Booknerd #reader #englishteachers #reading #readingisfun #instabook #instabooks #igbooks #igreads #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookish #allthebooks

Today on @unabridgedpod, we're talking about some of our favorite books of the year. Jacqueline Woodson's Harbor Me was one of my choices. I recently finished reading this book with my 11 year old (it was my second time through). I'm not sure what he thought, but (as he pointed out to my husband) I cried at least twice and teared up even more. He was disappointed in parts because he thought there wasn't enough action . . . (continued in comments)

1. Goldfish meme
2. Sparkling water can
3. YA Realistic fiction
4. A couple of weekends ago
5. Not my thing

Six middle schoolers are left in a room together, with no adults, for the last class of each day for the school year. Their powerful friendship develops through hard talks about social issues, racism, immigration, culture, and family. They find sanctuary with each other, a safe harbor.

Another stellar story by Jacqueline Woodson. I‘ll read anything she writes.

76 of 100 #crossculturalstories read