Piecing Me Together

By Renée Watson

2018 Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner: a beautiful, powerful coming of age story

'Important and deeply moving' JOHN GREEN
'Timely and timeless' JACQUELINE WOODSON

Jade is a girl striving for success in a world that seems like it's trying to break her.

She knows she needs to take every opportunity that comes her way. And she has: every day Jade rides the bus away from her friends to a private school where she feels like an outsider, but where she has plenty of opportunities.

But some opportunities Jade could do without, like the mentor programme for 'at-risk' girls. Just because her mentor is black doesn't mean she understands where Jade is coming from. Why is Jade always seen as someone to fix? But with a college scholarship promised at the end of it, how can Jade say no?

Jade feels like her life is made up of hundreds of conflicting pieces. Will it ever fit together? Will she ever find her place in the world? More than anything, Jade just wants the opportunity to be real, to make a difference.

NPR's Best Books of 2017
A 2017 New York Public Library Best Teen Book of the Year
Chicago Public Library's Best Books of 2017
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017
Kirkus Reviews' Best Teen Books of 2017
2018 Josette Frank Award Winner

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Feb 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781408897331

Renée Watson

Renée Watson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. Her novel, Piecing Me Together, received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award. Her books include the Ryan Hart series, Some Places More Than Others, This Side of Home, What Momma Left Me, Betty Before X, cowritten with Ilyasah Shabazz, Watch Us Rise, cowritten with Ellen Hagan, and Love Is a Revolution, as well as acclaimed picture books: Summer Is Here, Maya's Song, The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, written with Nikole Hannah-Jones, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, and Harlem's Little Blackbird, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Renée splits her time between Portland, Oregon and New York City. www.reneewatson.net @reneewauthor

Reviews for Piecing Me Together

[froxgirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a beautifully written novel about teens that should find a broader audience beyond YA. Jade, an African American girl from a poor neighborhood, wins admission to a private school where she is vastly outnumbered by privileged white kids. Many novels have dealt with the difficulty of code switching between contrasting communities of diverse income levels, but Jade keeps her steady feet in both and learns how to handle some of the situations and contradictions that arise. She's got strong support from her mother and from two friends, but when she is turned down for a study abroad program, the rejection threatens to derail her motivation. When Jade's chosen as a mentee by a volunteer group of successful black women, she wonders why she's only chosen for activities that attempt to uplift her rather than rewarding her for her hard work. The novel also wisely focuses on Jade's talent as a budding collage artist, and so incorporates the important nature of creativity and artistic passion as the engine of a happy and productive life. This novel is as inspirational as its main character. Highly recommended.

[salsabrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 This book is quietly more raw than "The Hate U Give." Jade lives in a Portland 'hood and attends a private school on full scholarship. She knows that opportunity will help her succeed and she's been offered and taken advantage of many, including a mentor with Woman to Woman. She contrasts her life with her mother's, who works long hours as a home health aide but keeps tabs on Jade's life. Jade is uncomfortable with being perceived as someone who needs help, rather than someone who has strengths to offer. Teens of color may find that Jade's voice perfectly captures what they are going through. Adults with good intentions of supporting "marginalized" communities and youth would do well to read this book and rethink how they approach their "good works."

[m_mozeleski · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An interesting book, and very clear-cut. How do you make the best of opportunities, when they are all thrown at you, but some of them make you feel like a broken apart doll?
A straightforward book, but with a nice resolution, characters, and depth.

[nicole_a_davis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a great story conveying the nuances of racism and classism in America. It was easy to sympathize with the main character and her ups and downs as a teenager illustrated the ideas the author wanted to convey. It was also fun to read a book set in Portland with lots of very specific details. Some things annoyed me: Maxine the mentor didn't seem like good mentor material--how would she have been vetted and approved for that program? She was unemployed and irresponsible. The mentor program also wasn't entirely convincing--mentors and mentees should not have been allowed in each others' homes--meetings should all have been in public places. Isn't that a given rule in most mentorship/student-teacher relationships? I also kept wondering who the other students in the mentorship program were--other black kids? But i thought there weren't many at the school. White kids? poor kids? Also I didn't think there were many at the school, and then why would Jade have felt singled out as the one always needing charity if there's a whole group? With all the details of Portland and the little bit of history of Lewis and Clark i was really surprised the author didn't bring up the fact that Portland is one of the whitest cities in the country due to the state's history of exclusionary laws. And then at the end when Jade asks for an internship at the art gallery and Mia says "yes I have 2 paid internships" I laughed out loud. If she had interns they probably wouldn't be paid. If they were paid, they'd go to over qualified college grads.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jade is driven and has a mom who forces her to take advantage of every opportunity she is offered. During her junior year at a private school far from her Portland neighborhood, she gets involved in a mentorship program. During the course of the year, she really thinks about her identity, what it means to be a black girl learning to navigate different worlds, learns to think about how to speak up and advocate for herself. Beautiful, powerful writing. She uses her art to explore her feelings and things she is thinking about and learns to talk to friends and family about the tough stuff.

[electrascaife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story of a high school girl living in the poor part of town but commuting to a private school in another part of town on scholarship, trying to balance both worlds and her place in each while negotiating her role within the opportunities she's given and those she makes for herself. She struggles to find her own voice through her interactions with others and through her art.I enjoyed this one, and I suspect that it would be a great read for many high school kids for the world that it explores and the inspiration it could bring.

[lilrongal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is quiet, yet powerful.

I love that I was able to just *be* with Jade.

It's so nice to read a story about a black girl that's not high stakes, drama driven, full of black pain. Instead, we are given glimpses into Jade's world, her life, her mind. And those glimpses help us journey along with Jade as she grows strong and becomes brave enough to use her voice.

I wish I'd had this when I was a teen.

I'm glad I have it now.

It'll stay with me for a long time.

[reader1009-863136 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

diverse teen fiction (newbery honor and Coretta Scott King award winner) - 11th-grade black teen who is "curvy" and from an underprivileged single-parent family in Portland, OR, makes friends, joins a mentorship program (in exchange for a college scholarship) and learns to speak up for herself and for others.

[leamoore · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Piecing Me Together is an important book about a young woman trying to find herself despite the obstacles that are placed in front of her. This book means a lot to me because there were not a lot of coming-of-age books for young black girls, I am happy to see more of those stories being told. It is important for all students to feel seen and heard by the media and I think this book is a great avenue for representation. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it as it made me feel seen in so many relatable aspects. A truly wonderful book.

[jennybeast · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found this book very moving, raw, honest. Sometimes uncomfortable. I really appreciate the truths that Jade has to tell and how she finds a way to share her thoughts with her school and her friends and her community. I also really like how her adults (mother, mentor) hold her accountable for her own success. I appreciate how they push her to not quit and to find a way through difficult situations. The overt racism Jade experiences is an eye opener to me, as a privileged person, and I think Renee Watson does a beautiful job showing us both sides of a conversation -- both Jade's hurt fury and Sam's bewildered embarrassment. I feel like this book offers a road map on some hard issues and does an extremely good job in painting the grey areas -- the gap of wealth and poverty isn't strictly along race lines, and there is something to learn from every character in the book. It's a celebration of diversity and of endurance.

[lamaestra72 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Watson gives us authentic insight into a black girl’s hopes, fears and dreams. She carefully, authentically deals with race and body image issues. Using Spanish titles for each chapter (and the story behind it) helps us understand that loving and learning about ourselves as racial, gendered beings and appreciating the lives of others is not mutually exclusive.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"Piecing Me Together" was a gentle read about a young, African-American trying to find her place in the world. Jade was a believable character, although she did feel sorry for herself at times. However, through her journey of self-discovery and personal growth, Jade found her voice. While this book didn't really pack any punches it was still a solid read dealing with racism, prejudice and identity.

[acargile-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A realistic fiction novel, Piecing Me Together, is a 2018 Lone Star selection. I didn’t want to read this novel because of the cover. Once you read the book, you understand the cover, but it doesn’t make one want to read it. It’s really good, so I highly recommend it.Jade is from a poor family, but she is smart and attends a prestigious school that should lead her to achieve more than others in a similar situation. Her mother truly loves her and makes decisions to keep her safe. She tries hard to ensure there’s food and something for special occasions, but her mother’s promises are “fragile and break easily” (8). Jade’s friends are mostly from her neighborhood, so she’s separates herself at school from the rich kids. She works hard in her Spanish class because she wants to go on mission trip. The novel shows Jade’s life at school and home--the differences between those who have and those who have not. What I like is that her friends at home aren’t jealous of her. They want her to succeed and support her art. Jade loves to create art through objects she finds--found art. She also makes a friend at school who doesn’t live far from her, so she understands Jade’s life more. Sam, however, can’t always see that life is different for a black girl than a white girl.Her school also supports her but more as a charity case in Jade’s eyes. She feels that they expect her to be thankful for all the opportunities they give her that she feels she has earned. She wants earned respect, not a hand out. One opportunity is to be given a mentor--a black woman who has done well in the world who graduated from the school. Maxine doesn’t seem to be a great mentor, but one gets a scholarship to college after two years. Jade can’t turn that down. This is a novel of perceptions--how we perceive others and their motivations. Jade appreciates the opportunity to attend her school, but she wants to be heard and treated like a person, but learning to speak up in order to be heard can take courage. This is a novel well worth your time; it’s well-written, engaging, and just a good book.