It’s no surprise to me that  I loved this book or that it won the National Book Award. It’s gorgeous writing and told in honest eloquent verse. I have loved all of Jacqueline Woodson’s books and appreciated the chance to read the story of her childhood. Now in addition to loving her books we can love her in a more personal way. She was partly brought up in the south by grandparents whose parents were slaves. but comes of age in NYC in time Angela Davis and Martin Luther King. I’ll recommend this to everyone young and old, but hope that the simple spare verse will increase accessibility to young readers.