- Piecing Me Together Themes
- Piecing Me Together Character
- Summary Of Piecing Me Together Renee Watson
- Piecing Me Together Plot Summary
- Piecing Me Together Summary Sparknotes
- Piecing Me Together Summary Shmoop
PIECING ME TOGETHER: Intersectionality Discussion Guide
Piecing Me Together Summary & Study Guide Watson's novel, Piecing Me Together, is the story of Jade, a black girl who is a junior at an exclusive – and predominately white – high school. As Jade struggles to deal with the prejudices and stereotypes that often limit options for blacks, she is honing her art and trying to find her own place. Though Piecing Me Together doesn’t mention the Black Lives Matter movement specifically, it nevertheless looms large over the novel. The movement rose up in response to the 2014 killing of Michael Brown, a black teen, by a white police officer in Mississippi, and it campaigns against violence and systemic racism against black people in the U.S.
Best Users:Educators, Librarians, Community Groups, Book Clubs, Home Learning
Best Audience: Children Grades 07-12
ABOUT THE GUIDE
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 pieces.
.
Mom’s love repairs me…
.
Listening to these mentors, I feel like I can prove the negative stereotypes about girls like me wrong. That I can and will do more, be more.
.
But when I leave? It happens again. The shattering.
.
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
This guide seeks to explore how Jade in the acclaimed young adult novel Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson (Bloomsbury) is “shattered into a million pieces” and how she and her community stitch her back together each day. Jade asks, “I wonder if there’s ever a way for a girl like me to feel whole.” That is a question readers should be asking about themselves and asking about their fellow students. This guide will explore identity, intersectionality, and the challenges and strengths of “piecing” oneself together.
Exploring identity and intersectionality means talking about class, race, and gender. Whatever your comfort level with those conversations, this guide offers preparation, sample dialogue, and book passages to guide that conversation. The guide also offers several “out of the box” teaching suggestions for hands-on engagement.
DOWNLOAD Piecing Me Together Guide (PDF)
ABOUT THE BOOK
Piecing Me Together
By Renee Watson
Published by Bloomsbury USA
Available as Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook
Age Range: 12 – 17 Years
A timely and powerful story about a teen girl striving for success in a world that too often feels like it wants to break her.
Jade believes she must get out of her poor neighborhood if she’s ever going to succeed. Her mother tells her to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. And she has. She accepted a scholarship to a mostly-white private school and even Saturday morning test prep opportunities. But some opportunities feel more 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. And just because Maxine, her college-graduate 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.
“A thoughtful testament to the value of growth and of work, of speaking up and of listening, that will resonate with many readers engaged in ‘discovering what we are really capable of.'”
—starred review, BCCB
.
“Jade’s narrative voice offers compelling reflections on the complexities of race and gender, class and privilege, and fear and courage, while conveying the conflicted emotions of an ambitious, loyal girl. Teeming with compassion and insight, Watson’s story trumpets the power of artistic expression to re-envision and change the world.”
—starred review, Publishers Weekly
.
“Through Jade’s insightful and fresh narration, Watson presents a powerful story that challenges stereotypes about girls with ‘coal skin and hula-hoop hips’ who must contend with the realities of racial profiling and police brutality. . . . A timely, nuanced, and unforgettable story about the power of art, community, and friendship.”
—starred review, Kirkus Reviews
“This unique and thought-provoking title offers a nuanced meditation on race, privilege, and intersectionality.”
—starred review, School Library Journal
.
“Watson’s story explores a number of important ideas: the challenges and rewards of interracial friendships, the realities of racial stereotyping, and the expression of ideas and emotions through art . . . Jade’s is an important voice.”
—VOYA
.
“A balancing act between class, race, and social dynamics, with Watson constantly undercutting stereotypes and showing no fear in portraying virtues along with vices. The book’s defiance of a single-issue lens will surely inspire discussion and consideration.”
—Booklist
.
“Questions of race, self-acceptance, and self-worth are the focus of this book and will give young women a chance to realize that they are worthwhile just being themselves..all students…would benefit from reading this book.”
—School Library Connection
Piecing Me Together Themes
Title:Piecing Me Together
Author:Renée Watson
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 272
Genre: Contemporary
Review copy: Library
Availability: On shelves now
Summary: 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 more 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.
Piecing Me Together Character
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.
Review: Jade creates stunning collages. She’s an artist turning bits and pieces of color, texture and shapes together. Art has often been one of the ways people explore what they think about the world and sometimes it’s a way to find healing. Jade creates these amazing collages and they are a way she processes what’s going on in her life. It seems like the people who love her make her whole and the world takes her apart. “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 pieces.”
Summary Of Piecing Me Together Renee Watson
This is an introspective book. Jade is a thinker and I loved seeing through her eyes. She puzzles things out and though sometimes she’s hesitant to advocate for herself, Jade has clear ideas about how things should be. She’s also willing to listen to other perspectives. I really appreciated the chapter titled agradecido/thankful. Her friend and uncle have a conversation about a teacher at the local high school who doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. Her uncle E.J. explains that they’re celebrating our nation being stolen from indigenous people and how “Columbus didn’t discover nothing.” Jade realizes she’s never given this a thought. She thinks it through and comes to the conclusion, “I think the US has a lot to be thankful for and a lot to apologize for.”
The chapter titles are in Spanish and English. Jade is excited about learning Spanish and tutors some of her fellow classmates because she’s doing well. Jade’s hoping to go on an International trip where she could do some volunteer work. She doesn’t just want to take advantage of opportunities for herself, Jade also wants to be able to contribute to the world. She doesn’t want to always be seen as the at-risk, needy girl. She knows she has things to offer and wants those around her to realize this too.
Piecing Me Together Plot Summary
Aside from the titles, the chapters are also unique because they are sometimes poetic.I found the language to be lyrical and often poetic even when not in poetry form. Some chapters are only a paragraph long and manage to say a lot. Occasionally there are actual poems.
Piecing Me Together Summary Sparknotes
Race is a topic of thought and conversation throughout the book. Jade has several relationships that lead to some intense situations revolving around race. Her mentor, which she has been assigned because she is perceived as needy, is new to the job and sees Jade with a deficit mentality that Jade rebels against. Her new best friend is White and is either deliberately ignoring racist comments and actions or is oblivious. Jade has to decide if these relationships are worth her efforts.
Piecing Me Together Summary Shmoop
Recommendation: Buy it now. This is a beautiful book that delves into so many aspects of life and is a fantastic story about finding and using your voice.