KidLitFaves #3: Renée Watson
Hello, friends! Welcome back to another issue of KidLitFaves, where I introduce some of my favorite writers of books for kids, birth through middle grade. This month, I’m featuring one of my long-time favorites!
Biography
Renée Watson is an American author who has written picture books for young children and novels for young adults. She’s won the Coretta Scott King Book Award and a Newbery Honor, as well as a Josette Frank Award. Her young adult novel Piecing Me Together (2017) won the 2018 Coretta Scott King Book Award. She grew up in Portland, Oregon and has wanted to be a writer since childhood! (sources: Wikipedia, author website)
Bibliography highlights
Chapter books
Ways to Make Sunshine and sequels: Ryan Hart has a lot on her mind--school, self-image, and especially family. Her dad finally has a new job, but money is tight. That means some changes, like selling their second car and moving into a new (old) house. But Ryan is a girl who knows how to make sunshine out of setbacks.
Middle Grade
Piecing Me Together: 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 Jade has: every day she rides the bus to the private school where she feels like an outsider, but where she has plenty of opportunities. But she's tired of being singled out as someone who needs help, someone people want to fix. Jade wants to speak, to create, to express her joys and sorrows, her pain and her hope.
Some Places More than Others: All Amara wants for her birthday is to visit her father's family in New York City—Harlem, to be exact. She can't wait to finally meet her Grandpa Earl and cousins in person, and to stay in the brownstone where her father grew up. Maybe this will help her understand her family—and herself—in a new way. But New York City is not exactly what Amara thought it would be.
Most recent release: All the Blues in the Sky: Sage's thirteenth birthday was supposed to be about movies and treats, staying up late with her best friend, and watching the sunrise together. Instead, it was the day her best friend died. Without the person she had to hold her secrets and dream with, Sage is lost.
My reading experience
I’ve loved Renée Watson’s books since I first read Piecing Me Together in 2017. While I’ve enjoyed all of her middle grade fiction, Piecing Me Together is still a favorite for me: there are so many rich emotional layers that make it an incredibly affecting story.
I highly recommend Watson’s books for anyone who enjoys realistic fiction with an emphasis on family life that’s warm and loving and often difficult, that treats the concerns of kids and young adults as valid and important, and shows the complex facets of identity and coming of age.
Readalikes
Front Desk by Kelly Yang (and sequels): The Front Desk series by Kelly Yang is incredibly popular with middle grade readers for a reason. Like Watson’s books, it takes a hard look at issues like immigration and class in a very kid-friendly, engrossing story.
Ghost by Jason Reynolds (and sequels): Recommended for fans of the Ryan Hart series, these interlocking stories weave together different perspectives from each of the members of a track team. I loved seeing the events from each of the main characters!
Some Kind of Happiness by Claire LeGrand: Although Some Kind of Happiness is a portal fantasy, I’d recommend it for Watson’s readers who like the emphasis on family history and trying to find your own way.
Visit Renee Watson’s website to learn more about her and her work!
Thanks for reading. Next month, we’ll be looking at another favorite middle-grade writer who tackles tough topics.
Where to find me
Previous KidLitFaves installments