Celebrated childrens author Jacqueline Woodson is back with two new books.
Woodson is the National Book Award-winning author ofBrown Girl Dreaming, and a four-time Newbery Honor winner.
See the cover and excerpt below, and pre-order the book ahead of its Aug. 28 releasehere.
Credit: Carlos Diaz
Nobody knew what to do, so we just walked in and stood there.
Welcome to Room 501, Ms. Laverne said.
Holly ran in ahead and the rest of us followed and looked around.
Penguin Young Readers
Amari had taken his hand off Estebans shoulder but was still standing close to him.
When Esteban shivered, Amari put his arm back.
I heard him whisper,Its all good, bro.
Ms. Lavernes not taking us somewhere we dont want to be.
Youll sit in this circle and youll talk.
When the bell rings at three, youre free to go home.
Our regular classroom wasnt regular.
Down from there, like, Holly.Ms.
This is your time.
Ms. Laverne laughed.One day, Holly, your brain will be very useful to you.
Holly looked like she wasnt sure if our teacher was complimenting her.
Nope, Amari said.
Yeah,Ashton said.Not really.
We like being with you,I added.In the other room.
You like what you know,Ms.
Laverne said.You like whats familiar.
None of us said anything.
What was wrong with liking familiar things?
Nothings wrong with that,Ms.
Laverne said, being a teacher/mind-reader.But whats unfamiliarshouldnt be scary.
And it shouldnt be avoided either.
But I dont know what were even supposed to talk about,Tiago said.Like, schoolwork and stuff?
Schoolwork, toys, TV shows, me, yourselvesanything you want to talk about.
And itsto whom,Tiago.
To whom, Tiago said to himself like he was practicing it.To whom.
But we werent any other kids.
I heard Amari saythats stupidso quietly that I wondered if I was hearing things.
Then he said,We could be talking in class if we wanted to be talking.
You trying to change the art room into the A-R-T-T roomA Room To Talk.
Thats tight,Ashton said.
He and Amari pounded fists.I like that.
Ms. Laverne clapped once and pointed at Amari.You.
Nice use of the word, Holly,Ms.
You get in trouble for taking out your phone.
And we all knew she was telling the truth.
Thats all there was to it.
Well, what if I dont have anything to say to anybody?Amari asked.
Ms. Laverne laughed again.
Since when do you not have anything to say, Amari?
She shook her head and waved her hand to include all of us.
I cant believe you all are so resistant.Im giving you anhour.
You get in trouble for this every single day.
How many times do I have to say No talking?
Now Im saying, Talk!
Amari tried to hide his smile but he didnt do a great job of it.Okay .
The old art roomis the new A-R-T-T room, yall.
Ms. Laverne nodded.Draw, talk.
And yes, Amarithe ARTT room is beyond clever.
Like I said, anybody could have thought of that,Holly said.
Yeahbut I see YOU didnt,Amari said.
And like I said,Ms.
Laverne told us,in this room we wont be unkind.
She started it
Doesnt matter, Amari.
I just want to get it straight,Ashton said.So, school now ends at two oclock on Fridays?
He had pale white skin like my uncle, and hair that always fell into his eyes.
Even as he asked, he was holding it back with his hand.
Once Holly had said to him,Just cut it already, and his ears turned bright red.
My own hair had always been bright red, but lately it had started getting darker and kinkier.
Jeez, Ashton!Holly said.Thats not what shes saying.
This is so not deep, people.
I just dont really understand why were going into another room, Ashton said, by ourselves.
I stood there thinking about my father.
And as I stood there, Esteban was inside the room where he didnt know where his dad was.
He glanced at me.
That day, no one but Holly knew that my dad was in prison.
I felt like I was betraying Esteban.
I couldnt tell the truth about my dad to help him.
So I looked down at my skirt and thought about rooms.
I wondered about Tiago, Holly, Amari and Ashtonwhat were the rooms for them?
What did they hide inside those rooms?
Another room, I thought.
We are always entering another room.
That day, Ms. Laverne pushed us outfrom the Familiar to the Unfamiliar.
It felt like an hour passed as she waited for us to say something.
I looked at the clock.
The second hand made an echoing sound when it ticked.
It was five minutes past two.
you might do this, Ashton.
You all can do this, Ms. Laverne finally said.
And with that, she walked away.
With that, she let us go.
