Book Review: Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

Before the Ever After
by Jacqueline Woodson (j Woodson)

 

National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson tackled my heart with ZJ’s story, a novel in verse that shares how ZJ, a growing boy, learns to cope with the changes in his family as his football hero father deals with the consequences of a career fraught with injuries.

 

ZJ finds he can depend on his friends and his family as his father goes from being everyone’s football hero to someone who struggles to remember his son’s name. As the family’s world changes, ZJ discovers that daily life is about more than being a hero, and being a dad still means every single thing.

 

If you’ve never tried a novel-in-verse before, I highly recommend starting with Before the Ever After. Even though they are quick to read, the format lends itself to nuanced stories. In this novel, Woodson immediately immerses you into the world of ZJ and his friends, and suddenly, even if like me, you’re not a fan of football, you find yourself rooting for ZJ and his father, and left with a happy feeling for getting to know ZJ and his friends. It’s a moving story and thoughtfully done.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, These Hands by Margaret Mason or I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes.]

[ publisher’s official Before the Ever After web page ] | [ official Jacqueline Woodson web site ]

 

Recommended by Carrie K.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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