Remember Us

I saw Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson on the new-books shelf at the library and decided to grab it since I really like Jacqueline Woodson. The book description says, "It seems like Sage’s whole world is on fire the summer before she starts seventh grade. As house after house burns down, her Bushwick neighborhood gets referred to as 'The Matchbox' in the local newspaper. And while Sage prefers to spend her time shooting hoops with the guys, she’s also still trying to figure out her place inside the circle of girls she’s known since childhood. A group that each day, feels further and further away from her. But it’s also the summer of Freddy, a new kid who truly gets Sage. Together, they reckon with the pain of missing the things that get left behind as time moves on, savor what’s good in the present, and buoy each other up in the face of destruction. And when the future comes, it is Sage’s memories of the past that show her the way forward. Remember Us speaks to the power of both letting go . . . and holding on."

This was a great read. I got through the book super quickly (a day or two) and just loved the gentleness of the story and the way it was written. Sage and Freddy were such likable characters, and I loved that the book had some serious conflicts but nothing felt over the top. I loved how things came together for Sage and enjoyed watching her path of becoming confident in who she was. I'm marking this book as "liked it" because I wasn't raving at the end wanting to recommend it to everyone--but I really enjoyed it and am glad I read it.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)