Piecing Me Together

Bibliography
Watson, R. (2017). Piecing me together. New York: Bloomsbury.

Plot Summary
In order to get out of her poor neighborhood, Jade has followed her mother’s advice and takes any opportunities given to her. She attends a mostly white private school on the other side of town on scholarship, takes SAT prep classes on the weekend, and tutors, all in the hopes that one day she will be recommended for the study abroad program. When she is recommended for a mentor program for “at-risk” girls, she knows what they really mean. And she knows that she doesn’t really need a mentor, or at least she thinks she doesn’t. 

 

Critical Analysis

When Jade is recommended for the program Woman to Woman: A Mentorship Program for African American Girls, she isn't interested. The girl she is paired up with, Maxine, seems more involved in her own drama than getting to know Jade. While Jade is appreciative of the food Maxine pays for, she doesn’t need someone to pretend to care for her. But the program comes with a scholarship to college, so she knows she needs to accept this opportunity. 

She becomes friends with Sam, another scholarship student that lives in a poor area. One day out shopping with Sam, Jade is targeted by a sales clerk. She is accused of loitering and then is asked if the clerk can hold their bag, even though Sam is allowed to bring her bag into the changing room with her. Sam refuses to acknowledge the racism that Jade faces which eventually leads to a strain on their friendship which isn’t helped by the fact that Sam receives the teacher recommendation for the study abroad program.

At one point in the novel, a 15-year-old Black girl named Natasha Ramsey is beaten to death by the police. Afterward, Jade cannot stop thinking about the girl. “I don’t recognize her name or face, but still, she looks familiar. Like a girl I would be friends with” (pg 183). She pays attention to her school and the lack of coverage with the exception of her Spanish teacher. “No one speaks her name or mentions what happened. It’s as if no one in this school knows or cares that an unarmed black girl was assaulted by the police just across the river” (pg 184). For Jade, this is a painful reminder that priorities are different at her private school. 

Following this, she gets into an altercation with a teacher. Jade and another (white) student named Hannah exchange some words about the teacher in front of the woman. However, Jade is sent to the principal’s office despite the fact that Hannah asked the teacher offense questions such as if she was menstruating or had intercourse the night before.

Later, Jade is with two of her friends when they witness a Black woman being detained by a police officer. They don’t stop watching until the officer has given the woman a ticket and they both drive away. Jade is taking pictures the entire time in case the exchange turns sour. It doesn’t, but all three girls are shaken by what’s happened in front of them. This could easily be on the heels of Natasha Ramsey’s death and their worry for the woman’s safety (not to mention their own). 

Throughout the book, Jade has to deal with racism and microaggressions as well as judgements on her body. Her love of language is inspiring. “‘When it was story time and  I didn’t want to stop playing to go read and you would tell me I ought to take every chance I get to open a book because it was once illegal to teach a black person how to read,’ I remind him” (pg 74). And, “‘You told me that knowing how to read words and knowing when to speak them is the most valuable commodity a person can have’” (pg 74). It takes Jade a while to speak up for herself, but throughout the novel, she figures it out and things begin to go her way a little more. 

Within the mentorship program, she helps make changes such as the Money Matters seminars and going to more local places. She helps organize a fundraiser and speaks up to her Spanish teacher about her dreams of attending the study abroad program. And she finally explains to Sam her feelings about  how it hurts when the other girl brushes the racial injustice Jade faces away. 

Review Excerpt(s)

Newbery Medal Nominee (2018)

Coretta Scott King Book Award for Author (2018)

"This unique and thought-provoking title offers a nuanced meditation on race, privilege, and intersectionality." - School Library Journal

"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." - 

"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

Connections 
-Activities 

• One of Jade’s passions is collaging. She has created some collages inspired by York, a black man that assisted Lewis and Clark on their expedition. Bring in magazines for students to cut up and create their own collages with. 
• Another of Jade’s passions is language, specifically Spanish. Collaborate with the Spanish teacher on projects students can complete such as a research project on a Spanish speaking country or use Google Maps to tour a country. 
• Mia’s gallery inspires Jade for several different reasons. ”’I want to introduce audiences to contemporary artists, young artists. Black and Latino artists.’” (pg 227) Invite local artists of color to share their art and their process. 
• High schools can host their own Money Matters information session afterschool. 
• Jade’s friend LeeLee becomes inspired by the death of Natasha Ramsey and writes poems. Have students write their own poems based on important events that they find inspiring, current or in the past. 
• Create a “#SayHerName” display for females that endure violence (Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, etc.) at the hands of police.