Family and Heritage
$100: Who is the author of Brown Girl Dreaming?
A: Jacqueline Woodson
$100: In what two states does Jacqueline spend most of her early childhood?
A: South Carolina and New York
$100: What does Jacqueline often struggle with in school?
A: Reading and writing
$100: What style is Brown Girl Dreaming written in?
A: Free verse poetry
$100: What happens on the day Jacqueline is born?
A: Her grandfather jokes that she is born in Ohio but will always be a South Carolinian.
$200: What is Jacqueline’s mother’s name?
A: Mary Ann
$200: What city in South Carolina does Jacqueline live in with her grandparents?
A: Greenville
$200: How does storytelling become important to Jacqueline?
A: She realizes she can express herself through words even if she struggles with reading.
$200: Why does Jacqueline use free verse instead of traditional prose?
A: It allows for emotional expression and a personal, lyrical feel.
$200: How does Jacqueline react when her mother returns from New York?
A: She is excited but torn between staying with her grandparents and moving north.
$300: Who is Jacqueline’s grandfather, and what does she call him?
A: His name is Gunnar, and she calls him “Daddy."
$300: How is the South different from New York in Jacqueline’s eyes?
A: The South feels more connected to family and traditions, while New York feels busier and more modern.
$300: What does Jacqueline’s grandfather’s garden symbolize?
A: Connection to land, family, and stability.
$300: How does Woodson use repetition in her poetry?
A: To emphasize important themes and emotions.
$300: What impact does segregation have on Jacqueline’s experiences in the South?
A: She sees firsthand the racial divisions and injustices.
$400: Why does Jacqueline’s mother leave her children with their grandparents in South Carolina?
A: She goes to New York to find work and establish a home.
$400: What major historical movement influences Jacqueline’s experiences in both the North and South?
A: The Civil Rights Movement
$400: How does religion shape Jacqueline’s childhood?
A: Her grandmother raises her as a Jehovah’s Witness, influencing her beliefs and experiences.
$400: How does Woodson make historical events feel personal in the book?
A: She connects them to her own family’s experiences.
$400: Why does Jacqueline feel different from her siblings?
A: She struggles with reading and sees herself as less academically gifted.
$500: How does Jacqueline’s relationship with her older sister, Odella, differ from her relationship with her brother, Hope?
A: Odella is book-smart and a role model, while Hope is quieter and loves music.
$500: Why does Jacqueline’s mother eventually decide to settle in New York?
A: She believes there are more opportunities for her children.
$500: What does Jacqueline’s notebook symbolize?
A: Her growing love for writing and storytelling.
$500: Why does Woodson sometimes leave out punctuation?
A: To create a flowing, natural rhythm.
$500: What major life event deeply affects Jacqueline’s family?
A: The death of her grandfather, “Daddy” Gunnar.