CB#11 Feathers

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Title: Feathers

Genre: Children's Chapter Book

Subgenre: Ages 8+ 

Theme: Learning to look beneath the surface

Primary and Secondary characters: Frannie, Jesus Boy, Samantha, Trevor  
Awards: Newbery

Publishing company: Putnam 

Brief summary & how to use with students: In January of 1971, eleven-year-old Frannie lives contentedly with her parents and deaf older brother, Sean, in an apartment on the "wrong" side of the highway. Suddenly, a tall, skinny white boy with long hair appears in Frannie's sixth-grade class. His classmates decide that he looks like the pictures of Jesus and start calling him the "Jesus Boy." Frannie's best friend Samantha, whose father is a "fire-and brimstone" preacher according to Frannie's mother, seems especially taken with the Jesus Boy and begins to fantasize that he might be Jesus returned to earth. While Jesus Boy must stand up to enormous bullying from his male classmates, which Frannie deplores, she becomes quite interested in him and is mystified that he knows how to "sign" which is how she communicates with her beloved brother.

This book is a bit slow but does explore the many obstacles of growing up. The likable Frannie learns to deal with religious ideas, racism, the meaning of friendship, familial love, and human kindness.