Some Places More Than Others

When "sneaker-head" Amara Baker expresses a wish to visit her father's childhood home in Harlem for her upcoming 12th birthday, her mother, eight months pregnant with a baby sister Amara is less than thrilled about, isn't too keen on the idea. But when her humanities teacher assigns a project requiring Amara to delve into her family history, her father agrees to take her to visit his family, including Grandpa Earl, with whom her dad hasn't spoken in 12 years. New York City is far more intense than small-town Beaverton, Ore., where Amara's from, yet the more of Harlem Amara sees, the more she begins to love the neighborhood for the wealth of African-American history it represents. And she begins to cherish the relatives that her father, a poet turned Nike executive, left behind, including his own father, a former basketball coach who once held a limited view of masculinity. Watson (Piecing Me Together) composes a quiet, emotive story of finding home in a new place and finding family among new people. Watson's Harlem comes alive on the page, lovingly viewed by flawed but lovable characters whose story underscores themes of family, history, and forgiveness. Age 8-12. (Sept.)

Gr 4-6--For Amara's 12th birthday, she longs to travel to Harlem with her father to see where he grew up and meet the family she's spoken with only on the phone. Amara's mother objects to the trip, but a school assignment requiring research on family history helps put father and daughter on a plane to New York. Watson, Newbery Honor winner for Piecing Me Together, is a master of structure and character development. Amara's emerging sense of self contrasts with yearning for stories of her family's past and foreshadows the strained family relationships that will be revealed, and healed, during the Harlem trip. Readers experience the city through Amara's eager eyes, taking in the sights, sounds, and history on every street. Seeing statues of Harriet Tubman and Adam Clayton Powell and touring the Schomburg Center give Amara the connection she's been searching for: "the journey I am on has many footprints, many stories coming with me." Her eloquent, powerful poem at the novel's end shows that her journey is off to a solid start. VERDICT Amara's search for her roots is tender and empowering. An essential purchase for all middle grade libraries.--Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

"A meaningful opportunity for students—particularly those in underrepresented communities—to celebrate themselves and their identities." - School Library Connection, starred review

"Watson is a master of structure and character development. . . . Amara's search for her roots is tender and empowering." - School Library Journal, starred review

"A much-needed novel about the importance of roots and family connections." - Foreword Reviews, starred review

"Captures a young person's growing enlightenment as she experiences one of the world's most culturally rich neighborhoods. . . . Very relatable. . . . Quietly powerful." - The New York Times Book Review

"The book excels at the delicate nuance of family dynamics. . . . This is the kind of special family trip many kids would love to make, and they'll get vicarious satisfaction from traveling with Amara." - BCCB

"Watson proves her deftness in depicting settings; while the two places are as different as can be, the reader comes away with an appreciation of both Oregon and New York." - Horn Book Magazine

"Renée Watson is a gifted storyteller who brings vibrant new meaning to time and place. In this beautiful blend of family, history, and culture, Watson lets us discover that one's true home is rooted in the heart and soul." - Andrea Davis Pinkney, New York Times bestselling author of THE RED PENCIL

"Renée Watson's storytelling mastery is on full display in Some Places More Than Others, which is so thematically vibrant and emotionally rich as to defy description. A magnificent book." - Mike Jung, author of UNIDENTIFIED SUBURBAN OBJECT

"Watson creates characters that pop. . . . Satisfying in many ways." - Booklist

"I love the way Amara's voice and spirit shine in this story. Some Places More Than Others is a beautiful novel about family and forgiveness, about the memories we carry with us wherever we go, and the places our hearts call home." - Kate Messner, award-winning author of BREAKOUT

"Watson is a master at character development . . . she seamlessly explores issues of identity, self, and family acceptance. . . A moving exploration of the places we come from and the people who shape us—not to be missed." - Kirkus Reviews

"A deep and emotionally rich coming-of-age story about reuniting severed ties and exploring history, ancestry and selfhood." - Shelf Awareness

"Watson's Harlem comes alive on the page, lovingly viewed by flawed but lovable characters whose story underscores themes of family, history, and forgiveness." - Publishers Weekly

"Timely and timeless." - Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award winning author of BROWN GIRL DREAMING on PIECING ME TOGETHER

"Watson, with rhythm and style, somehow gets at . . . the life-changing power of voice and opportunity, all wrapped up in Jade." - Jason Reynolds, author of ALL AMERICAN BOYS on PIECING ME TOGETHER

"An important and deeply moving novel." - John Green, bestselling and award-winning author of THE FAULT IN OUR STARS on PIECING ME TOGETHER

"Teeming with compassion and insight." - Publishers Weekly, starred review, on PIECING ME TOGETHER

"A timely, nuanced, and unforgettable story." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on PIECING ME TOGETHER

"A nuanced meditation on race, privilege, and intersectionality." - SLJ, starred review, on PIECING ME TOGETHER

"Will resonate with many readers." - BCCB, starred review, on PIECING ME TOGETHER