Written by: Jaqueline Woodson
First line: Mama’s hands are warm and soft.
Why you should read this book: To Ada Ruth’s mama, the
hiring of colored women in Chicago, to clean trains, no less, is an amazing
opportunity, not just to work with dignity while the men are away at war, but
also to make some money she can send on home to her family; to Ada Ruth, it’s a
reason for tears; her mother is leaving, and she doesn’t know when she’s coming
back. Ada Ruth’s mother stays away a long time, without sending money or even a
letter, but Ada Ruth hugs her grandma, keeps writing to her mama, and takes up
with a scrofulous black and white kitten her grandmother says they can’t keep,
even though they do. Finally, a letter arrives in Mama’s beautiful cursive,
with money falling out of it and the sweetest thing of all—the knowledge that
she’s coming home soon.
Why you shouldn’t read this book: You’re going away soon.
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