Feathers

Literary awards - Newbery Medal Nominee (2008)

Feathers

"Hope is the thing with feathers," Frannie reads aloud in class, but she’s not sure what hope really means. Her days are filled with too many other questions. Why does Samantha, her best friend, seem so different lately, almost "holy"? Who is the mysterious new boy everyone calls the "Jesus Boy," who looks white but insists he’s not? And why does her mother seem so fearful, even as her brother Sean, who is deaf, moves through life with quiet strength?

As the snow falls outside and surprises unfold inside her classroom and home, Frannie begins to see the world differently. She notices the anger hidden behind the class bully’s tough facade, the faith that sustains her best friend, and her own yearning for the “thing with feathers.”

In Feathers, Jacqueline Woodson gently weaves a powerful tale of hope, empathy, and self-discovery. Through Frannie’s eyes, readers are reminded to look beyond appearances and find the beauty in life’s complexities.