From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun

by Jacqueline Woodson

Book Overview

A Coretta Scott King Honor Book

Three-time Newbery Honor author Jacqueline Woodson explores race and sexuality through the eyes of a compelling narrator

Melanin Sun has a lot to say. But sometimes it's hard to speak his mind, so he fills up notebooks with his thoughts instead. He writes about his mom a lot--they're about as close as they can be, because they have no other family. So when she suddenly tells him she's gay, his world...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 014241641X
• ISBN13: 9780142416419
• Release Date: July 2010
• Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.6" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF MELANIN SUN

From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun By:Jacquuelin Woodson This book is about a boy. Melanin Sun and his mama have always been a whole family with a special kind of love and care. Soon Melanin is finding out that his mom is shutting doors that were always open.And now?,they have been having problems. Mel has been finding out that his mama is keeping secrets since he was a child. I think that this is a good book because it makes you laugh and cry. This book is interesting because it's in racial times.

A good book on a worthy topic

For as long as thirteen-year-old Melanin Sun can remember, it's been just him and his mom. His father walked off before he was born. His mother never dated much. Usually after just two or three dates with a man she'd lose interest. Melanin Sun was happy with his life and family situation...until his mom discovered the pretty white lawyer named Kristin. Melanin Sun was horrified. His mother! His very own mother was a dyke! Did this mean Melanin Sun would grow up gay? Kissing Angie from down the street gave him a rush of butterflies in his stomach, but still. What if his friends found out? He'd be thelaughingstock of his block. Through diary exerpts and straightforward narrative, Melanin Sun bears his soul to the reader with painful clarity. Angry and confused about sex and love and racial issues, he tried to punish his mother by shutting her out of his life and refusing to even talk to Kristin. When his friends found out, one of them did indeed make fun of his mother and it became clear that they would not be friends anymore. However Melanin Sun's other friend accepted the situation, so things were not as bad as he originally thought. Over the course of summer, Melanin Sun had to confront many issues he had about racism, sexuality, and tolerance. Shortly before school started he finally began to accept his mother's new lifestyle by accompanying her to the beach with her lover. The winner of the Coretta Scott King award, From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun is a very readable book that treats heavy issues in a gentle way.

One of the best books i've ever red....

I'm a new reader to Jacquelina Wodson and I already praise her.I've started reading a few of her books but this one I enjoy the most. It's one of the best books i've ever red. Its about a young boy and his mother who live alone without a father or anything. His farther left and started a new family so the mother and son had to live together with not much money in an appartment. But then he finds out that his mother is a lesbain which is very shocking to him. He has always thought that "dykes" and "fags" ( how he refered to them) were wrong and bad. So in this book he has to learn to except his mother and her girl friend even thou at first he doesnt like it all. This book is really great because not a lot of books are about sexuality. And I think writing about sexuality is very important because I dont think there is a wrong or right way in sexuality like some people do. I think that from reading her books I can speak for Miss Woodson too when I say that people shouldnt be judged as "wrong", "right" or "good" and "bad" when it comes to your sexuality. You cant assume you know everything about a person just becasue of who they love. We all are free to think and feel however we want. And as much as some people disagree with it, no one should have to stop or try and hide how they feel. This is excataly what Jacqueline explains in the notebooks of Melanin Sun and thats why I have gained and whole new respect for her and how open she is and to write books about things like this. So READ THE BOOK, ha ha ha, its the best!

My Thoughts: From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun

I read this book for my class, Reading and Responding to Children's Literature. I really enjoyed the book, as it is written from a 13 year old boy's point of view. He writes in his 'notebooks'which makes the reader feel as though you are inside his thoughts. The only problem I had with the book was that because I'm in the education program, I don't feel that I could teach the book to children. I think it had some unnecessary parts about the coming of age of a young boy.

BUY IT!! My highest recommendation!

There are not many books for young adults on the topic of queer parents. This book is a rare jem. It was doubly good because it also tackled the topic of bi-cultural relations. The book is written in the boy's voice. I could not put it down. I cried.