On Tuesday, September 24, the library had the distinct pleasure of hosting award-winning author Renée Watson at Saint Ann’s. Seventh and eighth graders gathered in the rotunda for back-to-back presentations to hear Watson share poetry, read from her books, and inspire students to “go out and change the world.” Watson began with a poem about where she comes from, and asked students to respond to the sensory details and share what they learned about her, her family, and the place she grew up (Portland, Oregon!). She then read from several of her books, including the Newbery honor-winning and Coretta Scott King award-winning Piecing Me Together, and the young adult novel Watch Us Rise.
On Monday, September 23, the day before Watson’s visit, a dozen students came together for the inaugural meeting of our 7th & 8th grade book group. We discussed Watch Us Rise, the novel Watson co-wrote with Ellen Hagan about two teenage girls and their struggle to make their world (including their social justice high school) more just.