I love how much love there is in the world of young adult and children's literature.
Interpretation
The quote expresses admiration for the abundance of love found in young adult and children's literature.
Jacqueline Woodson highlights the rich emotional landscape present in young adult and children's literature, emphasizing that these stories often center around themes of love, connection, and empathy. This genre serves as a vital space for young readers to explore their own feelings and the complexities of relationships, showcasing the transformative power of love in storytelling.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of reading, one might use this quote to highlight the emotional impact of literature on young minds.
'Brown Girl Dreaming' was a book I had a lot of doubts about - mainly, would this story be meaningful to anyone besides me? My editor, Nancy Paulsen, kept assuring me, but there were moments when I was in a really sad place with the story for so many reasons. It wasn't an easy book to write - emotionally, physically, or creatively.
In the midst of observing the world and coming to consciousness, I was becoming a writer, and what I wanted to put on the page were the stories of people who looked like me.
Sometimes you do have to laugh to keep from crying. And sometimes the world feels all right and good and kind of like it's becoming nice again around you. And you realize it, and realize how happy you are in it, and you just gotta laugh.
I don't want anyone to walk through the world feeling invisible ever again.
The strength of my mother is something I didn't pay attention to for so long. Here she was, this single mom, who was part of the Great Migration, who was part of a Jim Crow south, who said, 'I'm getting my kids out of here. I'm creating opportunities for these young people by any means necessary.'
I would have written 'Brown Girl Dreaming' if no one had ever wanted to buy it, if it went nowhere but inside a desk drawer that my own children pulled out one day to find a tool for survival, a symbol of how strong we are and how much we've come through.
What power has love but forgiveness? In other words by its intervention what has been done can be undone. What good is it otherwise?
She had heard Papa sing so many songs about the heart; the heart that was breaking - was aching - was dancing -was heavy laden - that leaped for joy - that was heavy in sorrow - that turned over - that stood still. She really believed the heart actually did those things.
We kiss. Her hands are freezing on my face, and she tastes like coffee and the smell of the onion is still stuck in my nose, and my lips are all dry from the endless winter. And it's awesome.
There are more love songs than anything else. If songs could make you do something we'd all love one another.
Nor jealousy Was understood, the injur'd lover's hell.
If you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don't throw it away.
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