if you come softly

            Woodson, J. (2010). if you come softly. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

               

         

This multi-cultural novel is a tale of relationships. The main relationship focus is on an inter-racial love between Jeremiah, who is a fifteen year old African-American, and a young girl, Ellie, who is Jewish. The two are students at Percy Academy and bump into each other one day, literally. Ellie is smitten immediately, as is Jeremiah; each one of them finding themselves thinking of the other all the time. Ellie confides in her sister that she is interested in someone and that he is black. She picks up this vibe that makes her uncomfortable. Her sister seems weird afterwards. Ellie remembers something her mother said, “All people have suffered. So why should any of us feel like we’re better or less than another?” But Ellie wonders why no black people ever came for dinner or played golf with daddy. Jeremiah and Ellie soon fall in love. In the beginning, they keep their relationship a secret from their parents as they fear it would be viewed as unacceptable. Then, Jeremiah decided to have his mother meet Ellie. He then feels ready to meet her family and risk the rain.

The writing is simplistic in style yet, contains very complex subject matter such as stereotyping, an extra-marital affair, and lesbianism. Wonderfully accomplished balance is the writing as the racial and prejudice issues are handled in a comfortable manner in regard to the reader, yet, displays profound powerfulness.

The big question or take-away from this book is, If there is love, what else matters? Who among us has experienced prejudice? How did it feel?

This book would be great to use as a tie in to a (sixth grade and up) unit on Romeo and Juliet.