'Brown Girl Dreaming' Author To Visit University City Library

UNIVERSITY CITY, MO — The University City Library will host a presentation by best-selling children's author and National Ambassador for Young Peoples' Literacy Jacqueline Woodson Sunday, September 10, at 9:30 a.m. Woodson, author of the National Book Award-winning "Brown Girl Dreaming" and other works, will speak to first graders from the University City School District.

"We are excited that our first-graders will get front row seats to Ms. Woodson’s reading of 'The Day You Begin,'" said Tracy Hinds, the district's curriculum coordinator for English language arts. "This is a perfect opportunity to help ignite interest in reading and to expose our students to an author of color who tells stories with relatable and diverse groups of characters."

According to the library, "'The Day You Begin' tells of a child's first encounters with diversity; those things that set us apart and those things we share. Woodson and illustrator Rafael Lopez take the reader on a journey of discover and the realization that we aren't all as different as we might think."

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Woodson will also visit the Brittany Woods Middle School where she will talk with older students about her middle-grade novel, "Harbor Me."

Woodson's books are available to check out at the University City Public Library. Woodson's presentation is a special school event and open only to those with an invitation, but the author will give a public presentation the day before, September 9, at 2 p.m. at the St. Louis Public Library.

Photo by J. Ryne Danielson/Patch