The House You Pass on the Way

The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Ages 12 & up

3 stars

            This is a story about a fourteen-year-old girl named Staggerlee who comes from an interracial family.  She is a quiet girl who loves to play the harmonica and is dealing with her emerging and confusing feelings for her uncle’s adopted daughter Trout. 

            The House You Pass on the Way is short but sweet story.  It brings up some potential controversial topics through a wonderful story.  I thought this book was ok.  I really enjoyed the beginning of the book.  Woodson does a wonderful job setting up the story and introducing us to Staggerlee.  I really connected with Staggerlee when she wonders why can’t everyone just get along and be friends.  She doesn’t really have a lot of friends at school, and her classmates make fun of her and call her stuck up.  When I was younger, I had always wondered why are some of my classmates so mean to others?  I never understood why everyone wasn’t a friend with everyone else. 

            The part I disliked about this book is how Woodson brought the story to an end.  Staggerlee’s new friend Trout leaves at the end of summer, Woodson doesn’t even include the scene where they say goodbye to each other.  Then all of a sudden its October, two months after Trout leaves and she tells of the girls talking on the phone with each other.  In the next chapter it is winter, and Staggerlee hasn’t heard from Trout in a long time.  I felt, that compared to the rest of the book the timeline just sped up in the last twenty pages.  And that major scenes, like saying goodbye to each other, could have made this story a lot better.  

            Using this book in the classroom might cause some controversy with the parents/guardians.  But if you are able to defend yourself effectively you shouldn’t have a problem.  I’m not sure if I would use it.  If I chose not to use it, it would be because I am not particularly fond of Woodson’s writing style.  It would be a good book for a student to independently read, especially for a student who could possibly relate to Staggerlee.