I received this as a free arc through an online literary festival after it's release. This was a lovely story, and Jacqueline Woodson's storytelling is masterful.

Exactly as wonderful as all of her other books. I did have to pause my reading and look up the fires that were plaguing the area, which kind of took me out of it, but I loved it all the same.

Throwback to the late 1970's Brooklyn - All Sage wants to do is play ball but the neighborhood is on fire this summer and things are changing in ways Sage can't explain. When Freddy arrives on the scene, he seems to be the kind of friend that understands Sage without questioning. While the neighborhood burns around them, Sage and Freddy play ball and watch the little kids amuse themselves in the ruins of burned out buildings until something happens that changes everything. Just where does Sage fit in in this neighborhood, and what will happen if she moves?

A bittersweet meditation on the nature of friendship, memory, and finding one's place in the world. Full review posted at BookBrowse: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/reviews/index.cfm/ref/pr301952

Jacqueline Woodson! It's such a gift to read her words. REMEMBER US is the MG novel I'll be using for any of my younger writers. It is a masterclass in character development as well as incorporate history into a story that today's readers will care about.

A MG novel about one girl’s life turned upside down during the Brooklyn Bushwick fires in the ‘70s.
🔥
Sage is a rough and tumble girl on and off the basketball court. She’s also struggling with the death of her firefighter father, her mother wanting to move them out of the only neighborhood Sage has ever known and Sage wondering where she fits in in the world: with the boys on the court or the makeup-wearing girls she’s growing further away from. Sage struggles with gender norms and feelings of self-doubt throughout the book as she discovers who she is in the world.
🔥
@jacqueline_woodson is a gift and a treasure to the world. Each word in this novel is perfectly chosen to reflect who Sage is and who she is becoming. You can tell the author has a strong connection to the setting and it’s reflected on every page. This would be a great read aloud for middle & high schoolers. The audiobook by @prhaudio was read by the author and phenomenal.

CW: death of a parent, fire, bullying, sexism

4.5 ⭐️

I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group through NetGalley.
Beautifully crafted remembrance about Woodson's childhood home. She grew up in the Bushwick portion of Brooklyn during the years when homes were set on fire almost nightly. She brings readers in to this world and lets them share home space with she and her mother and play basketball along with this young girl dreaming of being the first woman in the NBA. I appreciate that Woodson addresses fading memories straight on near the end of the story. She works to hold memories and acknowledges they do fade. Hopes and dreams change and new friends replace older ones. A new house becomes a forever home and family loves and change together.

Jacqueline Woodson has done it again, creating characters who linger with their readers and a sense of place that is almost a character itself. I particularly loved the minor characters, such as Mr. Jolly, Lisa, and, of course, Jacob. Sage’s voice and her struggles to be (and stay) herself are beautifully crafted. Woodson never disappoints.

Absolutely beautifully written. Jacqueline has such an elegant style to her story telling and can hook a reader from her very first lines. A poignant story about childhood, survival and keeping hope in all situations. A must read for all.

Remember Us is a middle grade novel about Sage, a young girl who is coming of age in a neighborhood that is literally on fire. The prose in this, as expected from Jacqueline Woodson, are stunning. The story takes place over one summer, and Sage grows so much during that time. I love how this book develops characters and makes the neighborhood come to life so quickly. This is definitely a book I will share with my students.

Jacqueline Woodson has a magical way of writing where I can hear her telling me the story. I feel like I’m spending time with a friend whenever I read her work. Remember Us is no different and I will definitely be remembering it for a long time.

Remember Us is a story of family and basketball and neighborhood and friendship and the pain of being twelve with a father gone too soon and a neighborhood burning. Woodson writes Sage’s voice in such an authentic middle school kid voice but at the same time with the feeling of reflection and wisdom. It’s a beautiful book. Also, thank you to Ms. Woodson for a book under 200 pages. This is what many middle school kids need!

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.