The Day You Begin
Featured in its own episode in the Netflix original show Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices!
National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner Rafael López have teamed up to create a poignant, yet heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone.
There will be times when you walk into a room
and no one there is quite like you.
There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it.
Jacqueline Woodson's lyrical text and Rafael López's dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.
(This book is also available in Spanish, as El Día En Que Descubres Quién Eres!)
The Day You Begin: A Story About Courage and Community
In a vibrant, lyrical story, Jacqueline Woodson celebrates the beauty of diversity and the power of connection. The Day You Begin tells the story of Angelina, a young girl who is nervous about her first day of school. She is worried about being different and being made fun of.
On her first day of school, Angelina is met with a variety of reactions. Some children are kind and welcoming, while others are mean and hurtful. Angelina is especially hurt when a boy named Rigo makes fun of her hair.
Angelina is ready to give up and go home, but she is stopped by a girl named Mrs. Murphy. Mrs. Murphy is kind and gentle, and she helps Angelina to see that she is not alone. She tells Angelina that she is beautiful and unique, and that she should be proud of who she is.
Angelina is inspired by Mrs. Murphy's words, and she decides to stay in school. She begins to make friends, and she learns to appreciate the diversity of her classmates. The Day You Begin is a heartwarming and inspiring story about the power of courage and community.
Jacqueline Woodson
Jacqueline Woodson is an award-winning author who has written over 30 books for children and young adults. Her books have been praised for their honesty, sensitivity, and insight. Woodson is a recipient of the National Book Award, the Newbery Award, and the Coretta Scott King Award.
Woodson was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1963. She grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and Brooklyn, New York. She began writing at a young age, and she published her first book, "Between Madison Avenue and Central Park," in 1990.
Woodson's books often explore themes of identity, race, and family. She is known for her ability to create characters who are complex and relatable. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages.
Woodson is a professor of English at New York University. She is also the founder of the Jacqueline Woodson Institute, a nonprofit organization that supports writers of color.
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