Miracle’s Boys
By Jacqueline Woodson
2004 CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD
New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2000 ISBN 0399231137
Grades: 6-10.
Tale
The story is narrated by 13-year-old Lafayette. He is the youngest of three brothers that are struggling to overcome the difficulties which confront them, both emotional and financial, after loosing their father (past away before Lafayette was born) and, later on, their mother (for whose death Lafayette feels responsible). Lafayette has a good relationship with Ty’ree, the oldest brother, who was forced to drop out of school and work to maintain his siblings. Lafayette used to have a good relationship with Charlie too (the middle brother) but that changed after Charlie came back home after two years in a correctional facility. Lafayette even calls him Newcharlie, as he has no resemblance to the brother who used to be his buddy. Now Charlie is indifferent, distant, and always seems to be ready to get in trouble. Besides having the financial responsibility, Ty-ree is also accountable for the family’s overall wellbeing; if Charlie gets in trouble again, Lafayette will be sent to live with his great-aunt Cecile in South Caroline. This would definitely be against his wishes, as he wants to stay in New York with his brothers. The story is surrounded infused with revelations about what really happened concerning the deaths of their father and mother.
Thought
I enjoyed the reading from beginning to end. The story is easy to follow and portrays reality very well. It is inspiring, bringing hope back to our hearts, as we hope the boys are able to overcome the difficulties that stand in their way. The book title reveals a hidden meaning when the reader learns that Miracle is the English word for Milagro in Spanish, which happens to be the boys’ mother’s name.
About the author
Jacqueline Woodson From Teenreads.com
“Jacqueline Woodson is a three-time Newbery Honor winner, a two-time National Book Award finalist, winner of a Coretta Scott King Award and three Coretta Scott King Honors, and the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her contributions to young adult literature. Her many award-winning novels include Locomotion, After Tupac and D Foster, Feathers and Miracle’s Boys. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.”
Click here to visit Teenreads website to read Woodson’s complete interview.
To visit Woodson’s official website, click here.
Review
From SLJ Reviews 2000 May
(Website: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com)
"
Gr 6-10-A compelling novel about three streetwise New York City brothers trying to help one another confront their personal demons. Thirteen-year-old Lafayette still grieves for his mother, who died of diabetes two years earlier. He blames himself for not being able to save her. Older brother Ty'ree is more mature and responsible but he, too, is tormented by the past. He witnessed his father rescue a drowning woman and later die of hypothermia before Lafayette was born, and he continues to feel guilty for not being able to help him. Lafayette and Ty'ree take comfort in school, work, and other routines of daily life to keep their lives focused and their minds off the past. All of this changes, however, when a middle brother named Charlie returns from a juvenile-detention facility where he served a three-year sentence for an armed robbery. Having this angry, sometimes hostile presence in their lives forces Lafayette and Ty'ree to depend upon one another even more to work through their grief and figure out how to help Charlie survive. As usual, Woodson's characterizations and dialogue are right on. The dynamics among the brothers are beautifully rendered. The narrative is told through dialogue and Lafayette's introspections so there is not a lot of action, but readers should find this story of tough, self-sufficient young men to be powerful and engaging.-Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information."
Activity
1. In groups, students will:
1. Search the internet for organizations which help orphans. Explore them to learn what they do, what kind of help/services they offer, if there is a charge, if they accept volunteers, minimum age for volunteering, etc.
2. Visit the website DoSomething.com to become familiar with the project.
3. Based on the same idea presented by DoSomething.com, create a fictitious project to help teenage orphans living in your own community.
4. Groups will present their projects to the other groups in the classes and the students will vote to the best project.
Prompt every student to write a short product tied to today’s reading:
Has anyone in your life (friend, family member) ever changed in a “negative” way?
What was that like for you?
What do you think caused the change?
How do you wish the person would have acted and why?
Was there anyway to support this person in making positive choices?
Jacqueline Woodson 
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