These prompts can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before or after reading the novel.

Pre-Reading “Icebreaker”

A primary theme in Piecing Me Together is how racism in the United States deeply shapes the Coming-of-Age Experience for Black Girls and young women. Because art is so important to Jade, the protagonist of the story, and to help gain a deeper understanding of the Black experience, one entry point into the text is poetry. Read the poem “won’t you celebrate with me” by Lucille Clifton, as well as the analysis by Safiya Sinclair from “12 Poems to Read for Black History Month” on Poets.org.

• In the Bible, the ancient city of Babylon is seen as a godless city. What does the speaker of the poem mean when she says she was “born in babylon”? Does that speak to the ways Black girls are perceived? Perceived by whom?
• In her analysis of the poem, Safiya Sinclair writes that “To be a black woman alive in America and writing poetry is miraculous.” What does she mean by this?

Teaching Suggestion: Use this prompt to continue the discussion on the theme of Intersectionality and emphasize that one of Renée Watson’s goals with the text is to help bring to life and to make known the distinct experience of being a Black girl in the United States.