Realistic Fiction: This is the Rope by Jacqueline Woodson

Woodson, J. (2013). This is the rope; A story from the great migration. New York: Nancy Paulson Books.

Review from the the Bulletin for of the Center for Children's Books:
6-9 yrs
"An old piece of rope serves as a framing device for a story that follows an AfricanAmerican family from South Carolina to New York City mid-century. The rope remains with the family for three generations, from its earliest use as a jump rope “under the shade of a sweet-smelling pine” in the South to its more utilitarian functions as clothesline and sign holder in the city. The text on each spread begins with “This is the rope” and goes on to tell, in spare, eloquent ragged-right prose, how the rope played a role in the family’s personal history. Short of the introductory author’s note, there is not much history here; this is simply a beautifully told family tale about a loving, close-knit African-American family over several decades. The fictional tale is told from the point of view of the original pair’s granddaughter, a character who herself appears skipping rope on the penultimate spread under the watchful eyes of her parents and grandparents. The language is deliberate and lyrical, and the gentle pacing calls for a slow, deliberate readaloud. Ransome’s oil paintings feature landscapes indicative both of the changing geography and the passing of time; while some figures are a little stiff, others are remarkable, with light falling on faces at the perfect angle and facial features carrying abundant emotion. Young listeners may need assistance to conceptualize the family relations and the passing of time, but they will nevertheless be drawn to this warm and hope-filled tale." (Morrison, 2013).


I recommend this book for grades 3-5. This book can provide a mirror experience for any child who has a strong inter-generational family connection, or who has moved far away, or who has moved from the country to the city, or who loves to jump rope, or is black. It is a window or a door to another way of experiencing the world for anyone who has not experienced one, or some, or any of those things.

This book would pair well with or be a good intro to reading One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia (2010) or even in older grades to Brown Girl Dreaming (also by Woodson, 2014). For grades three and up I would read the Author's note at the beginning. I think that this is a great classroom read aloud and discussion starter.

Keywords:Family, Generations, Migration, African American

Morrison, H. (2013). This Is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration by Jacqueline Woodson (review). Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 67(2), 126.

Williams-Garcia. R. (2010). One crazy summer. New York: Amistad.

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. New York: Penguin Group.