Harbor Me

"Once there were six of us. Once we circled around each other, and listened. Or maybe what matters most is that we were heard."

I just finished reading Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson. I had been seeing many teachers sharing their thoughts on the book, and I wanted to read it for myself.

I had a relative idea of what the book would be about, as I have read other works by Jacqueline Woodson before, but I had no idea that this book would take me on such an emotional journey. 

Six kids. A group of six "special" boys and girls are put into their own classroom to sit and talk freely about anything. In the ARTT room (A Room To Talk), these six students are allowed to discuss things the would never tell anyone else. 

As these students sit in a circle, they listen to each other tell stories about the cruelty of life. As I read each student's story, my heart shattered. Each of these students is facing a challenge that no child should ever have to experience. But as they each share their story, the others sit in the circle and listen and support each other. Although it is heartbreaking that these children are going through such unimaginable situations, it is heartwarming to see them supporting each other, harboring each other. 

I loved reading this book. Jacqueline Woodson does such a great job of giving a voice to each of the characters, while at the same time, giving a voice to those whom these characters stand in place of. These characters are the inspirational voices of the men, women, and children who experience similar realities of life. This is a fantastic book with a powerful message, and I encourage you all to read it.