Some Places More than Others
Renée Watson
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Published September 3, 2019
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About Some Places More Than Others
Newbery Honor author Renée Watson explores a family’s relationships and Harlem—its history, culture, arts, and people.
All Amara wants is to visit her father’s family in Harlem. Her wish comes true when her dad decides to bring her along on a business trip. She can’t wait to finally meet her extended family and stay in the brownstone where her dad grew up. Plus, she wants to visit every landmark from the Apollo to Langston Hughes’s home.
But her family, and even the city, is not quite what Amara thought. Her dad doesn’t speak to her grandpa, and the crowded streets can be suffocating as well as inspiring. But as she learns more and more about Harlem—and her father’s history—Amara realizes how, in some ways more than others, she can connect with this other home and family.
This is a powerful story about family, the places that make us who we are, and how we find ways to connect to our history across time and distance.
My Review
Renée Watson is one of those authors on my auto-read list. I love the way she writes. I love the characters she brings to life in the pages of her books and the way she explores relationships between characters and their friends and family members. Amara really had me at hello. Her goal was clear from the very beginning of the story, but her desire to go to Harlem wasn’t an uncomplicated one.
Watching the story unfold, I found myself surprised by some of the things that happened and their significance. I like that while Amara thought the big project for her trip would be to help repair the rift between her dad and grandfather, she learned about repairing rifts between herself and other people close to her. She learned about relationships and the value of healthy confrontation.
The story made me cry for all the right reasons. I kept turning pages and reading chapter after chapter, and even days after I finished the book, I’m still smiling and thinking back on moments from the story. I love the positive messages and values about race and family in SOME PLACES MORE THAN OTHERS. It’s definitely the kind of book I’d want to see in any library or classroom. Highly recommended.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation
Amara and her family are black.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
Amara’s family prays before dinner and attends church with friends. She compares the experience of going to her friend’s church with her other church experiences.
Violent Content
None.
Drug Content
None.
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