{"id":38898,"date":"2021-01-29T23:43:37","date_gmt":"2021-01-30T03:43:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=38898"},"modified":"2021-01-29T23:43:37","modified_gmt":"2021-01-30T03:43:37","slug":"review-of-before-the-ever-after-by-jacqueline-woodson-read-by-guy-lockard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=38898","title":{"rendered":"Review of Before the Ever After, by Jacqueline Woodson, read by Guy Lockard"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Before the Ever After<\/em><\/p>\n

by Jacqueline Woodson
\nread by Guy Lockard<\/p>\n

Listening Library, 2020. 2 hours, 15 minutes on eaudio
\nReview written January 4, 2021, from a library eaudiobook
\nStarred Review
\n2021 Capitol Choices selection<\/a>
\n2021 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
\n2020 Sonderbooks Stand-out<\/a>:
\n#8 Children’s Fiction<\/p>\n

This is a novel in verse written from the perspective of twelve-year-old ZJ, talking about his Dad, a professional football player.<\/p>\n

His Dad is a star, with a Super Bowl ring. Or at least he was \u2013 before. When ZJ goes through his memories, we learn that his Dad was also a wonderful, active, loving father. He did lots of things with ZJ and ZJ\u2019s friends.<\/p>\n

But then one day, he didn\u2019t play a game they expected him to play. He started getting awful headaches, forgetting their names, and acting strangely. And they didn\u2019t know what was going on. Different doctors had different ideas, but nothing was working.<\/p>\n

The way the book covers \u201cBefore,\u201d your heart breaks with ZJ when his Daddy starts to change.<\/p>\n

Normally, I think I enjoy novels in verse more by seeing the poetry with my own eyes. It\u2019s easier to catch what the author\u2019s doing. In this case, I did enjoy listening to the warm voice of the narrator, and I did figure out it was a novel in verse before I looked at the book.<\/p>\n

This is a heartbreaking tribute from a kid to his dad.<\/p>\n

jacquelinewoodson.com<\/a>
\npenguin.com\/middle-grade<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Fiction\/before_the_ever_after.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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