Jacqueline Woodson at
Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center
New York, NY
May 17- 21, 1999

Ms. Woodson's author residency resulted in her meeting with over 350 readers ranging from five-years-old to senior citizens. Photo credit: Sherrie Y. Young

Novelist Jacqueline Woodson visited Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center in Manhattan from May 17-May 21, 1999. Ms. Woodson, the author of a number of young-adults novels and picture books, has received numerous awards, including the Corretta Scott King Award (for Miracle's Boys), two Coretta Scott King Honors, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, two Jane Addams Peace Awards and three Lambda Literary Awards.

The teen women's and men's group read Ms. Woodson's (front, left) novel If You Come Softly, which is based on an interracial-teenage love story. The group presented Ms. Woodson with artwork inspired by her novel. Photo Credit: Sherrie Y. Young

In addition to Ms. Woodson participating in the Settlement-House program, she is also one of the authors-in-residence at the Foundation's Summer Writing Camp.

Ms. Woodson's author-residency included meeting with four groups of elementary children (ages 5-9), teenagers, young-adults, adults with low reading levels studying for their GED, and members of the community. Homebound senior citizens participated in a book discussion with Ms. Woodson via a conference call. To prepare for the author's visit, all participants received one of Ms. Woodson's books to read before she arrived. Each group prepared questions to ask Ms. Woodson and worked on an arts and crafts project based on the theme of the book they read.

Elementary children received a copy of Ms. Woodson's picture book We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past. She read to them and had some of them read to her; however, their excitement escalated when Ms. Woodson autographed their books. Photo Credit: Sherrie Y. Young

The National Book Foundation's 1999 Settlement House Author Residency program was made possible through funding from Theodore H. Barth Foundation, R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company, the Riggio Foundation, and The New York State Council on the Arts.

Dial Books for Young Readers, Hyperion Book for Children, and Laurel-Leaf of Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, generously donated books to the program.