21FA-LS-5653 - African-American Literature: Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

“When you love a thing, little man, my dad said, you gotta love it with everything you got. Till you can’t even tell where that thing you love begins and where you end.”

Bibliography:
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2020. Before the Ever After. Nancy Paulsen Books. ISBN: 9780399545450

Plot Summary:
Zachariah Johnson Jr., ZJ, is eleven when his father starts experiencing migraines, memory loss, mood swings, and bouts of depression. ZJ doesn't know what's wrong with his dad, and neither do the various doctors Zachariah Sr. has seen. ZJ's dad is a professional NFL player, a tight end who runs in touchdowns, takes tackles, blocks quarterbacks, and has been on permanent leave since his symptoms began. As ZJ copes with his dad's new temperament through friendship and support, he hopes his father's shared passion for songwriting will bring the old dad back to them. However, ZJ must learn to navigate the balance between the happier past and the reality of his dad's troubled memory, wondering if Zachariah Sr. will ever remember the good times again. 

Critical Analysis:
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson is a middle-grade novel-in-verse recommended for readers 10 and up. However, I believe that readers of all ages will relate to ZJ, the protagonist, and his experiences coping with family hardships and the bond of friendship. Woodson has an excellent writing style of in-verse poetry; readers will not even realize they are reading poetry. The story is also written in short chapters, creating an easy-to-read and comprehensible format. I especially enjoyed the late nineties/ early 2000s setting because of my personal nostalgia as an 11-year-old of the time. The late nineties timeframe is also perfect for this story as it accurately depicts how Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) was not recognized by medical personnel. It wasn't until 2002 when CTE was discovered in NFL players and other impact sports. Not only does Woodson cover CTE, but she also includes realistic experiences children will relate to, such as divorce, friend's moving, loss of support from people we once knew, and trauma. 

Patrons/students might feel sad from reading this story, but they will also enjoy the dynamic characters and rich cultural details. Each character has a unique characteristic, such as ZJ's love for songwriting, Ollie's intelligence and red Afro,  Darry's smooth dance moves, and Daniel's intellectualism. Additionally, ZJ's parents portray a realistic family dynamic, especially what can happen when a parent suffers from trauma or a traumatic experience. Woodson allows readers to step into ZJ's shoes as he witnesses his dad's memory fading and his mom's courage to not give up. Readers will also relate to the father-son relationship between ZJ and Zachariah Sr., as the narrative goes back and forth between the before and present time of Zachariah's illness.  

Overall, Jacqueline Woodson's Before the Ever After invites deeper reflection of how impact sports affect people long-term, including players, families, friends, fans, and more. Throughout the novel, readers will recognize Woodson's African American culture, mirrored by ZJ's realistic experiences and family dynamic. While reading, everyone will be transported back to 1999 when new Prince songs blasted through stereos, and football didn't seem as nearly dangerous as it is. All readers from different backgrounds and ages will relate to this realistic fiction novel. Most importantly, all will be left to reflect on how ZJ recovers from emotional and physical changes while wondering what's next for their family. 

Awards & Reviews:

  • 2021 Coretta Scott King Author Award
  • 2020 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Middle Grade & Children
  • ALSC Notable Children’s Books
  • NAACP Image Award
  • NCTE Notable Children’s Trade Books in the Language Arts
  • New York Times Notable Book of the Year
  • YALSA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults
  • YALSA Best Books for Young Adults
From ALA Booklist, “Woodson delivers a poignant new novel in verse that highlights an important topic within the sports world, especially football. . . . ZJ’s life quickly turns from charmed to tragic as he has to face that his father and family are forever changed. . . . Woodson again shows herself to be a masterful writer, and her meaningful exploration of concussions and head injuries in football, a subject rarely broached in middle-grade fiction, provides young athletes with necessary insights into sport’s less glamorous side. In addition to this, it is a novel that explores family, mental illness, and the healing that a tight-knit, loving community can provide.”

From The Horn Book, “Woodson explores the impact of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) on football players and their families from the perspective of ZJ, son of tight end Zachariah ‘44’ Johnson. . . . In lyrical verse, Woodson conveys the confusion and loss that many families feel as they try to figure out what is wrong with their loved one. Each of the poems ably captures the voice of the story’s preteen boy protagonist; readers can feel the sense of love and loss that ZJ is experiencing as his dad slips away. Even though that loss is difficult, Woodson reminds readers that life’s challenges are more easily faced with the support of friends and family.”

              Connections: 
              Discussion: After reading Before the Ever After, ask patrons to talk about what they know about CTE. Can they name other impact sports that cause CTE, such as hockey or wrestling? Has anyone ever had a concussion? Encourage patrons to talk about their experience with head injuries, memory loss, or friends and family members who may have suffered CTE like ZJ's dad. 


              Activity: ZJ's passion is songwriting in Before the Ever After. Provide patrons/students with a piece of paper or a Microsoft Word document (whichever they prefer) and encourage them to write a song. The song could be about their cultures, passions, favorite sports, families, friends, or general interests. If everyone feels comfortable, ask patrons/ students to share their songs or sing for their peers. 

              For patrons who enjoyed Before the Ever After, recommend the following Jacqueline Woodson novels:
              • Woodson, Jacqueline. 2016. Another Brooklyn. ISBN: 9780062359988
              • Woodson, Jacqueline. 2014. Brown Girl Dreaming. ISBN: 9780399252518
              • Woodson, Jacqueline. 2018. Harbor Me. ISBN: 9780399252525
              To continue the discussion about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), concussions, and brain injuries, check out the following middle-grade and YA novels:
              • Fleischman, John. 2004. Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science. ISBN: 9780618494781
              • Greenwald, Tommy. 2018. Game Changer. ISBN: 9781419731433
              • Korman, Gordon. 2017. Restart. ISBN: 9781338053777
              • McClafferty, Carla Killough. 2013. Fourth Down and Inches: Concussions and Football's Make-Or-Break Moment. ISBN: 9781467710671