Staggerlee is biracial and doesn't feel like she ever quite fits in in her mostly Black town. When her cousin comes to visit one summer, she begins to question her sexuality as well. This short, quiet YA novel was a delightful exploration of a teenager discovering who she is as well as a gentle portrait of a family. ( )

Beautiful novella about a 14 year old multi racial girl coming of age in a small southern town. ( )

This felt oddly...unfinished. I loved the characters and Woodson's writing style and the subject matter, but I was unsatisfied by the end. It just didn't seem to go anywhere. It was odd. ( )

Something I like about Jacqueline Woodson is that she knows how to get to the heart of a story without over-telling the story. The House You Pass on the Way is not a long book (it only has 140 pages), but in that small space the reader gets fully fleshed out characters and a tale that is both heartrending and liberating. Staggerlee (how awesome is that name?) is 14 years-old and struggles with social skills. She pretty openly admits to herself that she likes girls, but has no one with whom to share her feelings, until her cousin Trout comes to visit. In Trout, Staggerlee finds her first real friend; someone she can share her thoughts and feelings with, without fear of scorn. But life goes on after Trout’s visit is over, and Staggerlee has to find a way to prevent her circumstances (famous grandparents, interracial parents, and homosexuality in a time when it was acceptable) from holding her back.
I would recommend this for teen and adult readers who appreciate reading books about hard personal issues. ( )

A short, unadorned novel with clear, lovely prose and timeless characters. ( )