This Is The Rope

This Is The Rope

Picture book
People tend to envision fancy things--jewelry, silverware--as
being passed on from generation to generation. Sometimes much more
humble objects can take on this significance. This is the case in
Jacqueline Woodson's This Is The Rope: A Story From The Great
Migration.
During the Great Migration over six million Blacks moved from
the rural south to big northern cities. They were tired of grinding
poverty and Jim Crow indignities and cruelties. They wanted decent
jobs and living conditions and better schools for their children.
Woodson's family was part of that movement.
A little girl finds a jump rope. Grown and married with a
child, she uses it to tie her family's few belongings to the roof of
their car for the journey to New York City. In their new home the
rope is used to dry flowers and wet diapers and pull a toy before it
becomes again a jump rope. In an especially poignant scene it secures
the now grown baby's belongings as she sets off for college.
And there's one more generation to go.
Illustrated warmly with James Ransome's beautifully detailed
paintings, This Is The Rope is a warm, tender read aloud. It's also
an excellent way to introduce children to a very important but too
often overlooked chapter in American history.
On a purrrsonal note, I've been having an exciting 24 hours. Last
night my church choir, following over a year when we could only meet
on zoom, came together on the patio behind Orono Public Library.
Pastors Mariah and Malcolm joined us. We sang a bunch of songs
accompanied by Laura on guitar. I taught a song I'd learned from WMEB
radio on a road trip with Eugene. And there was plenty of time to
chat. Today Eugene needed me to deposit money in the credit union.
So I took the bus for the first time in 14 months. It wasn't bad.
Everyone wore masks. There were only three people (including me) on
the way to Orono and five on the way back. We had enough space to
distance. (Jules)
Glad she's vaccinated as she goes back into the world. That's for
sure. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our church choir, Pastors M&M, and
the bus drivers.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway


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