Before the Ever After

Before the Ever After is a moving novel in verse by Jacqueline Woodson that follows twelve-year-old ZJ, whose father was once the beloved football hero of their neighborhood — charming, generous, and the center of their world — but who is now forgetting things, losing his temper, and slowly disappearing into the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy from years of head injuries in professional football. Told through ZJ's spare, heartbreaking poems, the book captures his grief, his love for his father, and his slow coming to terms with a loss that hasn't yet fully happened. This book is a powerful choice for students because it explores Black family life, sports culture, health, and the process of grieving someone who is still alive — all through the lyrical, emotionally honest verse that makes Woodson one of the greatest voices in children's literature.

Publishing Details

Author : Jacqueline Woodson

Author Nationality : United States

Physical Details

Type of Book: Chapter

Cover: Softcover

Pages: 176

Size: 7.9 x 5.1 inches

Year Published: 2022

Instructional Details

Reading Grade Level: 5th

Genre: Fiction

Sub-Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Family, Sports, Health, About POC, Social Issues