A new audiobook edition of Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming is coming in the spring, Penguin Random House Audio’s Listening Library announced in a news release.
Woodson’s memoir in verse, published in 2014 by Nancy Paulsen Books, tells the story of the author’s childhood in Ohio and South Carolina, where she started on the path to becoming an author. The memoir, which won the National Book Award and the Coretta Scott King Book Award, is widely considered a classic of modern children’s literature.
Woodson narrated the original audiobook version of the memoir, also released in 2014. The new edition will be narrated by a cast of narrators not yet announced.
Listening Library is asking fans to be a part of the new edition. It’s inviting readers to submit brief audio clips explaining what the book means to them. The open call offers prompts including “What is your favorite poem from Brown Girl Dreaming, why is it your favorite?” and “What does it mean to dream?”
Woodson posted an Instagram video asking readers to submit their thoughts, saying, “We want you to share your memories with us, about how Brown Girl Dreaming impacted you. Who gave it to you? How did it change your life? How did it change your writing?...I’ve heard so many amazing stories about Brown Girl Dreaming’s impact on people, and I want to hear yours.”
The call for submissions is open through March 3, and audio clips can be uploaded via the Penguin Random House website. The new audiobook edition is slated for release on May 12.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
