The Other Side is a children's picture book written by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson is an American author who writes books targeted at children and adolescents. She is best known for 'Miracle's Boys' which won the Coretta Scott King Award in 2001 and her Newbery Honor titles 'After Tupac & D Foster', 'Feathers' and 'Show Way'...

 and illustrated by E. B. Lewis

E. B. Lewis (illustrator)

E. B. Lewis is an illustrator, whose watercolors have included such works as Little Cliff and the Porch People. Lewis has been a resident of Folsom, New Jersey....

, published in 2001 by G. P. Putnam's Sons

G. P. Putnam's Sons

G. P. Putnam's Sons was a major United States book publisher based in New York City, New York. Since 1996, it has been an imprint of the Penguin Group.-History:...

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Summary

The narrator and protagonist of the story is Clover, a young African-American girl. She lives beside a fence which segregates her town. Her mother instructs her never to climb over to the other side. Then one summer, she notices a white girl on the other side of the fence. The girl seems to be very lonely and is even outside when it's raining.

Clover decides to talk to the girl on the other side of the fence. Both girls aren't allowed to cross the fence, so they simply decide to sit on the fence together. First, Clover's friends won't let Annie, the girl from the other side, play with them but then all of the girls realize that the fence (a symbol for segregation) should not be there.

Awards

• ALA Notable
• SLJ Best Book
• Booklist Editor’s Choice
• 2001 Time of Wonder Award
• IRA Teacher’s Choices 2002
• 2004 Louisiana Young Reader’s Choice Award (Honor)
• California Young Reader Medal Nominee
• 2003-2004 South Carolina Book Award Nominee