"I read this book in one weekend. She was telling my story. Throughout, elementary and middle school, I was glad to have long hair because I saw how poorly my friends were treated. While I felt bad for them, I was just happy because my hair was an asset. People would assume that I was mixed or from the West Indies and that would keep me out of a lot of conflicts. Even today I know that people attempt to become my friend because of my hair. This makes it hard for me to trust people. However, A Tree Without Roots, begins to uncover the source of the distrust and issues that infect our communities.

Throughout the book, the author turned the reader into the student. As I was reading the book, I felt as though I was in various classrooms without realizing it. Of course, there was Ms. Ervin’s class. However, Ms. Ervin used non-traditional techniques to teach her students about their history and culture. Then there was the classroom on John’s Island where Jasmine learned about her people and their power. And lastly, I think that Jasmine’s poetry served as a classroom because as a reader I learned about the depth of Jasmine.

Also, I liked the way they author led us on a journey from seed to seedling to flower. The seed phase was Jasmine’s journey of not-knowing and not-loving herself. Her seedling phase was reconnecting to her family history and culture. Her flower phase was acknowledging and accepting the truth of who she really is. This book is actually a blueprint for self-discovery. I am inspired to learn the stories of my elders and ancestors and learn about their customs and the things they did to survive. So many of us are Jasmine, seeking love and validation, we just need to be guided in the right direction."

~ Crystal, 17