The very fact that Jacqueline Woodson writes an entire memoir in verse speaks to her phenomenal talent as a writer. Further evidence of Jackie's talent lies in her successful endeavor to prove that a diverse spectrum of people have what it takes to make a meaningful contribution to American literature.

At the end of the memoir, Jackie tells readers that her teacher, Ms. Vivo, encouraged her by telling her that she is a writer. This tells us that being a writer was not something Jackie needed to work towards. It was something she had already achieved as a result of her talent.

I would argue that another aspect which provides proof of Jackie's talents as a writer is her vast life experience. Having been moved back and forth between Ohio, North Carolina, and New York, Jackie has broad life experience for her age. Coupled with this, she has become well aware of discrimination and the civil rights movement. It is well documented that good writers come from broad life experience, as this is where they draw their inspiration from.

Jackie's eloquent poetry provides her with a highly unusual way to tell her story. This style of poetic writing comes with a set of vast challenges, and it is more difficult to write than an ordinary autobiography would have been. The fact that she does a fantastic job provides further proof of her talent as a writer.