Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson Summary

Before the Ever After is a middle-grade novel in verse about ZJ, a 12-year-old boy whose father, a professional football star, suffers from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused by repeated head injuries. Set in 1999-2000, the story follows ZJ as he watches his beloved father experience memory loss, severe headaches, mood swings, and violent outbursts while the family struggles to understand what's happening during a time when CTE was barely recognized.

Before the Ever After is ideal for middle-grade readers ages 10 and up, particularly those interested in realistic fiction that tackles difficult family issues with tenderness. The book speaks to young readers navigating family trauma, mental health challenges, or new normals, especially in the wake of experiences like COVID-19. Additionally, parents, educators, and anyone interested in understanding the human cost of contact sports will find Jacqueline Woodson's portrayal deeply moving and important.

Before the Ever After is absolutely worth reading for its powerful storytelling and important subject matter. Jacqueline Woodson's Coretta Scott King award-winning novel packs an emotional punch in just 176 pages, offering beautiful verse that captures both heartbreak and hope. The book successfully opens crucial conversations about CTE, mental health, and resilience while challenging stereotypes about masculinity and vulnerability. Readers praise its lyrical writing, sympathetic protagonist, and ability to address an underrepresented issue with empathy and respect.

Before the Ever After emphasizes that families can face devastating challenges with hope, love, and strong support systems. Jacqueline Woodson shows that resilience comes from community, healthy emotional processing, and positive coping strategies rather than suffering in silence. The novel also challenges toxic masculinity by portraying vulnerability, expressing emotions, and accepting help as true forms of bravery. Additionally, it gently questions whether the glory and rewards of professional football justify the devastating long-term costs to players and their families.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head injuries, which ZJ's father developed from his football career. In Before the Ever After, Jacqueline Woodson shows CTE's devastating symptoms through ZJ's eyes: fierce headaches, memory loss, disorientation, mood swings, aggression, and confusion. Set in 1999-2000 when awareness was just emerging, the novel illustrates how families struggled without answers or cures, highlighting the price athletes pay for contact sports.

Before the Ever After is recommended for readers ages 10 and up, primarily grades 6-8, making it suitable for middle-grade audiences. While the subject matter—a father's cognitive decline due to CTE—is heavy, Jacqueline Woodson handles it with age-appropriate sensitivity through verse format and a 12-year-old protagonist's perspective. Many reviewers note that despite being middle-grade, the novel never feels young and resonates deeply with adult readers who appreciate its universal themes of family, loss, and resilience.

Jacqueline Woodson writes Before the Ever After as a novel in verse, using lyrical poetry to convey ZJ's emotional journey with his father's illness. The verse format allows Woodson to capture authentic preteen voice while alternating between happy memories and present-day struggles, showing how a child's world swings between extremes. This poetic style packs emotional depth into just 176 pages, with readers praising sentences worth highlighting and recommending both print and audiobook versions to fully experience the language.

Before the Ever After explores family bonds, resilience, and hope in the face of devastating illness as ZJ copes with his father's CTE. The novel addresses mental health, trauma, and healing through healthy emotional processing and strong support networks. Jacqueline Woodson also examines toxic masculinity versus vulnerability, showing that true bravery means expressing emotions and accepting help. Additionally, the book raises critical questions about the risks and costs of professional football while celebrating the enduring power of love and memory.

Before the Ever After redefines bravery through its protagonist ZJ, showing that courage means stepping off the field when injured and taking time to recover rather than "toughing it out". Jacqueline Woodson portrays ZJ and his male friends as boys who genuinely talk, actively listen, and emotionally support each other—pushing back against stereotypes that discourage male vulnerability. The novel demonstrates that being brave includes expressing emotions, crying, and accepting help, with ZJ's father having taught him it was okay to cry before his illness.

Before the Ever After remains powerfully relevant as conversations about athlete safety, CTE, and mental health continue to intensify in professional sports. While set in 1999-2000 when CTE awareness was emerging, the novel addresses timeless struggles families face with degenerative diseases and trauma. Jacqueline Woodson gives young readers language and permission to discuss mental health challenges—especially valuable post-COVID-19 as families navigate new normals and loss. The book's questions about whether glory justifies devastating long-term costs resonate as sports leagues still grapple with player welfare and adequate medical care.

Friendships provide essential emotional support for ZJ as he navigates his father's illness in Before the Ever After. Jacqueline Woodson portrays ZJ's "awesome crew" of male friends who feel like family, offering comfort and understanding during both good and bad days. The novel emphasizes that support networks help people cope with life's difficulties and scary changes. Additionally, ZJ finds solace in playing music with friends while his mother receives much-needed support from her community, illustrating how collective care enables families to face challenges together.

Before the Ever After gently but powerfully questions whether football is too dangerous and if the risks justify the rewards for professional players. Jacqueline Woodson asks readers to consider the true price of playing contact sports, showing devastating long-term consequences like CTE that cause players to hurt themselves and their loved ones. The novel raises the haunting question of whether ZJ's father would have played differently if he'd known the costs, while acknowledging that today's players at least have awareness to retire earlier and respond to warning signs. Woodson accomplishes this critique with tenderness, empathy, and respect for the game itself.