Classroom Connections: Where They Gather by Teresa Rodrigues

An uplifting story of family triumph amid turmoil.
— Horn Book

Allows readers to see themselves, and their own ancestors, in the characters.
— Kirkus

A powerful and inspiring story of Black endurance across generations, perfect for fans of Nikki Giovanni.
— Booklist

Teresa Rodrigues’s website

Please tell us about your book.

WHERE THEY GATHER is a lyrical story that spans more than a century, and tells the story of a resilient Black family through the lens of a pecan tree growing alongside each new generation, mirroring the strength and celebration of the family through changing seasons and time.

What inspired you to write this story?

WHERE THEY GATHER is inspired by my family and the gatherings we held under the pecan tree in my grandmother’s yard in Alabama.

Could you share with readers how you conducted your research and / or share a few interesting tidbits about your writing process with this book?

This story began with an old photograph taken in front of my grandmother’s yard in the 1950’s. The tree wasn’t there, so I searched through the rest of my grandmother’s photos (which I’m lucky to have), hoping to find a clue of when it was planted. Sadly, I couldn’t find anything, so I began to imagine an origin story on my own, which became WHERE THEY GATHER.

In addition to searching through boxes of old photos, I researched when key moments in Civil Rights history occurred, such as the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Selma Marches, to make sure they matched the story’s seasonal timeline.

What are some special challenges you faced in writing this book?

Because I never discovered when the tree was planted and the story behind it, I had to come up with my own. The challenge was creating a story that could have happened – one that not only felt authentic, but also honored the emotional truth of the South and my family’s history.

What topics does your book touch upon that would make it a perfect fit for the classroom?

WHERE THEY GATHER is Ideal for family and classroom discussions on:
Black history units
SEL discussions
Intergenerational storytelling
Family history and traditions
Resilience
Community and belonging
Poetry, rhyme, and lyrical language
STEM connections: seasonal changes and the life cycle of a tree

I’m especially honored that WHERE THEY GATHER is part of collection at the Obama Presidential Center Branch Library in Chicago.