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I've been a fan of Nikki Grimes' poetry ever since reading Bronx Masquerade; I love how she juxtaposes words and images. This is her second book I've read and once again, I enjoyed it a great deal. In this award-winning novel in verse, Grimes has written a tight story that will speak to readers, writers, and daydreamers of all ages.
Gabby is like her father - a dreamer who sees worlds inside everyday words. When she says a word such as sand, carousel, or roller coaster she immediately flies away from her school work or chores.
After her parents split up, Gabby misses her father's comfort and empathy. Her mother decides they have to move across town and Gabby misses her neighborhood, best friend, and school:
Missing My Old School,
My Old Life, My Old Family
Some days
sad is a word
I can't swallow.
It swells inside my throat
until it's stuck.
I hurry home from school
and beat Mom there.
The second she arrives,
I crawl onto her lap
like when I was little.
She holds me, quiet,
and strokes my hair.
I stay there
til the sadness shrinks and I can breathe again. (p.33)
Daydreams are more than an escape from problems -- it's Gabby's way of thinking, breathing, and living. Here are a few of my favorite poems:
sad is a word
I can't swallow.
It swells inside my throat
until it's stuck.
I hurry home from school
and beat Mom there.
The second she arrives,
I crawl onto her lap
like when I was little.
She holds me, quiet,
and strokes my hair.
I stay there
til the sadness shrinks and I can breathe again. (p.33)
Daydreams are more than an escape from problems -- it's Gabby's way of thinking, breathing, and living. Here are a few of my favorite poems:
First Day
I duck down into the seat of my new class.
To these kids,
I’m not Gabby yet.
I’m just Shy Girl
Who Lives
Inside Her Head.
Inside Her Head.
No one even knocks
on the door for a visit.
on the door for a visit.
They don’t know
it’s beautiful
in here. (p. 9)
Words with Wingsit’s beautiful
in here. (p. 9)
Some words
sit still on the page
sit still on the page
holding a story steady.
Those words
never get me into trouble.
never get me into trouble.
But other words have wings
that wake my daydreams.
that wake my daydreams.
They fly in,
silent as sunrise,
tickle my imagination,
and carry my thoughts away.
I can’t help
but buckle up
for the ride! (p.11)
but buckle up
for the ride! (p.11)
Dad is a dreamer
And mom is a maker.
I’ve been thinking,
maybe
I can be both. (p.27)
I can be both. (p.27)
Say "sled"
And my nose is cold and shiny
As the blades if the red racer I haul
To the top of the hill.
Then it’s down
Down
Down I go
careening through
a lop-sided snow fort,
a lop-sided snow fort,
Waking the morning
with laughter
with laughter
steering straight
into the sun. (p.28)
into the sun. (p.28)
Say "waterfall"and the dreary winter rainoutside my classroom windowturns to liquid thunder,pounding into a clear poolmiles belowand I can’t waitto dive in. (p. 30)
Gabby loves the places her daydreams take her--but her mother and teachers don't.
Stuck in Dreamland
Maybe something
is wrong with me.
is wrong with me.
all this fancy dancing
in my mind.
in my mind.
Where I see red and purple
and bursts of blue,
and bursts of blue,
everybody else sees
black and white.
black and white.
Am I wrong?
Are they right?
Too bad
I can’t ask Dad. (p.38)
I can’t ask Dad. (p.38)
After hearing too many times that she needs to quit daydreaming, she resolves to stop.
I quit
I pack my daydreams
kick them to a dark corner.
No more word journeys for me,
seeing what others don’t see. (p. 39)
When her new teacher confiscates one of her written daydreams, Gabby doesn't get into trouble as she expects. Instead, he proposes a solution that gives credence to all students' dreams and validates Gabby's aspirations.
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Courtesy of Recorded Books, I am giving away this audio CD to
one fortunate blog reader. Middle grade students in both the traditional classroom
or homeschool will enjoy this book-and so will you!
Leave me a comment by 7PM on August 29th, along with your email address if you are new to this blog. If you want an extra chance to win, share this on your social media of choice and let me know which you do.