Nikki Grimes

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Thanks a Million

Thanks a Million
illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera
Greenwillow/Amistad, 2006
ISBN 978-0-688-17292-3

What makes you thankful?

A book?
Weekends?
Your family?

How do you say thanks?
With a flower?
With a chocolate bar?
With a surprise?

In sixteen extraordinary poems that range in form from a haiku to a rebus to a riddle, Nikki Grimes reminds us how wonderful it is to feel thankful, and how powerful a simple "thank you" can be.

Teaching guide available.

Dark Sons

Dark Sons
Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, 2005
young adults, ISBN 978-0-7868-1888-4

"Teen-age Sam can barely contain his fury and hurt when his father gets married again, this time to a young white woman, who gives Sam a new baby brother. In a parallel, first-person narrative that draws on Genesis, young Ishmael and his mother, Hagar, rejected by Abraham, wander in the desert, after Sarah bears Abraham's child. Grimes' clear, free verse speaks with immediacy and lyricism about both boys' feelings of betrayal and loss. The real focus, though, is on Sam, who complains to his high-school friends ("It's my stepmom, man. / My dad wants me / to give her a chance / But I can't") and talks to and screams at God--until he's able to ask God to help him let his anger go." (Booklist starred review)

Discussion guide available.

Awards
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book; CNN.com Best Books for Kids 2005; NCTE Notable Book in the Language Arts; New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age; TAYSHAS High School Reading List 2006/07; YALSA Best Book for Young Adults

Danitra Brown Class Clown

Danitra Brown, Class Clown
illustrated by E.B. Lewis
Amistad, 2005
ISBN 978-0-688-17290-9

They may be best friends, but Zuri Jackson and Danitra Brown respond very differently to the start of school. For Zuri, there are so many things to ponder — a new teacher who replaced the old one she liked so much, passing math, and worrying about her mother's health. But for Danitra, the only real deal is being true to herself, having fun, and supporting Zuri in any way she can.

Multiple Coretta Scott King award winners Nikki Grimes and E. B. Lewis have poured their best into Danitra Brown, Class Clown. This third book starring Zuri and Danitra speaks to everyone who has faced the trials of a new school year.

Teaching guides are available for this book.

At Jerusalem's Gate
illustrated with woodcuts by David Frampton
William B. Eerdman's, 2005
ISBN 978-0-8028-5183-3

A man in the crowd at Jerusalem vies to see Jesus; a disciple recounts details of the Last Supper; Pilate’s wife fears her husband’s decision. Beginning with Christ’s triumphant arrival in Jerusalem, Nikki Grimes explores the first Easter through the voices of those who witnessed it. The author’s introductions provide a thoughtful framework, and David Frampton’s beautifully intricate and expressive woodcuts illuminate each poem. At Jerusalem’s Gate offers readers of all ages insight into the most important moments in Christian history.

Teaching guides are available for this book.

Awards
Cleveland Public Library Best Books of 2005

It's Raining Laughter

It's Raining Laughter
photographs by Myles C. Pinkney
Wordsong / Boyds Mills Press, 2005
ISBN 978-1-59078-077-0

"Twelve joyous poems about growing up are filled with music, laughter, and love. Simple childhood pleasures such as running, playing, reading, and remembering are touched on with insight and humor. Full-color photographs of African-American children at work and play are placed on pastel-shaded pages that convey all the exuberance and delight of the selections. A harmonious blend of words and pictures." (School Library Journal)

What is Goodbye?

What is Goodbye?
illustrated by Raul Colón
Hyperion Books for Children, 2004
ISBN 978-0-7868-0778-9

Jerilyn and Jesse have lost their beloved older brother. But each of them deals with Jaron's death differently. Jerilyn tries to keep it in and hold it together; Jesse acts out. But after a year of anger, pain, and guilt, they come to understand that it's time to move on. It's time for a new family picture-with one piece missing, yet whole again. Through the alternating voices of a brother and sister, Nikki Grimes eloquently portrays the grieving process in this gem of a book that is honest, powerful, and ultimately hopeful.

Teaching guides are available for this book.

Awards
ALA Notable Book 2004; CCBC Best Choices 2005; School Library Journal Best Books 2004; 2004 Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award; 2005 Bank Street College Best Books (starred); 2005 NCTE Notable Book (Children's Literature Assembly); New York Public Library 100 Books for Reading and Sharing; Chicago Library Best of the Best Books for Kids; Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts

Day With Daddy

A Day With Daddy
illustrated by Nicole Tadgell
Scholastic, 2004
ISBN 978-0-439-56850-0

More children than anyone can count suffer the pain of their parents' divorce. Fortunately, there are fathers who opt to stay in the circle of their children's lives.

No matter how wonderful the newly-single mother may be, time spent with Daddy is still precious to a child. Even if it's only a day, father and child can make the most of it. That's what A Day With Daddy is all about.

Tai Chi Morning

Tai Chi Morning: Snapshots of China
illustrated by Ed Young
Cricket Books, 2004
ISBN 978-0-8126-2707-7

Early every morning
Chen Lai and her GongGong
slow dance with the warm wind
breathing as the earth sighs
arms brushing the airways
palms coaxing the sun's rise.
Chen Lai shadows GongGong's
graceful-as-a-cat step
as he dances
to the rhythm
of the heart
.

Teaching guides are available for this book.

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