(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Theodore, III Taylor. "Why can't he put those books down, play football or basketball?" Garvey's father wants to turn him into an athlete, like his sister Angie, but Garvey would rather get lost in a book, listen to music, or dream about galaxies. In addition to pressure at home, he faces endless taunting at school for his weight. When Garvey meets the "skim-milk boy" Manny, who has albinism, he asks how Manny stands the teasing. "I look strange. No changing that. / Is there more to me? / Sure. Kids yell 'albino boy.' / I don't turn around. / Choose the name you answer to. / No one can do that but you." Per Grimes's author's note, this graphic-novel adaptation leaves two-thirds of the original book's (Garvey's Choice, rev. 9/16) tanka poems intact, with only small changes to the rest of them. The verses are given a new visual life with excellent page designs and clever illustrations, including the closing spread showing Garvey singing into a mic and his father playing the guitar, with floating musical notes uniting them in song. An unusually effective use of the graphic-novel format to bring poetry alive.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016; May, 2023

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney & Brian Pinkney. Shortly after the death of his father, a boy opens an envelope to find a map of the woods with a bright red X marking a destination. Still coping with his loss, he sets out on the path he and his father had taken on their walks through the woods near home. Along the way, the familiarity of trees, creatures, and a Mohican water storage house softens his sorrow while he reminisces about their conversations. At the marked spot, he discovers a metal box filled with sketches of wildlife and unfinished stories created by his father when he was the boy's age. The last page is blank with a note to the boy: "Draw and write your own story. I will always be watching." Grimes's celebration of nature is as eloquent as her treatment of loss is poignant. Brian Pinkney's watercolor illustrations are equally expressive. This book began as a collaboration between Grimes and Jerry Pinkney; following Jerry's death in 2021, Brian joined Grimes to complete his father's illustrations, adding color to Jerry's tight sketches. Appended notes from Grimes and Brian Pinkney share their respective personal experiences with the collaboration. A touching testament to the power of memories to sustain those in grief.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) PS Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. It's bath time for the child we first met in Bedtime for Sweet Creatures (rev. 1/20), and once again the youngster's mother is the narrator. As in many households, here bath time is an occasion for imaginative play. Together mother and child pretend that the tub is a "soft-scented sea" through which the child swims, evading "monsters" (the child's rubber ducky), diving beneath the waves for treasure, piloting tugboats through crashing waves. (Meanwhile, the mother notes, "I sneak shampoo into your silky, wet curls"--it's not all fun and games.) When bath time is over, the mother lets the water out of the tub, and "together we watch the ocean swirl away." Bold, lush illustrations contrast the cool blues and greens of the imaginative sea scenes with the glowing brown skin of the protagonists. When at last Dad arrives to carry the towel-wrapped child off to bed, the illustration depicts the mundane post-bath bathroom, with a puddle of water and bath toys on the floor, bringing the book's listeners back to reality and providing a transition to, perhaps, their own bedtimes. Another joyful depiction of family life from this successful author-artist team.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) 4-6 Grimes returns to the Harlem Renaissance (One Last Word, rev. 3/17) to showcase the works of some female poets whose literary prowess has long been underestimated and overlooked--Mae V. Cowdery, Anne Spencer, Effie Lee Newsome, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, and a dozen others. As in the first volume, each poem from the past is matched with a new, original poem by Grimes, skillfully employing the Golden Shovel form, which allows her to bring the relevance of the past into the reality of the present. For example, Esther Pope's "Flag Salute," about the lynching and burning of a teenage boy for an alleged aggression against a white woman, is itself infused with lines of the Pledge of Allegiance. Grimes responds with a poignant poem about the unfulfilled promise of equality for African Americans, accompanied by a dramatic mixed-media illustration of a mother lamenting the loss of a son. Illustrations by nineteen contemporary female artists, including Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Nina Crews, Pat Cummings, and Ekua Holmes, elucidate the connections and amplify evocative messages. The eloquent and stirring voices of Grimes and her counterparts of the past resonate with passion, purpose, and resilience. Back matter includes biographies of the poets and artists as well as a bibliography.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. Grimes puts an animal-centric spin on a youngster's innovations for bedtime stalling. This lushly illustrated story, on double-page spreads full of bold, saturated color, opens with an African American child's firm attestation: "No! No! No!" It's bedtime, and this young person wants no part of it. The narrator, the child's mother, speaks in an immediate second-person voice. "In the forest of your room, you cling to Bear. I turn back the sheets, and you GROWL. 'In you both go,' I say." In response to each of Mommy's directives, the child's defiance conjures a colorful creature, adorned with geometric patterns. In most cases, the imagined animal is larger than the protagonist, emphasizing just how strong bedtime resistance can be. The child freezes in place like Fawn, hangs onto Mommy's neck like Koala, crouches and pounces like Tiger, and hops like Antelope, all of which contribute to the difficulties of winding down for sleep. Zunon mixes realistic portrayals of the human characters with more stylized depictions of the animals to highlight the role the child's imagination is playing. The gender-unspecified protagonist, wearing a footed red onesie with a back flap, helps all young listeners see themselves in these scenarios. A clever bedtime tale for stubborn, active, twenty-first-century kids.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Wendell Minor. Protagonist Jayden is unhappy about his family's move from New York City, with its skyscrapers and "feeling of wow," to the New Mexico desert, land of shadows, lizards, and endless sky. During the flight west, Jayden pouts and tries not to cry. But despite his attitude, he can't suppress his wonder upon arrival. Near his family's new home, he notices an array of colorful flowers, a chatty magpie, rock formations with rainbow colors, and tall "red rock pillars / holding up the sky" that remind him of the New York skyline. Minor's gouache watercolor illustrations, featuring an African American family, capture the expansive topography, the surprising desert palette, and Jayden's growing appreciation for his surroundings. His gruff expression becomes inquisitive, respectful, and finally joyous as he discovers flowers, butterflies, bleached animal bones, and more. The lyrical quality of Grimes's poetry gets richer as Jayden begins to embrace his new home. He even finds a small gift to bring to his mother, while he also presents her with his first smile since leaving the city. Moving is never easy, but Jayden's experience of focusing on the beauty before him rather than on what he has left behind is an endearing example of making the best of a new situation.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(1) YA Grimes reconstructs her life story from a patchwork of recollections; old photos; and a few artifacts salvaged despite her impoverished family's frequent moves and time in foster care. Mental illness, alcoholism, domestic violence, and sexual abuse made Grime's early life hazardous and traumatic; writing offered solace and confidence. Striking free-verse poems powerfully convey how her passion helped her survive and embrace her own resilience. A must-read for aspiring writers.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) YA This companion to Bronx Masquerade again mixes students' first-person narratives and their forays into poetry. Students in Mr. Ward's Bronx high-school class are preparing for a poetry slam. Each student is given a voice among the story's multiple points of view; though they all have different life stories, they bond over the power of words: "We were more alike than we were different."

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(2) 4-6 The vibrancy of the Harlem Renaissance is illuminated in this provocative poetry collection. Grimes's own contemporary-set verse pays tribute to the greats using the unusual Golden Shovel form, in which each line of her poem ends with one of the words in a line from the original. Themes include self-pride, aspirations, and bullying. Fifteen black artists offer absorbing and engaging artistic interpretations. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Bryan Collier. Using the "golden shovel" technique on lines of Psalm 121 (included), Grimes creates a poem cycle about two children: Jordan, a meek white boy, and Tanya, a black girl stirred up by insults about her stuttering; friendship, God, family problems, and classroom dynamics are quietly but powerfully incorporated. Collier's strong visual interpretations use paint and collage elements. A note on the poetic form is included.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(2) 4-6 Garvey is an overweight boy tormented by name-calling at school: "lard butt, fatso, Mister Tubs." His life changes when his best friend suggests he join the school chorus. Employing the Japanese poetic form of tanka, Grimes reveals Garvey's thoughts, feelings, and observations; the spare poetry is a good vehicle for a young man's attempts to articulate the puzzle that is his life.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. A little girl finds her mother's stash of childhood poems reflecting the mother's travels as an Air Force brat. The daughter's free-verse poems about finding and reading her mother's work appear on left-hand pages, facing her mother's tanka poems (a Japanese poetic form) on the right. Pink-toned acrylic and oil illustrations are enhanced by cut-paper and fabric collage. Notes on the poetic forms are appended.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2015

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michele Wood. In this lengthy picture book, best for mid-primary graders, Tubman and Anthony sit down for tea. In a chatty imagined narrative, the women discuss their own lives in the context of major historical events. Inspired by a series of dramatic monologues written by Grimes in 1988, this ambitious project is both intimate and illuminating. Wood's colorful, folksy paintings convey much emotional nuance. Extensive back matter adds value. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 After Gabby's dad moved out, she "didn't cry. Instead, / I filled the quiet / with daydreams." She has trouble paying attention at school until a new teacher recognizes her love of words and allows Gabby time to write poetry. Told in free verse, this is a very accessible story about an appealing child who transforms from introverted daydreamer to writer.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) 4-6 Upon starting middle school, twelve-year-old Joy feels self-conscious about being thought of as a tomboy. She and her best friend are also growing apart. Through breezy prose poems Grimes explores the tension between individuality and gender-role conformity and takes on concerns such as changing friendships and the shift in boy/girl relationships. Her realistic novel has solid middle-school appeal and avoids preaching.

Reviewer: Kathleen T. Horning | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2011

(2) YA Fifteen-year-old Mary Rudine, nicknamed Mister, "used to be / a good Christian girl..." In a series of one- to two-page prose poems, Mister describes her fall from grace. Mister's voice is poignant and utterly genuine, but what really elevates the novel above other good-girl-gets-pregnant fare is the character of Mary, mother of Jesus, whose all-too-familiar experiences as a pregnant teenager comfort Mister.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Dyamonde demands that her mother buy her the high-top sneakers she "needs." The next day her clothes disappear, and Mom explains that she only really needs one set. When a classmate's home is destroyed by fire, Dyamonde realizes the distinction between wanting and needing. The character dynamics are pitch perfect, with third-grader Dyamonde realistically balanced between self-confidence and self-doubt.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Smart, spunky third-grader Dyamonde has everything going for her--except a best friend. The new kid, Free, doesn't show much promise at first, and Dyamonde nicknames him "Rude Boy"--until she takes the time to get to know him. A quirky heroine, an unusual friendship, and a city setting make this start to a new series a welcome addition.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Dyamonde's best friend, Free, has his eye on winning a poetry contest's cash prize. But shy classmate Damaris, who lives in a homeless shelter, is the real poet, and her growing friendship with Dyamonde helps them all redefine their ideas about wealth. Matter-of-fact discussions of homelessness and job loss make this chapter book a timely addition.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Grimes brings her lyrical style--and a compassionate, human-centered tone--to the Nativity story. Each double-page spread comprises three parts: a vividly rendered portrait, a poem in the voice of the spotlighted figure, and a biblical passage. The book design is sumptuous, with its gold typeface and endpapers, and Velasquez's paintings are dramatically composed. A CD with original music and the author's reading is included.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2009