(w)ritten from Garvey's point of view, the succinct verses convey the narrative as well as his emotions with brevity, clarity, and finesse.' - Booklist, starred review ★ "(A) sensitively written middle grade novel in verse. ★ 'Grimes returns to the novel-in-verse format, creating voice, characters, and plot in a series of pithy tanka poems, a traditional Japanese form similar to haiku, but using five lines. School Library Journal Best Book of the Year The chorus finds a new soloist in Garvey, and through chorus, Garvey finds a way to accept himself, and a way to finally reach his distant father-by speaking the language of music instead of the language of sports. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garvey's life changes. Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also overweight, teased by bullies, and lonely. Feeling like a failure, he comforts himself with food.
Garvey's father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading-anything but sports. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garvey's life changes.īook Synopsis This emotionally resonant novel in verse by award-winning author Nikki Grimes celebrates choosing to be true to yourself.
Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also obese, teased by bullies, and lonely. (Oct.About the Book Garvey's father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading-anything but sports. Garvey’s journey to self-acceptance is deeply moving and will linger with readers long after they finish this brief, incisive verse novel. In simple, searing language, Grimes captures Garvey’s heartache at his father’s inability to accept him as he is, as well as the casual but wounding teasing Garvey endures at school (“The change bell always/ sinks fear into me like teeth./ Ugly name-calling leaves me with bloody bite marks:/ lard butt, fatso, Mister Tubbs”). Help arrives in the form of friends Joe and Manny, an albino boy who embraces his difference, but when Garvey risks joining the school chorus and lets his voice soar, he learns to become proud of what he can do, instead of focusing on what he can’t. He eats to mask the pain of his father’s disappointment and is teased at school for his size. Garvey loves books and, despite his father’s efforts, cannot get excited about sports.
Writing in five-line tanka poems, Grimes ( Words with Wings) weaves a heart-wrenching story about a boy who isn’t the jock his father dreamed he would be.
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