A Dime a Dozen [Hardcover]

Nikki Grimes (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Celebrated author Nikki Grimes turns her soulful, searching gaze to themes of destiny and determination sure to strike a chord in anyone going through the difficult, joyous struggle of growing up. Reflecting on her own childhood experiences, she offers twenty-eight poems exploring the pleasures and pains of charting your own path--and taking a few lumps along the way. In words straight from the heart and straight from the hip, this honest, uplifting collection will spark ideas, light a path, and encourage young readers to discover the person they might someday become. Nikki Grimes created this collection expressly to speak to the lives of older children. She is an acclaimed author, poet, lecturer, and educator who was born and raised in New York City. Nikki Grimes lives in Seattle, Washington. Angelo lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-Written in the first-person voice of an African-American girl, these 28 poems celebrate family, culture, writing, and the spirit of a creative, introspective child. They should be read in the order in which they are arranged to appreciate the power and overall loose plot. "Part I: Genius" introduces readers to the main character and her family. "Part II: The Secret" explores the private, painful stories of the family and ends with the parents' divorce. "Part III: A Dime a Dozen" explores identity and culture. Grimes's carefully crafted word placement matches the rhythms and messages of the poems. In "Stroll," words are offset from the left margin, symbolizing the protagonist's individual pace, which is unique and different from that of her mother. From protecting oneself from the risks of love in "Foster Home," to a daughter's yearning for her mother's pride in the title piece, emotion flows through these verses. The melodic rhythms gracefully sing when read aloud. Resembling photographs, the soft black-and-white illustrations portray the family members and offer images of the words without infringing on readers' imaginations or personal reactions to the poetry. Librarians and English teachers may consider planning a program to explore this book and Grimes's novel, Jazmin's Notebook (Dial, 1998) for similarities and differences. A quietly profound, heartfelt work.
Shawn Brommer, Southern Tier Library System, Painted Post, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Dial; 1st edition (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803722273
• ISBN-13: 978-0803722279
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,607,245 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nikki Grimes conveyed the fire-in-the-belly fervor of a Harlem girl who knows she was born to write in Jazmin's Notebook, a Coretta Scott King Honor Book. In My Man Blue, a Booklist Editor's Choice and Newsweek Children's Books of the Year selection, her artful words expressed a boy's journey from skepticism to trust. And now with Bronx Masquerade she presents a rich chorus of eighteen voices, singing openly about ideas, feelings, and questions--things that open minds, invite debate, provide release. A recent Booklist review proclaims: "As always, Grimes gives young people exactly what they're looking for--real characters who show them they are not alone."An accomplished poet, novelist, journalist, and educator, Ms. Grimes was born and raised in New York City and now lives in the Los Angeles area.