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Oh, Brother is going for its first reprint! Yay!
When Gorilla Goes Walking made it to the Bank Street College Best Books list.
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The Pacific Northwest has been kind to me, of late. The Road to Paris went on the Sassquatch Children's Book Award List for 2008! Great News About Bronx Masquerade Bronx Masquerade was #1 on Ingram's Bestseller List the week ending March 2nd. I'm smiling! Teaching Guide Available for Oh, Brother! Tracie Vaughn Zimmer has created a teaching guide for my new picture book, Oh, Brother! You can find the guide here. Children's Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky Writes ... about my poetry in his column on PoetryFoundation.org. He called it "She Speaks in the Voice of a Child," and he has some very nice things to say. Thank you, Jack!
The Road to Paris Awarded Coretta Scott King Author Honor I was very excited to learn that The Road to Paris was honored in this way by the Coretta Scott King committee. Thank you! And thanks to all the readers who have told me how much the story means to them. I feel doubly honored. Reading Rockets Blog Features The Road to Paris "I've often wondered what adults can do to help children and young adults cope with complicated lives in a complicated world. Several things came together for me when I had a chance to spend some time with author Nikki Grimes." My book The Road to Paris is the first to be featured on Reading Rockets new blog, written by Maria Salvadore. Click here to read more—and look for the January 4, 2007 entry. Answers to Your Questions I've done my best to answer the questions I've been asked about the story behind Bronx Masquerade. Read my article, Bronx Masquerade: an Insider's Perspective. Kennedy Center Live Podcast ... Look for this podcast from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. You may watch the archived version at any time by registering on the website. (Schools may also access the interview via satellite.) They'll provide printed study guides and e-mail reminders for all those who register. Recess! Interview from the ALA Conference ... Susan Raab interviewed me at the American Library Association Conference. That's available for listening on many radio stations throughout the country. You can hear a "brief sound clip" at the Recess website. Brand New Audio Version ... Just released by Recorded Books, there's an audio version of Bronx Masquerade. "Each of the 18 kids in Mr. Ward’s inner city classroom has something important to say, but some don’t even realize it. Then Mr. Ward begins to have “open mic” poetry slams once a month on Fridays. Young adult listeners will identify with the characters in Bronx Masquerade as they explore questions about life and the ways they express themselves." If you've read the book, you'll love hearing these teens out loud. If you haven't read the book, it's a great way to be introduced to these great characters.
Where do we go from here? So many teachers ask for help in directing the enthusiasms of their students who have found a new energy in writing poetry. Open Mic Fridays, inspired by the days described in Bronx Masquerade, have been a big hit in schools all over the world. What else can you do to keep kids intrigued by writing? And what about getting published? So many students want to get their work out for others to see. How can a teacher help with this dream? In response, I've written an article called "Now what?" that provides tips and encouragement for all the great teachers out there who work with kids on poetry and writing. For those of you who'd like to know more about this book, or if you have question about why and how I wrote it, check out this article: Bronx Masquerade: an Insider's Perspective. Buyer Beware In 2002, I wrote the foreword to Dreams by Day, Dreams by Night, a poetry anthology produced by Mondo Publishing of New York. I did not edit the collection, nor gather the poems therein, and yet the publisher chose to promote and sell the book as if I had. They did so without discussing their plans with me or securing my express permission to do so. Please be advised that I have received no remuneration whatsoever from those sales. Obviously, you are free to purchase whatever book you like. And I will be the first to admit that this is a worthwhile collection of poetry. However, if it is your intention to purchase a Nikki Grimes book, please refer to the titles listed on my website when making your selection. You will not find Dreams by Day, Dreams by Night among them. Further, should you find this title listed among my books on amazon.com or any other website, please be informed that such listings are in error. |
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