A POCKETFUL OF POEMS by Nikki Grimes

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grimes, Nikki. 2001. A Pocketful of Poems. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395938686

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This collection of brief free verse and haiku poems is told in the voice of a city girl named Tiana, who describes her world with words as she moves through the seasons of a year.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
With a definitive urban feel, the reader connects with the life and times of a young, African-American girl growing up in Harlem. The poetry ranges from lighthearted to insightful and sometimes both at the same time. The brevity and often mundane subject matter of the poems make it an accessible collection, but also deceptively simplistic. Grimes has a talent for maintaining the voice of a child while imbuing the work with subtle beauty and sophistication.

The cut paper and found-object collage of Javaka Steptoe sometimes integrates the poetry perfectly and other times overwhelms the senses. In some instances, the poems are cleverly incorporated into the artwork, such as in the spokes of an exploding Fourth of July firework. In other cases, the poetry is lost amongst the distraction.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
From School Library Journal: “A playful and thoroughly successful pairing of words and pictures.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Write free verse and/or haiku
*Other books of poetry by Nikki Grimes:
It’s Raining Laughter: Poems ISBN 1590780779
What is Goodbye: Poems on Grief ISBN 0786826231
Is it far to Zanzibar?: Poems about Tanzania ISBN 0688131573