Garvey's Choice

Justification

Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes is a novel written in short poems called tankas. This book was reviewed by Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Cathoic Library World, Horn Book Guide and Horn Book Magazine. Garvey’s Choice was on the starred list for Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Connection and School Library Journal.

Response

(a) I was instantly connected with Garvey, the main character in this book. We have several traits in common. Both Garvey and I struggled with being overweight, enjoyed a love of reading and found talent and something to be proud of when singing in choir. (b) This story was an affirmation of my view of the world that larger people are beautiful in their own ways. Garvey may not enjoy and show pride in how he plays sports like many other kids do, but he is able to truly shine when it comes to singing. (g) This book was a wonderful work of art. Written entirely in a short poem style called tanka. Tanka poems must follow a strict syllable count per line. The beauty comes as Nikki Grimes, the author, is able to depict the story, emotions and believability of her characters in such strict rules.

Conclusion

Garvey’s Choice is a book that I would recommend to many different populations. This would be a great choice for struggling readers. The book is not intimidating in size or by a large number of words on a page. I would also suggest this book to young adults that enjoy poetry. Finally, this book can be a ray of hope for all the kids who struggle with obesity.

Citation

Grimes, N. (2016). Garvey's choice. Wordsong, an imprint of Highlights.