You're never too young to write poetry! Nikki Grimes wrote her first verse at the age of 6. At 13, she read her first poem and was mentored in high school by the legend James Baldwin. She is the winner of numerous literary awards including the Children’s Literature Legacy Award and the 2022 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. Grimes continues to create masterpieces that embody, honor and celebrate the experiences of Black people.
Families can enjoy her impactful poetry together! There are options for every age.
Legacy is compilation of poems written in Golden Shovel verse, a form of poetry that uses a short poem or a line from the poem to create a new one - a remix if you will. The voices of Black women poets from the Harlem Renaissance period combined with the exquisite art from present day Black women artists make this a spellbinding and important book.
Bedtime for Sweet Creatures is a colorful book that will delight both parents and their sleepy children.
Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice, is a tribute to our current Vice President. Grimes uses a conversation between a mother and daughter to remind young women of their self-worth and resiliency.
First published in 1994 and illustrated by Floyd Cooper, Meet Danitra Brown uses simple poems to highlight the joyful, everyday moments that best friends share. Danita Brown becomes one of Grimes's beloved characters and appears often in her other books.
High school writers and adults alike will find inspiration in Ordinary Hazards, Grimes's captivating memoir that explores love, family and finding your place in the world.
With over 77 titles to her name, Nikki Grimes has given readers an abundant collection. What are some of your favorite titles?
Add a comment to: Families, Celebrate Poet Extraordinaire Nikki Grimes