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| Perma-Bound from Publisher's Hardcover ©2022 | -- |
| Publisher's Hardcover ©2022 | -- |
COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-. Juvenile fiction.
Fathers and sons. Juvenile fiction.
African Americans. Juvenile fiction.
COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-. Fiction.
Fathers and sons. Fiction.
African Americans. Fiction.
The protagonist of Garvey's Choice (2016) faces world-altering challenges.In Grimes' earlier book, Garvey, a young Black boy, found his courageous voice in the school chorus and connected with his sports-obsessed father. Relying again on the poetic form of tanka, this elegant verse novel sees Garvey and his family seeking to push through the maelstrom of life in 2020. Not only is Covid-19 sweeping the world ("The Invisible Beast," as Garvey terms it), things are exacerbated by the continued presence of anti-Black violence as global communities lift up in protest the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. School is now driven by laptop cameras and screen time. Everyone is home now except for Dad, whose work installing Wi-Fi may expose him to threats that the entire family must take seriously. The stress builds, affecting everyone. The public outlets that Garvey discovered to fuel his happiness just aren't available to him like before, when things were "normal." Grimes conveys many of the elements specific to Black life in 2020, focusing on how families adapted to Covid, not knowing whether a lasting resolution would arrive. Though this story feels a little rushed compared with the first installment, it nevertheless tackles themes of family, friendship, grief, and coping with injustice and will inspire dialogue about this chaotic period as well as a sense of hope and healing.A way for young people to reflect on a troubled time. (note about tanka) (Verse novel. 8-13)
Different. The same. . . .
That's my answer if you ask
how I am after
The Invisible Beast broke
into our house, and our world.
[p19]
Garvey
I ride the ripples
of song. That may sound silly
but singing heals my
heart. And in a way, music
gave me the dad I needed.
[p20]
Week-Night Lesson
Dad's fingers on mine,
he shows me the way to play.
My new guitar is
quickly becoming a friend
and, finally, so is Dad.
[p26]
Compared to What
Later, I catch Mom
crying in the kitchen. I
look for onions, but
don't see one. "Mom?" "Sorry, Son,"
she says, grabbing a tissue.
"I was just thinking
about students on breakfast
and free lunch programs.
How will they eat with schools closed?"
I never thought about that.
I never had to.
Mom sees me bite my lip. "It's
okay, Garvey. We
teachers will figure something
out, somehow. It's what we do."
Mom manages the
shadow of a smile so I'll
believe her like I
need to. What else can I do?
God, I hope you're listening.
[p47]
Lock What?
Our governor says
beginning tonight, our state
is hitting the switch,
shutting down everyday life
until further notice. What?
No work, no school, no
chorus, no baseball with Joe,
no meals with Manny,
no out, only in, except
for stocking up on supplies
till this storm passes.
At least it's warm enough here
in California
to hang out in the backyard
if indoors gets boring, but
how long will this be?
Three weeks? Four? Mom's not sure. "We'll
get back to normal.
Trust me. Not even the worst
hurricane can last for long."
[p55]
Aisle Five
The Food Mart is filled
with a stampede of shoppers
trampling each other
for--toilet paper? This is
crazy! Get me out of here!
Back home, Angie helps
unpack the groceries while
Mom and Dad smuggle
dark whispers upstairs, as if
their worry has no echo.
Angie and I share
the truth with one long look: This
Invisible Beast
must be worse than we thought. But
we don't dare say it out loud.
[p56]
Cough
This morning, Dad coughs.
It's probably nothing, right?
Just a normal cold.
Or no. Worry grabs my gut
strangling me from the inside.
Breathe, I tell myself,
then I text Joe, next Manny.
Joe: dw chill
Manny: sry fx
Fingers crossed, I chill--and pray.
[p107}
Excerpted from Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Winner, 2023 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
Capturing the shock and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of Garvey, a beloved character, Nikki Grimes’s newest novel in verse shows readers how to find hope in difficult times.
Garvey’s finally happy—he’s feeling close to his father through their shared love of music, bullies are no longer tormenting him, and his best friends Manny and Joe are by his side. But when the schools, stores, and restaurants close because people are getting sick, Garvey’s improved life goes into lockdown as well. And when Garvey’s father gets sick, Garvey must find a way to use his newfound musical skills to bring hope to both his father and himself. Moving, powerful, and beautifully told, this remarkable novel shows readers how even small acts have large reverberations, how every person can make a difference in this world, and how—even in the most difficult times—there are ways to reach for hope and healing.
Nikki Grimes is a New York Times bestselling author who has won the ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to young adult literature, the Children's Literature Legacy Award, the Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement, and NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. She has also received several ALSC Notables, a Coretta Scott King Author Award, Coretta Scott King Author Honors, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honors, a Printz Honor, and a Sibert Honor.