1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grimes, Nikki. 1997. MEET DANITRA BROWN. Ill. by Floyd Cooper. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0688154719
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This book consists of a collection of poems by Nikki Grimes. The poems revolve around the friendship of two African American girls. The poems are conveyed in the point of view of Zuri, the best friend of Danitra. The admiration Zuri feels for Danitra is expressed by the sentences: “She doesn’t mind what people say. She always does things her own way. Her spirit’s old, my mom once said. I only know I like her best ‘cause she sticks out from all the rest. She’s only she—Danitra Brown.” Through the expressive style of poetry, Nikki Grimes realistically talks about the ups and downs of friendship and gently addresses the issues of harassment due to race, alternative ways to defuse situations, single-parent households, and much more!
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The poems are concise, have a nice flow, and contain subject matter that children can relate to. While each poem is unique, they come together to tell a comprehensive story. Regardless of whether one poem is read at a time or the entire book is read in one sitting, children will be thoroughly engaged and there will be much to discuss. Also, the language used is informal and similar to how some children speak such as “gotta take care of things while my mom is in bed.” The concept of using alternative, more peaceful ways of defusing a hostile situation that involves the harassment due to race is presented in a thoughtful and witty manner: “Me, Danitra Brown, I’ve got no time for Freddy’s mess. Let him call me silly names, ‘cause I could not care less. Can’t waste time on some boy who thinks it’s funny bein’ mean. Got books to read and hills to climb that Freddy’s never seen.” This helps children understand that they do not have to stoop down to the bully’s level and that they can choose to rise above the harassment in a peaceful way. The situation of a single-parent household is presented in a gentle manner: “Some kids at school have a mom and a dad. I’ve got Mom and me only. On Parents’ Night it makes me mad that it’s Mom and me only. ‘You’ve got it good,’ Danitra says when I am sad. ‘Your mama loves you twice as much. Is that so bad?’ Danitra knows just what to say to make me glad.” This helps children understand that single-parent households have just as much love as more traditional households.
Floyd Cooper’s illustrations are warm and beautiful. While the pictures have a grainy look, the faces of the two little girls are very distinct. Their varying emotions are well represented throughout the book. The little girls are the center of the pictures with everything else as a background.
This will be an excellent book to share because so many important issues are gently discussed. Children, teens, and adults would benefit from reading this book. It would be a great idea for one to introduce a difficult lesson, like racism, by reading this book to the children. Once the book has been read, the teacher could initiate a class discussion in order establish a basic foundation and build from there.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
BOOKLIST review: “We feel the girls’ energy and their bond, in joyful games and in quiet times.”
Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Anyone who has a best friend can relate to this realistic but bubbly volume.”
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE review: “This is a wonderful portrait of two little girls, Danitra and Zuri, and their friendship. They enjoy the fun of bike riding, jumping rope and sharing their personal lives. Danitra is bold and independent, but also caring and greatly admired by her best friend Zuri. Warm, soft illustrations by Cooper capture all nuances of the poems. An ALA Notable Book and Coretta Scott King Award Honor book.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*If you feel comfortable leading a discussion on one of the topics discussed in this book such as harassment due to race, alternative ways to defuse a hostile situation, or single-parent households, this is a book that would be a great starting point to introduce the topic. You could read a poem or the whole book to the children and ask them open-ended questions during the discussion. How did this poem or book make you feel? Has anyone ever made mean comments about the color of your skin? How did you react? Besides responding to the bully with violence, how could you handle the situation? What is your family like? Do you have one parent, two parents, stepparents, adoptive parents, etc.? How does that make you feel?
*Gather other books written by Nikki Grimes:
Grimes, Nikki. 2003. BRONX MASQUERADE. ISBN 0142501891
Grimes, Nikki. 2008. ROAD TO PARIS. ISBN 0142410829
Grimes, Nikki. 2000. JAZMIN’S NOTEBOOK. ISBN 0141307021
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