I breezed through Nikki Grimes’ Coretta Scott King Award winner “Bronx Masquerade” in two nights. Grimes presents a diverse class of eighteen high-schoolers studying poetry from the Harlem Renaissance. The teens’ assignments lead to poetry jams called Open Mike Fridays. The students’ poems weave through the book followed by their classmates’ reactions.
Grimes is herself an acclaimed poet. I was moved by her tenderness in presenting the issues and personalities of each teen. The book starts with Wesley “Bad Boy” Boone griping about going to school. Throughout the story, Wesley’s attitude changes as he delivers his verse and gets to know his classmates through their poems.
Two of my favorite passages are: “When that boy dyed his hair, I b’lieve some of that bleach must’ve seeped right into his brain.”
and
“I dare you to peep
behind these eyes,
discover the poet
in tough-guy disguise.
Don’t call me Jump Shot.
My name is surprise.”
