Danitra Brown, Class Clown

Bibliographic Data
Grimes, Nikki. 2005. Danitra Brown, class clown. Ill. by E.B. Lewis. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0-688-17290-3

Plot Summary
This collection of poems is told from the perspective of Zuri, a girl who is having trouble in school. The bright spot in her days is her best friend Danitra Brown, who can make most problems seem small.

Critical Analysis
From the first pair of lines in the first poem, “School is in,” we know that Zuri is not a fan of school:

“School is in and I remember
How much I detest September...”

But on the very same page, we are also introduced to school’s saving grace:

“…But then Danitra hops in, grinning
and all my gloomy thoughts go spinning.”

Most of the fourteen poems in this book follow a similar pattern – Zuri is worried, and her fears are allayed, usually by Danitra. But while there is a pattern, the book never becomes formulaic. Instead, it reinforces Danitra’s role as Zuri’s guardian angel.

While Grimes uses rhyme in all of the poems, her patterns are varied. Some of the poems are a simple AB pattern, very predictable, but others are less so, such as “Hocus Pocus.” In the first two stanzas, Zuri tells the reader that Danitra calls her over and begins to cast a spell, and in the third stanza, the rhyme returns, as we realize that Danitra has worked her magic for Zuri again.

Of special importance are the charming illustrations by E.B. Lewis. The watercolor depictions of school life are detailed, and the children’s personalities and emotions really shine through. One or two of the illustrations of Danitra are so full of life that they practically dance off the page.

Review
From School Library Journal:
“Grimes's text, a running sequence of titled verses, neatly voices the critical self-examination of preadolescent girls. Lewis's detailed watercolor paintings create energy of their own, revealing the girls' emotions with visualization of both joyous expressions and thoughtful moments. Theirs is a friendship with the closeness of siblings, revealed for readers in a natural flow of events and Zuri's narration. “ – Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

Connections
This book is an enjoyable read, but also teaches powerful lessons about friendship, and would be a good supplement for any lesson on how small actions can make a big difference.

Swimming upstream: Middle school poems by Kristine O’Connell George is a enjoyable book of school poetry that will appeal to students getting ready to take the plunge into middle school.

*****
Reviews found at the Carrollton Public Library website, http://cityofcarrollton.com/library/