Book Review-

 

 

 

Bibliography:

Grimes, N. (2013). WORDS WITH WINGS. WordSong.

 

 

Plot Summary:

Gabby's world is filled with daydreams. However, what began as an escape from her parents' arguments has now taken over her life. With the help of a new teacher, 'Gabby the dreamer' might just become 'Gabby the writer' and the words that once carried her away might allow her to soar. This verse novel is a celebration of imagination, friendship, of one girl's indomitable spirit, and a teacher's ability to reach out and change a life.

 

 

Critical Analysis:

Grimes created real characters with very real problems, characters that kids can relate to and see themselves in. The language at the beginning of the poem instills a feeling of hope present in Gabby, the charming and creative main character who finds solace in her daydreams. Her daydreams play a major role in a moment of her life, when everything she’s known has been turned upside-down and she must re-imagine herself and her world. The short first-person poems illustrate Gabby’s hardships in unique ways and through the lens of a child. This text is emotionally impactful and easily creates a vivid mental picture throughout this narrative, which consists of free verse and effortless shifts from reality to dream states and back.

 

 

Review Excerpts:

Coretta Scott King Author Honor book

2014 ALSC Notable Children's Book in the middle readers category

Booklist Starred Review: “Grimes has written a novel in verse that is an enthusiastic celebration of the power of words and imagination. . . Always accessible, Grimes' language is vivid, rhythmic, and figurative. . . Grimes' words speak to the daydreamer in every reader."

Kirkus Review: “In this delightfully spare narrative in verse, Coretta Scott King Award-winning Grimes examines a marriage's end from the perspective of a child. . . Throughout this finely wrought narrative, Grimes' free verse is tight, with perfect breaks of line and effortless shifts from reality to dream states and back. An inspirational exploration of caring among parent, teacher and child--one of Grimes' best."



 

Connections:

-Use this story to discuss deliberate word choice and intent with students. Although the words are few on each page, we can become connected and tied to characters in a unique way, seeing their point of view and their inner thoughts.

-Allow students to daydream and see what it inspires them to do! Use the same concept Mr. Spicer gives his students, illustrate words, from the simple to the complex. Ask students what their favorite words are and have them think about why. Challenge them to start noticing words and thinking about them more deeply.

-Read aloud WORD COLLECTOR By Peter H. Reynolds ISBN 0545865026, afterwards help students start a word journal.

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