This compassionate, courageous, and hopeful novel explores the constraints placed on black male identity and the corresponding pains and struggles that follow when a young black boy must confront these realities both at home and in school. A short, sweet, satisfying novel in verse that educators and readers alike will love.' - School Library Journal, starred review ★ 'Grimes' newest follows a young black boy searching for his own unique voice, lost among his father's wishes and society's mischaracterizations. Grimes writes about adolescent friendships in a way that feels deeply human.

(readers) will fall hard for Garvey, a tender, sincere boy who dislikes athletics. (w)ritten from Garvey's point of view, the succinct verses convey the narrative as well as his emotions with brevity, clarity, and finesse.' - Booklist, starred review ★ '(A) sensitively written middle grade novel in verse. ★ 'Grimes returns to the novel-in-verse format, creating voice, characters, and plot in a series of pithy tanka poems, a traditional Japanese form similar to haiku, but using five lines. School Library Journal Best Book of the Year The chorus finds a new soloist in Garvey, and through chorus, Garvey finds a way to accept himself, and a way to finally reach his distant father-by speaking the language of music instead of the language of sports. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garvey's life changes. Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also overweight, teased by bullies, and lonely. Feeling like a failure, he comforts himself with food. Garvey's father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading-anything but sports. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garvey's life changes.īook Synopsis This emotionally resonant novel in verse by award-winning author Nikki Grimes celebrates choosing to be true to yourself.

Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also obese, teased by bullies, and lonely.

About the Book Garvey's father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading-anything but sports.

Garvey's Choice by Nikki Grimes