Ordinary Hazards
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
In her own voice, acclaimed author and poet Nikki Grimes explores the truth of a harrowing childhood in a compelling and moving memoir in verse.
Growing up with a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and a mostly absent father, Nikki Grimes found herself terrorized by babysitters, shunted from foster family to foster family, and preyed upon by those she trusted. At the age of six, she poured her pain onto a piece of paper late one night - and discovered the magic and impact of writing. For many years, Nikki's notebooks were her most enduing companions. In this accessible and inspiring memoir that will resonate with young readers and adults alike, Nikki shows how the power of those words helped her conquer the hazards - ordinary and extraordinary - of her life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Grimes (One Last Word) presents a gripping memoir in verse constructed from imperfect recollections of the hardship and abuse she endured as a child. Having lost chunks of her memory as a result of traumatic experiences, Grimes relies on her art to fill in the blanks. In recurring entries titled "The Mystery of Memory," and "Notebook," Grimes contextualizes her scattered remembrances to provide a sense of time and place for readers ("Where is the chronology of a life/ chaotic from the start?"). Grimes eloquently conveys the instability of a childhood lived in the unpredictable wake of a mentally ill mother and abusive stepfather alongside hopeful anecdotes about the safe haven provided by her beloved older sister, her growing faith, and the often absent yet doting father she lost too soon. Underlining the idea that "a memoir's focus is on truth, not fact," Grimes courageously invites readers to join her on a journey through the shadows of her past, bridging "the gaps/ with suspension cables/ forged of steely gratitude/ for having survived my past/at all." Ages 12 up.
