Simon B. Rhymin'
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A funny and heartwarming bounce-to-the-beat underdog story about a kid rapper whose rhymes bring his community together, “effectively conveying the transformative power of art” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), by America's favorite rapping teacher from Chicago.
Eleven-year-old Simon Barnes dreams of becoming a world-famous rapper that everyone calls Notorious D.O.G. But for now, he's just a Chicago fifth grader who's small for his age and afraid to use his voice.
Simon prefers to lay low at school and at home, even though he's constantly spitting rhymes in his head. But when his new teacher assigns the class an oral presentation on something that affects their community, Simon must face his fears.
With some help from an unexpected ally and his neighborhood crew, will Simon gain the confidence to rap his way to an A and prove that one kid can make a difference in his 'hood?
Dwayne Reed is a Chicago teacher, whose viral back-to-school music video "Welcome to the 4th Grade" took the internet by storm. His debut novel, Simon B. Rhymin' , inspires young readers everywhere to use their voices to create change within their communities.
Perfect for!
★ Black boy joy
★ Rap, poetry, and music lovers
★ Community reads
★ Chicagoans
READ MORE ABOUT SIMON AND HIS CREW:
Simon B. Rhymin' Takes a Stand
Simon B. Rhymin' Gets in the Game
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
On the West Side of Chicago, Black fifth-grade rapper Simon Barnes, 11, also known as Rhymin' Simon—or, as he'd prefer to be called, the Notorious D.O.G.—decides to focus on housing uncertainty for his back-to-school oral presentation at Booker T. Washington Elementary. After encountering Sunny Jackson, a kind elderly Black man who often sweeps trash outside Simon's building, Simon begins to wonder more about the lives of the unhoused people in his community. With the support of his new teacher, the cheerful Mr. James, and his best friends, bespectacled Afro-Latina Maria Rivera and tall, anime-loving C.J. Jones, Simon starts visiting a nearby shelter to interview grandfatherly, always cheerful Sunny, once the lead singer of a blues band. Though Simon struggles with nerves and school bullies, his love for rap eventually empowers him to create positive change. Known as "Chicago's rapping teacher," Reed writes his characters with compassionate and keen insight, effectively conveying the transformative power of art, storytelling, and community. Simon's freestyle rap lyrics, and grayscale cartoon-style illustrations of the cast by Paul, are interwoven throughout, adding layers of emotion, wit, and levity to this accessible debut. Ages 8–12.
