Nikki Grimes is one of my favorite writers, gathering beautiful words in her notebooks over the years, which are now mixed with memories in Ordinary Hazards (coming 10/08/19 — thank you for providing ARCs, WordSong/Highlights).

The content is dark, yet hopeful. The words are tragic, yet inspirational. Some poems made me laugh (“Math Madness”) and more made me cry (“Reunion”). Ms. Grimes shares everything with the reader, making the reader feel her pain, believe in God, and hope for the future, all at once. The cover of the book reveals a beautiful, silvery sparkling butterfly; that’s Ms. Grimes — a cocooned child who emerges as a powerful and poetic, soulful adult.

“Words have the power to change a life, the power to save a life.” The last poem is the perfect, gripping ending to a heartfelt story of a human. Thank you, Ms. Grimes, for your words.