Locomotion

Description: Through his own poetry, 11-year-old Lonnie Collins shares his heartbreak over his late parents and his love for his younger sister Lili, separated from him when they were placed in foster care. A 2003 National Book Award Finalist and a Coretta Scott King Honor Book.

Review Quotes: * "A moving, lyrical, and completely convincing novel. . . . Woodson nails Lonnie's voice from the start, and lets him express himself through images and thoughts that vibrate in the different kinds of lines he puts down. . . . Woodson's created a character whose presence you can feel like they were sitting next to you. . . . Don't let anyone miss this."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "In a masterful use of voice, Woodson allows Lonnie's poems to tell a complex story of loss and grief and to create a gritty, urban environment. . . . Minor characters are three-dimensional, making the boy's world a convincingly real one. . . . The author places the characters in nearly unbearable circumstances, then lets incredible human resiliency shine through."--School Library Journal, starred review

* "The sixty poems are skillfully and artfully composed--but still manage to sound fresh and spontaneous. The accessible form will attract readers; Woodson's finely crafted story won't let them go."--The Horn Book, starred review

* "Woodson, through Lonnie, creates a contagious appreciation for poetry while using the genre as a cathartic means for expressing the young poet's own grief."--Publishers Weekly, starred review