When Wesley Boone writes a poem for his high school English class, some of his classmates clamor to read their poems aloud too. Soon they’re having weekly poetry sessions and, one by one, the eighteen students are opening up and taking on the risky challenge of self-revelation. There’s Lupe Alvarin, desperate to have a baby so she will feel loved. Raynard Patterson, hiding a secret behind his silence. Porscha Johnson, needing an outlet for her anger after her mother OD’s. Through the poetry they share and narratives in which they reveal their most intimate thoughts about themselves and one another, their words and lives show what lies beneath the skin, behind the eyes, beyond the masquerade.
- ISBN: 9780803725690
- Author: Grimes, Nikki
- Published: 2001 , Dial
- Themes: African Americans, Identity, Poetry
- Descriptors: Coretta Scott King Awrd, Realistic Fiction, United States, Young Adult (ages 14-18)
- No. of pages: 176
This is a great book for high school students in an inner city. We use it in our 9th grade curriculum. The students relate to the issues that the characters face and see it as meaningful. We cover so many literacy concepts ranging from figurative language,voice, inferences, and character development. Great book!