Locomotion
Title: Locomotion
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Publisher: Puffin Books
Year of Publication: 2003
Genre: Poetry
Horn Book or Kirkus Reviews rating: Horn Book Rating 1 and Kirkus Starred Review
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Publisher: Puffin Books
Year of Publication: 2003
Genre: Poetry
Horn Book or Kirkus Reviews rating: Horn Book Rating 1 and Kirkus Starred Review
Summary: Lonnie has experienced more in his twelve years of life than most. Through the encouragement of a wonderful teacher, Lonnie tells us his story one poem at a time.
Summary of Professional Reviews: Woodson perfectly expresses Lonnie’s voice, right from the start, through his poetry. This skillfully composed novel is accessible for readers and convincingly demonstrates Locomotion’s gift for verse. Tragedy struck for Lonnie at a young age and through his poems we can see how he deals with his new life.
Review by Crystal Ball: Locomotion takes you on a journey through tremendous loss. You get to peek into Lonnie’s, as known as Locomotion, emotional experiences as he grows up without his family. Jacqueline Woodson beautifully expresses anger, confusion, happiness, and budding romance through Locomotion’s poems. From dark anniversaries that choke you up, to haikus that put a smile on your face, Woodson creatively takes you through a range of human emotions as seen through the eyes of a child, while also touching on ideas about race and poverty. The issues raised in this book are for a more mature audience. Perhaps it is most appropriate for children in fourth grade and above.
This book would be useful when teaching…
Locomotion would be a wonderful way to introduce students to poetry. Through the story, Locomotion uses different forms of poetry and they would serve as fabulous examples for children to help them begin to write their own.
Also, at the end of the book there are questions for discussion. They would lead to conversations about character development, racial issues, and belonging. They could be the jumping off point for meaningful exchanges about these, and many other, topics.
Summary of Professional Reviews: Woodson perfectly expresses Lonnie’s voice, right from the start, through his poetry. This skillfully composed novel is accessible for readers and convincingly demonstrates Locomotion’s gift for verse. Tragedy struck for Lonnie at a young age and through his poems we can see how he deals with his new life.
Review by Crystal Ball: Locomotion takes you on a journey through tremendous loss. You get to peek into Lonnie’s, as known as Locomotion, emotional experiences as he grows up without his family. Jacqueline Woodson beautifully expresses anger, confusion, happiness, and budding romance through Locomotion’s poems. From dark anniversaries that choke you up, to haikus that put a smile on your face, Woodson creatively takes you through a range of human emotions as seen through the eyes of a child, while also touching on ideas about race and poverty. The issues raised in this book are for a more mature audience. Perhaps it is most appropriate for children in fourth grade and above.
This book would be useful when teaching…
Locomotion would be a wonderful way to introduce students to poetry. Through the story, Locomotion uses different forms of poetry and they would serve as fabulous examples for children to help them begin to write their own.
Also, at the end of the book there are questions for discussion. They would lead to conversations about character development, racial issues, and belonging. They could be the jumping off point for meaningful exchanges about these, and many other, topics.