DANITRA BROWN, CLASS CLOWN

Danitra Brown is back and so is her friend Zuri.

Danitra is as feisty, loyal and adventurous as always. She clowns around and diverts attention when Zuri’s note is about to be made into a class joke. Her lunchbox is always filled with unusual and daring food combinations. When Zuri is terrified of failing math, Danitra is there with help and encouragement. Zuri’s voice is clear and loving as the narrator of the poems. Grimes is a master at selecting just the right word or twist of phrase to evoke the spirit of these two girls, while keeping the language simple and direct. The rhymes are clever and lively and fit just right. The poems flow neatly as they tell the continuing story of Danitra, an “original thinker” and a “matchless friend.” Lewis’s illustrations are spot on, capturing the girls’ idiosyncrasies and bringing them to life.

A charmer.