Award-winning author Nikki Grimes’s beloved novel in verse Garvey’s Choice is now a graphic novel, imaginatively and dramatically illustrated by Little Shaq artist Theodore Taylor III.
Garvey’s father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading—anything but sports. Feeling like a failure, he comforts himself with food. Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also overweight, teased by bullies, and lonely. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garvey’s life changes. The chorus finds a new soloist in Garvey, and through chorus, Garvey finds a way to accept himself and a way to finally reach his distant father—by speaking the language of music instead of the language of sports.
Garvey’s Choice was a School Library Journal Best Book, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book, a Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, and a Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Honor Book. With Theodore Taylor III’s full-color illustrations, this graphic novel edition is enthralling and inspiring.
On sale: June 6, 2023
Age: 9-12 years
Grade: Grades 4-7
Page count: 144 Pages
ISBN: 9781662660023
Reading level: Lexile: GN560L | Fountas/Pinnell: U
New York Times bestselling author
Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2020 ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to young adult literature, the 2017 Children's Literature Legacy Award, the 2016 Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, and the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Her distinguished works include the much-honored books
Garvey's Choice, ALA Notable book
Southwest Sunrise, Coretta Scott King Award winner
Bronx Masquerade, and five Coretta Scott King Author Honor books, Printz and Siebert Honor winner
Ordinary Hazards, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor
One Last Word, its companion
Legacy:Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance, and NYT Bestseller
Kamala Harris:Rooted in Justice. Creator of the popular
Meet Danitra Brown,
Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel,
Bedtime for Sweet Creatures, and
Off to See the Sea, Grimes lives in Corona, California. Visit nikkigrimes.com.
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
★ "Some of Grimes’s original tanka poems have been adjusted, but the novel in verse adapts beautifully to the graphic novel format, and Taylor’s art emphasizes the imaginative, poignant, painful, and joyful aspects in turn. Starry night sky illustrations, with characters outlined in white, are striking. Taylor often shows Garvey regarding himself in a mirror, and readers can see how Garvey’s feelings about his appearance change throughout. This format will attract new readers to a poetic, powerful story of growth. Highly recommended." —
School Library Journal, starred review
★ "The verses are given a new visual life with excellent page designs and clever illustrations...An unusually effective use of the graphic novel format to bring poetry alive. —
The Horn Book, starred review
"Grimes’ acclaimed novel in verse sees new life in comics format. Grimes’ tanka poems...pair nicely with Taylor’s straightforward illustrations, bringing to life Garvey’s story of newfound self-possession. The energetic illustrations playfully depict his rocky journey toward a truer version of himself, providing levity at times but never shortchanging the most poignant moments...These charming, reflective poems are an ideal match for Taylor’s endearing first graphic novel endeavor.
An adaptation that expands the world of a captivating, much-loved character." —
Kirkus Reviews
"Grimes wrote the original version of
Garvey’s Choice in a type of Japanese non-rhyming verse called tanka. Although she slightly modified the text for this graphic novel, the effect still comes through: The story is broken into bite-size pieces, each page or spread depicting a single moment. Taylor’s art has a minimum of detail but plenty of emotional impact." —
School Library Journal
"Grimes’ award-winning tanka poem narrative about a boy struggling to find a place for himself in his family and the world is adapted in this captivating, visually impressive graphic, which looks at Garvey from a slightly different perspective." —
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
