First published 2004
Lonnie Collins Motion goes by "Locomotion" for good reason. At seven, everything in his world shifted when tragedy struck. Now eleven, he lives apart from his younger sister Lili and stays with Miss Edna, a foster mother who seemed harsh at first but has grown on him. His teacher Ms. Marcus introduces him to something unexpected: writing poetry. Through verse, Lonnie begins to untangle the complicated feelings he carries about his past, his separation from Lili, and his daily life with Miss Edna and his friends. The poems become his voice, letting him speak truths he couldn't express before. As Lonnie writes, he discovers that words can hold both his pain and his hope. This story captures the way a young boy learns to make sense of loss and change through the power of putting feelings into language.
Genres: fiction, family-life, contemporary, poetry
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, grief
104 pages · Paperback · Speak