Sample

//Locomotion// is a story told through poetry. The poems are written by the main character **Lo**nnie **Co**llins **Motion** who is an eleven year old African American boy living in New York City. When Lonnie was seven, his parents died in a fire leaving him and his younger sister, Lili, orphaned and, of course, dramatically changed forever. This is a story of grief and loss, of healing and redemption. But one would be remiss to think that this story ends happily ever after. It is real and Woodson’s voice as an eleven year old boy is deserving of the awards given to her writing. Topics of poverty, race, loss, boys and writing, the power of one, and of course, discrimination. All of these themes are summed up when Lonnie says, “Not a lot of people be saying 'Good, Lonnie' to me”. The weight of those words carries with it so much power and untold story.

Lonnie writes to help him cope with the emotions he is struggling over with the loss of his family, his time in a group home, and his move to a foster family. In his poetry he writes about the flavors of urban living, of African American culture, of growing up poor....all beautiful discussions that need to be shared with classrooms of all backgrounds. //Locomotion// is not just written for an African American audience, though this young boy thinks it is “great, great”: []

Woodson’s ability to transcend the limits of culture and speak to all children, touching on the universal fears of being lost and alone, opens this book up to everyone and dispels negative stereotypes of African American males. The value of hearing an authentic African American perspective changes anyone’s awareness. Here is Woodson reading from //Locomotion// as the 2009 Book Festival http: www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_jD54_Of5A The poem included in this clip shows the very real need of a young boy to belong to a group, a feeling to which we can all relate. Through these intimate poems you see the heart of a little boy and get a peak into his world: what motivates him, what scares him, what confuses him. In some ways this world is unique to African American culture, but truly it is a world shared by us all. My most surprising awareness of a difference in perspective from that of the group being written about was late in the book when Lonnie is beginning to feel connected to his foster family. “I can’t even imagine moving away from here, from Rodney’s arm around my shoulder, from Miss Edna’s Sunday cooking, from Lili in her pretty dresses and great big smile when she sees me. . . Can’t imagine moving away (p. 88).” Woodson does an amazing job of giving voice to what is just a little boy, though it would be easy for a reader to categorize him and remove this sense of person. I am once again affirmed in this belief--we are all the same. The coverings are different, but deep down we are all simply human and nothing takes that away.

As a teacher, this book is highly relevant to me and my classroom and I have already passed it on to my school’s middle school reading teacher as it is written for a slightly older audience. //Locomotion// would be a great addition to a class’s curriculum and I could see using it as part of a poetry unit and even part of an author’s study. Poetry is stereotypically hard for children to enjoy let alone write. //Locomotion// offers something new. It is highly readable--it is child (even boy) friendly as it is written from the voice of a child and it tells a beautiful story. These are all great reasons to include this book. But, I think Woodson, a descendent of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemming, shares best why it is relevant to include this voice in my curriculum. [|www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfGBtIG6CgM&feature=related] If we lose a people’s history and culture, if we dismiss it, we are in jeopardy of losing ourselves.

Sample -- Courtesy of MAT diverse learners Fall 2011 (Chris)