Bronx Masquerade by Nikki GrimesWow, what a powerful book! Bronx Masquerade should be required reading for middle and high schoolers for its abilility to show that the angst of searching for one's identity and place in the world is universal to all regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic status.
Set in a modern-day English class at a school in the Bronx, the story begins when Wesley turns in "a bunch of poems" in place of an essay on poetry from the Harlem Renaissance. Mr. Ward, the teacher, asks Wesley to share a poem with his classmates. To Wesley's shock, no one laughs. Instead, others ask to read their poems. From this arises Open Mike Friday, the time Mr. Ward sets aside for his students to share their poetry. Grimes uses first person point of view to express the thoughts and inner conflict of each student. Following this is the student's reading of an original poem on Open Mike Friday. Then Tyrone, a jaded black teen depressed about what the future holds for him, responds. As each new classmate opens up, we see Tyrone and his classmates become more secure with each other and themselves because of their similarities.
Although this is a fictional piece, the characters' strong voices echo those of today's students. As I read, I saw current and former students, as well as myself and my former classmates, in these pages. The anger, the self-hatred, the lack of confidence, the self-doubt, the desire to be loved, and the eventual self-acceptance these characters demonstrated was palpable. I had intended to teach Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers for Black History Month; instead, I am now teaching Bronx Masquerade!
Image retrieved October 6, 2007, from http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookaward/CSKwinners/cskpastwinners/cskpastwinners.htm.
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