The moving story of a young boy recovering from family tragedy, told entirely through a series of free-verse poems. Lonnie Collins Motion, nicknamed Locomotion, has trouble communicating his feelings and dealing with his grief, so his fifth-grade teacher introduces him to poetry as a means of self-expression. Lonnie discovers a hidden talent and a budding love for various poetic forms as the reader discovers the nature of Lonnie’s loss and gradual recovery. Through Lonnie’s poems, readers see his personal struggles as well as his deft characterizations of the people who surround him, and the sadness of his story is tempered by his growth in faith and hope. A multiple award winner, including the Coretta Scott King Honor, this book will appeal to both boys and girls and is best for ages 9-13.

CIP: “In a series of poems, eleven-year-old Lonnie writes about his life, after the death of his parents, separated from his younger sister, living in a foster home, and finding his poetic voice at school.”

Starred review in Hornbook, which calls it a “finely crafted story.” Positively reviewed in SLJ (“masterful”) and was later listed as an SLJ Best Book.