Danitra Brown, Class Clown

I'll be honest-- Grimes was slow to really grow on me until this character series. I liked her other work, she's a quality writer, the characters have all been strong-- but I hadn't yet connected with her voice.

And then there were Zuri and Danitra, best friends. Zuri is the speaker, and Danitra makes her world go 'round.

As Grimes is known to do, she tells a complete story through disparate poetic parts. Per page, there is a short poem in Zuri's voice-- the topics are not centered around Danitra; rather, Danitra is a loving friend who helps Zuri respond better to tough situations.

I had yet to read a book that so properly captures the sweet, wholesome, necessary, and sometimes difficult love between two children. I don't know how Grimes show more does it-- it's as if she, in her adult self, is able to time travel back to being 10-years old and confused or happy or worried and NEEDING the peer support that only another 10-year-old could provide.

I absolutely love these books. show less

Through the voice of Zuri Jackson, Grimes shares the daily ups and downs that come with starting a new school year. She faces many typical challenges throughout, but Zuri's friend, Danitra Brown, helps her make it through the year with a smile on her face. I chose this book because I recognized Grimes' and Lewis' names as people who's work I have previously enjoyed in this course, but it surpassed my expectations. I would give this book more than five stars if possible. It was extremely well-written and described the most relatable scenarios for children of any of the books I have read so far. I am normally not a fan of poetry, but the rhyming and short lines give the book a very playful feel. I liked the layout of the book, where each show more poem is separate with it's own story to tell but all of them are still interconnected. E.B. Lewis once again does an excellent job of bringing the text to life through his illustrations. show less

This book of poems is about Zuri and Danitra as they start the new school year together with a new teacher. The friendship of Zuri and Danitra in this book is touching and Danitra is a unique character who marches to the beat of her own drum and is a great friend to Zuri. The poems tell the story of their school year together and how Zuri deals with her sick mom and trying to pass math class. The story is a great representation of friendship and loving yourself just how you are. It was such a heartwarming read and Danitra reminds me a lot of Junie B. Jones with her unique style and funny characteristics.

This book is about two best friends with two very different personalities, starting off the new school year, only it’s not as typical as one would hope. The girls have to face a new teacher, harder math, and being bullied. The girls cope in very different ways. Zuri is very reluctant and deals with all the problems of school and her mother getting very sick. She takes all of this hard and is overwhelmed, while Danitra has her head up high and saves Zuri from embarrassment, tutors her in math, sticks up for her, doesn’t care what the other kids think about her and is of course the class clown. The story line is comical and in rhyme.

Danitra Brown, Class Clown is a picture book full of poems. There is a new poem on each page that discusses the hardships Danitra’s friend is facing and how Danitra stays positive through the whole experience. For example, in one poem Class Clown, Danitra’s friend writes a note to her about a boy she likes. However, another kid intercepted the note and was going to read it aloud, but Danitra did a funny dance to distract the class so her friend could grab the note back. This shows the strength of the friendship between the two girls. Another example of Danitra remaining positive is in the poem, Homework. The author write, “Danitra says it’s too early to groan.” This shows that Danitra looks at the glass half full and always show more find a positive to any situation. Each line in the poem rhymes with the next line which makes this book an easy and fun read. It allows the reader to feel like they know Danitra and her friend. The illustrations in this book look as though they were painted on the book. They are vivid and have a great amount of detail to them. There is not too much detail that the reader is distracted by the illustrations, there is just enough to add to and enhance the words that the author so skillfully wrote. I loved this book because of the rhyming and the big idea. I think this is a great book and would definitely recommend it to anyone that wanted to read more poetry. I think the big idea in this book is to never give up and always look on the Brightside of things. The poems show that life can throw you curveballs sometimes, but you have to take them and spin it into a good thing. I think this is a very important message. show less

Nikki Grimes writes another amazing story, composed of poems and written about the true bond friendship can have. In this story, Zuri and Danitra are in school. While they may stir up trouble, they are there to lend one another a helping hand. When Zuri was having a stomach ache, Danitra was there to comfort her. When Zuri was having troubles with math, Danitra was there to help ease her worries.
What stands out to me the most is how although these stories are titled "Danitra Brown...", the story is written from Zuri Jackson's perspective. To me, that shows how much Zuri adores and admires her best friend Danitra.

Through rhyming, Zuri explains the jitters of starting a new school year. However, she is not alone, as her outgoing friend, Danitra, is always by her side to get her through the school year. This is an excellent book for children to read, as this novel contains many of the emotions children feel when summer comes to an end and the new school year begins. While the unknown can be scary, it helps us gain the knowledge we need to grow.