Poems in the Attic

Gr 1–5—While visiting her grandma, a seven-year-old girl discovers her mother's keepsakes in the attic: a cedar box filled with poems, written long before her daughter was born. The poems describe her childhood experiences as a military brat. California, Alaska, Germany, and Japan are just a few of the poems' backdrops that paint a vivid picture of the child's mother. The alternating voices of the small girl and her mom are reflected with changes in poetic form. Free verse is used by the contemporary narrator, and tanka, an ancient Japanese form, is used by her mother. The young girl's grandmother is the bridge between those two voices. The intergenerational bond is strengthened as they reflect and explore together. Grimes perfectly captures mood with her evocative and lovely use of language. Sisi Aisha Johnson's narration effectively mirrors the intent of the story. The beauty of this book does not end at its close. Grimes provides an author's note and description of poetic form that warmly encourage listeners to share in the joy of writing poetry.