Danitra Brown Leaves Town by Nikki Grimes

Bibliography:
Grimes, Nikki. 2002. Danitra Brown Leaves Town. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN: 0688131565.

Plot Summary:
Nikki Grimes' book Danitra Brown Leaves Town is a book of poems which are letters written between two best friends. Zuri is really sad that her best friend Danitra is leaving her alone and in the city with no one to play with, to go to the country to visit family. Zuri's sadness turns to madness. When Danitra calls her to tell her she is leaving all Zuri can feel is mad: "But why am I suppose to care when my suppose to be best friend is leaving me and loving it?" Zuri isn't left alone, she meets a new friend named Nina and "wondered why I'd never noticed Nina before." But, Nina does not take the place of her best friend Danitra. Zuri gets a letter from Danitra and the readers can feel the friendship's warmth: "I ripped Danitra's letter open, in spite of my worst fear. I bit my lip until I read "I wish that you were here." This begins a series of letters between the two as they write to one another about their summer vacations. Danitra writes to Zuri about "clusters of fireflies" and "blue-black" skies. Zuri writes to Danitra about block parties and softball. Their letters are poems of friendship that all readers can relate too. Allowing older reader such as myself to remember times of childhood summer breaks that consist of best friends, softball, dragonflies and fireworks to celebrate the fourth of July. At the end the two best friends reunite with a much stronger bond: "
" A good hello is knowing when we're far apart,
at heart we're still together;
and being glad you're home again
'cause that is ten times better."

Critical Analysis:
Nikki Grimes' book Danitra Brown Leaves Town is warm and inviting. Its use of simple vocabulary and poetic verse makes it easy for elementary students to enjoy. Nikki Grimes language helps the readers feel very emotional attached to these two characters . As the reader reads these poems written among two best friends the author allows the reader to share their letters of friendship. This book is great as a read aloud. While the reader read the poems, he could share the beautifully illustrated pictures in the book. These illustrations by Floyd Cooper helps effectively capture the expressions of the two main characters (Danitra and Zuri) in the books. The illustration's' beautifully faded pastel colors allows the readers to feel the summer fun that consist of friendship, insects, softball, 4th of July and the summer's heat.

Review Excerpt(s):
From School Library Journal
Grades 3-5--Grimes and Cooper return with another story told through poems about Danitra Brown and Zuri Jackson. This time, the friends exchange letters all summer long while Danitra is visiting relatives. Zuri starts out feeling angry and disappointed that Danitra is leaving her behind and doesn't seem to care, but eventually both girls make new friends while they look forward to being together again. Some vignettes may leave readers with perplexing questions; for example, Danitra describes a stubborn dragonfly that she's sure would like to eat her, but the accompanying image depicts her smiling at it benignly. All in all, however, Cooper's photo-realist artwork in soft hues against glowing backdrops is a lovely complement to the girls' many moods.
Catherine Thread gill, Charleston County Public Library, SC
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Ages 4-8. The best friends from Meet Danitra Brown (1994) celebrate summer apart and together in this warm story, told in simple free verse with big, joyful oil-wash paintings. The girls' friendship frames the story. At first Zuri is hurt that Danitra leaves to go to her family in the country, but then Danitra writes "I wish that you were here" and shares her delight in camping out under the stars, climbing trees, and discovering "a different Danitra." Meanwhile Zuri finds lots of fun and a new friend in her city neighborhood. The surprise is in the details: on one page Zuri writes to Danitra about a hip-swinging, head-bobbling, foot-stomping block party, and the bouncy painting shows Cooper at his best. Just as vital are the words and pictures of Danitra swinging in the country garden. Kids will see that both friends travel far and welcome each other home. Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Connections:
This book can be used to get students thinking about their summer breaks. One could use this book as a guide or pre-writing activity to get students to write. Students could read this book than write about their summer breaks and their best friends.