LOCOMOTION

"People are poems," writes Lonnie C. Motion on the first page of this story, which is composed of the character’s poetry. If this is true, then author Jacqueline Woodson and narrator Dion Graham are epic. Together they bring the character Lonnie (aka Locomotion) to life. Episodes of his story are vividly depicted: the searing pain of the fire that took his parents, the sweet sorrow of smelling his mother's honeysuckle talc powder, the hope of his sister in a pink dress. Ms. Marcus, the teacher who assigns and encourages Lonnie's poetry, tells the class, "Every line should count." Graham, like Lonnie, takes the teacher's advice and delivers a performance that will lead the listener back to Chapter One the minute the audiobook closes. K.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award [Editors' Note--Those following along in the hardcover print edition should know that the audiobook opens with an excerpt that is not printed in the hardcover.] © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2012]