Bronx Masquerade

Written by Nikki Grimes

Narrated by Jessica Almasy, Cherise Boothe, Kevin R. Free and 3 more

Acclaimed poet, novelist, journalist, and educator Nikki Grimes was born and raised in New York City. Each of the 18 kids in Mr. Ward's inner city classroom has something important to say, but some don't even realize it. Then Mr. Ward begins to have "open mic" poetry slams once a month on Fridays. Young adult listeners will identify with the characters in Bronx Masquerade as they explore questions about life and self-expression. "As always, Grimes gives young people exactly what they're looking for-real characters who show them they are not alone."-School Library Journal

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490676876

Nikki Grimes

New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2016 Virginia Hamilton Literary Award and the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Her distinguished works include ALA Notable book What is Goodbye?, Coretta Scott King Award winner Bronx Masquerade, and Coretta Scott King Author Honor books Jazmin's Notebook, Talkin' About Bessie, Dark Sons, The Road to Paris, and Words with Wings. Creator of the popular Meet Danitra Brown, Ms. Grimes lives in California.

Reviews for Bronx Masquerade

[Meg Rice · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The students in this book are freed and their relationships and understanding of one another grow when their English teacher offers Open Mike Fridays during which anyone can read original poetry. Creativity and self-healing blooms as often happens in a community of writers. Jason Reynolds understands the gift of shared writing in the lives of teens, or any group of writers. I am grateful he portrayed its power so clearly in a YA book!

[tonifgmamtc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting look at bringing people together, seeing others perspectives and how similar people are
I enjoyed this as an adult and think it would be even more great for younger readers.

[seriousgrace · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Eighteen teenagers from all walks of life use poetry to tell it like it is. In the form of a poetry slam each student in Mr. Ward's class gets an opportunity to share a piece of him or herself. Not all are eager for the spotlight, but the more students stand up and share, the more the others get to thinking this poetry thing isn't such a bad idea.All of these students pull courage from their classmates and try it on for themselves. One by one they are pulled to the front of the classroom to stand up strong. By doing so they reveal glimpses of lives their classmates knew nothing about. Mr. Ward's Open Mike class gains momentum when a reporter gets wind of the class and makes a visit. Best surprise: Grimes features real life poet Pedro Pietri.

[maowangvater · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Aspiring rapper Wesley “Bad Boy” Boone starts the book off by admitting “I ain’t particular about doing homework, you understand.” But when the teacher assigns an essay on the Harlem Renaissance to Wesley’s Bronx high school class, Wesley decides to write some poems instead. Why write prose about a poet like Langston Hughes? But then the teacher asks him to read it aloud in front of the class, and it turns out to be surprisingly popular. His classmates, black, white, Hispanic, all want their chance too. So, each Friday becomes “Open Mike” poetry readings in class.As the students read their poems to the class they reveal parts of themselves that their classmates had never known, and it sparks some friendships that previously would have been unlikely. Grimes alternates internal prose monologues by the students with their poems in this Coretta Scott King Author Award winning book. Wesley's homey Tyrone, a very reluctant student and frequent skipper of classes and school, suddenly takes an interest in what’s going down there, and serves as the Greek chorus by commenting on the poems and on his classmates as the story moves through the school year.

[donnamariemerritt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Winner of a Coretta Scott King Award and first published in 2002, this book was reissued in 2017 with a new introduction from Nikki Grimes in preparation for the companion novel Between the Lines. The kids in Mr. Ward's high school English class have nothing in common: different races, religions, backgrounds, interests. Most of them aren't that interested in school, let alone getting to know each other. But then Mr. Ward starts Open Mike Fridays and they begin to reveal, bit by bit through poetry, who they really are. Can it really make a difference in helping them understand other points of view? Yes. Eighteen unique voices (with the strongest voice of Tyrone connecting them) tell their stories through personal accounts for the reader and poems for their peers. I'll recommend it to both middle and high school students. It might get some of them to leave their own private "masquerades" and give them courage to show their true selves to the world.

[benuathanasia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating. Sometimes books are improved as an audiobook. Sometimes they are diminished. This particular book I do not think could stand as anything other than an audiobook. The words, as spoken by the readers, are magic. They are spellbinding and captivating. The story told is melancholy on the whole, but holds bursts of hope that shine between the stories like rays of light.

[engpunk77 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

One of the chapters in this book was selected for the NY state ELA exam last year, so I figured it may be full of good writing just right for my students. I never got to see the story itself (just the questions) because Grimes wouldn't allow the state to publish the excerpt for the archives.

It was actually a quick read, but it did float around my school bag for the duration of 2 renewals (2 months?). The poetry was the best part, but the voices seemed a bit forced. I don't foresee my rural students choosing nor sticking with it, but I imagine that, provided the voices are indeed authentic, inner-city kids would find much to relate to. The problem was that I can't really tell if the voices were authentic because I may be guilty of stereotyping inner-city kids (a problem that most of the kids expressed in their poems). I'd like to believe that this could represent true voices and I feel the need to watch the movie "Freedom Writers" to broaden my horizons on this topic.

Bronx Masquerade would be an excellent teaching tool in a middle school to high school classroom as it is an easy example for practicing identifying common themes (a concept difficult for the average 7th & 8th grader). The underlying theme of almost each kid's story was the need to find one's true self (like every teenager), the need to be understood and appreciated as a unique individual, and a desire to exceed expectations and succeed in life. The best poem, if you were to read only one, is the one called "5 O'Clock News Feed" (I think) in which 3 kids supposedly come together to rap about how the news gives blacks and teens a bad reputation. That piece alone is worthy of my 3 stars.

In sum, I recommend the book to ELA teachers, and that's about it. They'd know into whose hands to place a copy. In my school, I'd say none yet.

[acahil3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Summary:High school student Wesley Boone writes a poem for his English class and reads it aloud in a poetry-slam style. His classmates take an exceptional liking to this kind of poetry and request that there be weekly sessions. The eighteen students in the lass take turns individually challenging themselves in portraying self revelation. The eighteen teenage students expose about themselves what lies underneath their own exteriors. Review:Bronx Masquerade models to readers how to express yourself through writing, such as poetry. The chapter book also tackles an important lesson of identity of self and of others without regards of exterior, which is a commonly misinterpreted in the reading age group.

[nigelthekid · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4Q 4PFor the teenagers in the project housing of section of the Bronx, there is no hope, no future, and no individuality, and everyone is forced to masquerade as something else. High school teacher Mr. Ward offers them a chance to express who they really are in a weekly poetry reading called Open Mike Friday. One by one, each student is forced to realize their own masquerade, and recognize the depth of their classmates' lives.Beautifully written poetry and an honest look at the seemingly hopeless experience that is contemporary life in poverty-stricken New York. The fact that ethnic groups other than African Americans are represented makes this an effective book. I also liked that multiracial characters were able to read their poetry, since YA literature tends to place characters into one ethnic group without any room for diversity.The only thing that kept this book from being 5Q 5P is that there are so many characters with non-mainstream names that they're hard to keep in track. Also, the student named Tyrone seemed to get more speaking time than anyone else, but not enough development to be the protagonist of the story.

[eekazimer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The structure of this novel is unique. Each “open mike” Friday shows the passing of a week, and there are 26 weeks featured. Tyrone, a student who wants to write rap, begins and ends the narrative of the book. He goes from being ready to check out of school to anticipating the next school year. His viewpoint on his fellow students is interspersed through the book like a thread that keeps this patchwork of poems together. Each student featured on “open mike” is introduced in a previous short chapter written in their viewpoint. So the limited third person viewpoint, changes from student to student depending on whose poem are read on “open mike” Fridays. Readers learn about the student poet by their reaction to other student poems and a chapter in their viewpoint where short scenes capture their fears, goals, and struggles. Through poems that show their vulnerabilities, these students form a close bond with each other. The book demonstrates the power of poetry to transform.

[mrcmyoung · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A diverse group of students in a Bronx high school take turns narrating their stories in first person and sharing their poetry for their English class' Open Mike Fridays.

[dayehsensei · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This novel reads like a collection of short stories and poems written by a variety of high schoolers in an English class in the Bronx. Nikki Grimes' characters are incredibly realistic and their concerns are true to life. This book will be a hit with students ages 12 and up-- especially urban youths. This would be a great book to read before introducing a poetry unit or slam poetry event.

[stephxsu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow. I wasn't expected to be so moved by this short, poem-filled novel. Containing poems interspersed with short narrative chapters, we get surprising insight into all of the characters who write and perform their poems. It's a little idealistic, maybe, but I was inspired by the idea that poetry could bring a whole classroom full of different, biased, and damaged students together. A very powerful read.

[missteacher_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful rhythm of person and poetry, following the emergence of understanding in a mixed class of high-schoolers in the Bronx. Each of these students--black, white, Puerto Rican, Italian, and all shades in between--believe themselves to be alone, some more than others. Each feels not quite right, or outcasted, or ugly, or worthless. Yet when their English teacher starts to set class time aside for weekly poetry slams, the kids aren't afraid to let themselves out on paper. Through lines and beats, each student finds a means of expression which begins to connect student to student. Suddenly, people aren't feeling as alone. Now, people realize just how wrong their judgements of their classmates have been. Suddenly, they find a family...una familia...a place where they are understood, for better or worse.

[jesanu_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a very lyrical book that follows the lives of several high school students living in the Bronx. The book introduces the poets of the Harlem Renaissance and breaks down racial and ethnic stereotypes.

[omrythea_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Inspiring, heart-breaking, intriguing and funny. The characters introduced through their poetry and vignettes are developed in an interesting way. One of the better novels that uses prose as the medium. There are an awful lot of characters to keep track of, but they inter-relate in interesting ways.