A Girl Named Mister

A Girl Named Mister
by Nikki Grimes
Zondervan, 2010

We librarians see some authors in many different places: public and school libraries, early, juvenile and young adult collections. So they must be versatile writers. And one gets the impression the authors are "good" because they appear so frequently.

A Girl Named Mister (from Mary Rudine, to MR, to Mister) was my first read of author Nikki Grimes' many books, and it was a GREAT experience.

What's different about this book?

• It's a novel-in-verse, a challenging way to write because the story must be conveyed in terse, rhythmic style and yet still convey all the context and story line. Grimes does this powerfully.
• It deals with a heavily emotional theme, teen pregnancy. But Grimes does so in a deft and true-to-life style. I could hear the teens around me speaking in those same tones and phrases, using the language and perspectives truly authentic to this age and culture.
• Grimes' deft touch keeps the book from being a downer. Her elegant weaving of Mister's tale with the Biblical Mary's tale of teen pregnancy elevates the story to one of hope and with a non-condemning tone.
  
• It was a quick, compelling read for me: open the book, read, read, read -- and then the tale is told, without thoughts of "I should be doing something more urgent."

Evaluation -- what will I do now that I've read this?

• I want my middle and high school students to have a chance to read this story with its many implications for decision-making, social commitments and values. I'll provide a copy for the libraries that serve this population of students: a compelling, sympathetic yet realistic fiction that they will enjoy.

• For my church library, this will be a must-have. We haven't begun a YA collection yet, but this book will be on the first list we acquire.
  

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