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Garvey #2
Garvey in the Dark
What can one voice do? As the first rumblings of the pandemic sound around Garvey, he hardly notices. Caught up with his friends, school, chorus, and his newfound relationship with his father, he doesn't imagine that the new disease adults are talking about could touch him. But it will. When everything changes, when fear moves in, and when all seems dark, Garvey feels helpless. Yet one voice—Garvey's voice—can be a powerful spark in the dark …
170 pages, Hardcover
First published October 25, 2022
11 people are currently reading
1829 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
June 29, 2022
Sigh! You got me reading you like you would break my heart anytime the entire time!
But thank you, you didn't break my heart.
Instead, this book in verse for young readers made me feel closer to my family making me realise once more how much families mean to a person.
The book tells the story of a family before the COVID pandemic happened and how it affects entire families when it hit them without a warning.
I can relate to the struggles faced due to the pandemic. I was hoping the entire time nothing worse would happen to the family.
You get to read this short book. It's thrilling, realistic, it's still happening.
Thank you, Astra Publishing House, for the advance reading copy.
I need the book!
But thank you, you didn't break my heart.
Instead, this book in verse for young readers made me feel closer to my family making me realise once more how much families mean to a person.
The book tells the story of a family before the COVID pandemic happened and how it affects entire families when it hit them without a warning.
I can relate to the struggles faced due to the pandemic. I was hoping the entire time nothing worse would happen to the family.
You get to read this short book. It's thrilling, realistic, it's still happening.
Thank you, Astra Publishing House, for the advance reading copy.
I need the book!
May 10, 2024
Covid-19 story line, using Tanka style poetry - great story for those who are till feeling the effects of lost and broken families during COVID
December 8, 2022
9Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes is a beautiful novel in verse about the early time period of COVID pandemic and other events that transpired. The story is told from Garvey's point of view. Garvey is an introvert who loves to escape into books, loves to sing and play guitar with his dad. The story unfolds as the country is about to go into lockdown and the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd transpire a few mo the later.
Through Garvey's eyes you experience all the anxiety and uncertainty of not knowing when the world would be "normal" again. He worries about the mental and physical toll the pandemic is taking on his parents. You work through Garvey's sadness about constantly seeing death news, worrying about other kids having food to eat, and always being on edge when seeing police because he's a Black boy. This was a quick and powerful read that left me reflecting on the pandemic era and the ways that we are still feeling the long lasting mental effects. This book did make me cry but it also left me hopeful because of the little moments of joy and caring for others that Grimes sprinkled throughout the story. This would make a perfect read for parents and educators to use with children to process some of the anxiety of living through COVID and adjusting to life during lockdown.
This book had so much depth and I am still thinking about:
🎸 the mental and physical decline of essential workers, especially teachers and nurses
🎸 the ways adults have to suppress their own anxieties and fears to make children/students feel safe
🎸 how Black people don't have safety in daily life
🎸 the economic disparities and how marginalized communities were affected the most by COVID
🎸 how social connections changed during lockdown
🎸 the lasting education deficits in Black and Brown communities post-COVID
🎸 how daily confrontation with death affects both adults and children
🎸 the rise in anxiety and depression in students
Overall, this story contains gorgeous, thought-provoking prose and is a necessary addition to home and classroom libraries. It will break your heart in the most touching ways but it will also leave you feeling hopeful, show you the power of community and the importance of having faith and engaging in activism. Love is clearly the message and it is definitely what sustained until the end. Thank you @goodreads @astrakidsbooks for the giveaway win.
Through Garvey's eyes you experience all the anxiety and uncertainty of not knowing when the world would be "normal" again. He worries about the mental and physical toll the pandemic is taking on his parents. You work through Garvey's sadness about constantly seeing death news, worrying about other kids having food to eat, and always being on edge when seeing police because he's a Black boy. This was a quick and powerful read that left me reflecting on the pandemic era and the ways that we are still feeling the long lasting mental effects. This book did make me cry but it also left me hopeful because of the little moments of joy and caring for others that Grimes sprinkled throughout the story. This would make a perfect read for parents and educators to use with children to process some of the anxiety of living through COVID and adjusting to life during lockdown.
This book had so much depth and I am still thinking about:
🎸 the mental and physical decline of essential workers, especially teachers and nurses
🎸 the ways adults have to suppress their own anxieties and fears to make children/students feel safe
🎸 how Black people don't have safety in daily life
🎸 the economic disparities and how marginalized communities were affected the most by COVID
🎸 how social connections changed during lockdown
🎸 the lasting education deficits in Black and Brown communities post-COVID
🎸 how daily confrontation with death affects both adults and children
🎸 the rise in anxiety and depression in students
Overall, this story contains gorgeous, thought-provoking prose and is a necessary addition to home and classroom libraries. It will break your heart in the most touching ways but it will also leave you feeling hopeful, show you the power of community and the importance of having faith and engaging in activism. Love is clearly the message and it is definitely what sustained until the end. Thank you @goodreads @astrakidsbooks for the giveaway win.
January 2, 2023
3.5⭐
Set in 2020 when Covid-19 hit the shores of USA, this is a compelling novel-in-verse that unfolds through the eyes of a young Garvey.
The book not only captures the fear and uncertainty during the early days of the pandemic, but also touches on issues such as adjusting to life in lockdown, its impact on our mental health, and what essential workers are up against. Additionally, it highlights racism and police brutality by referencing the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
That's a lot to cover in around 170 pages and I feel like the book suffered as a result. I would have preferred more nuance and depth into such complex topics. Garvey and his lack of awareness annoyed me at times too.
However, keep in mind that the protagonist is a middle-grader and this is a book aimed at the same age group. Overall, it was an engaging and sufficiently informative read. I enjoyed the high readability. Young audiences will be able to connect with Garvey while gaining a good understanding of current events.
This book can be read as a standalone even though it's apparently a sequel to Garvey's Choice, which I am looking forward to checking out next, along with the author's backlist.
Set in 2020 when Covid-19 hit the shores of USA, this is a compelling novel-in-verse that unfolds through the eyes of a young Garvey.
The book not only captures the fear and uncertainty during the early days of the pandemic, but also touches on issues such as adjusting to life in lockdown, its impact on our mental health, and what essential workers are up against. Additionally, it highlights racism and police brutality by referencing the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
That's a lot to cover in around 170 pages and I feel like the book suffered as a result. I would have preferred more nuance and depth into such complex topics. Garvey and his lack of awareness annoyed me at times too.
However, keep in mind that the protagonist is a middle-grader and this is a book aimed at the same age group. Overall, it was an engaging and sufficiently informative read. I enjoyed the high readability. Young audiences will be able to connect with Garvey while gaining a good understanding of current events.
This book can be read as a standalone even though it's apparently a sequel to Garvey's Choice, which I am looking forward to checking out next, along with the author's backlist.
August 9, 2022
I read this book as an e-arc from netgalley, and despite having to struggle a bit through some very clumsy formatting, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this sequel to Garvey's Choice.
I know some people feel like it's too early to be setting books during the pandemic, but I'm not one of them. From the perspective of a kid, the pandemic has been going on a verrrrry long time. Grimes handles the pandemic aspect of the story well, from the initial confusion, to the excitement about getting an unexpected vacation, to the dawning realization that beloved activities will also be cancelled, to the fear of the health of friends and family members. Grimes' ability to weave in other current events, such as the 2020 election and the George Floyd/ Black Lives Matter protests, is equally appropriate. I appreciated the way Garvey has occasional strong feelings about what is going on in the larger world, but is usually primarily concerned about what is happening right in front of him, with friends and family.
As always, Grimes' ability to convey a lot of information and feeling into very, very few words is stunning. She is a master poet.
Highly recommended for older elementary/younger middle school kids.
I know some people feel like it's too early to be setting books during the pandemic, but I'm not one of them. From the perspective of a kid, the pandemic has been going on a verrrrry long time. Grimes handles the pandemic aspect of the story well, from the initial confusion, to the excitement about getting an unexpected vacation, to the dawning realization that beloved activities will also be cancelled, to the fear of the health of friends and family members. Grimes' ability to weave in other current events, such as the 2020 election and the George Floyd/ Black Lives Matter protests, is equally appropriate. I appreciated the way Garvey has occasional strong feelings about what is going on in the larger world, but is usually primarily concerned about what is happening right in front of him, with friends and family.
As always, Grimes' ability to convey a lot of information and feeling into very, very few words is stunning. She is a master poet.
Highly recommended for older elementary/younger middle school kids.
May 17, 2023
4.5
This book was so accurate about COVID it felt like I was reliving it, which is a good and bad thing 😅. I reflected more than I thought with Garvey's perspective on quarantine, school, and BlackLivesMatter. I hope schools use this book in the future to teach about COVID and the lockdown. Awwww I'm gonna miss Garvey and his people 😔❤️
This book was so accurate about COVID it felt like I was reliving it, which is a good and bad thing 😅. I reflected more than I thought with Garvey's perspective on quarantine, school, and BlackLivesMatter. I hope schools use this book in the future to teach about COVID and the lockdown. Awwww I'm gonna miss Garvey and his people 😔❤️
June 27, 2022
First sentence: Different. The same... That's my answer if you ask how I am after the Invisible Beast broke into our house, and our world.
Premise/plot: Garvey (from Garvey's Choice) returns for a second book in Garvey in the Dark. Garvey's life has been looking up, up, and up. Things are good, really good. He's playing music; he's singing; he's got good, solid friends; he's beginning to have a strong, solid relationship with his father; he's comfortable in his own skin. But life is about to be turned upside down because of COVID-19. The book is set in the spring and summer of 2020. The poems process his experiences and emotions.
My thoughts: I wonder if this was a book that *needed* to be written. In other words, did Nikki Grimes need to write this book in order to help process the messy-messy-mess that was 2020? Between COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests, 2020 was just...there aren't even words. There are ten billion memes but no words. Garvey, our protagonist, seems an authentic narrator who is trying day by day to survive 2020 and make sense of it all. He's got questions, doubts, worries, concerns. The poems are very straight-forward and honest. Like when his dad has COVID and he's standing outside his dad's bedroom door just listening to make sure he's still breathing. The pain is almost touchable, if that makes any sense at all.
It was not an easy read. I'm being fair, I think. I don't mean the poetry isn't wonderful. I don't. I mean reading these poems takes you right back in time and it's like you're living through 2020 a second time. Which has its pros and cons. On the one hand, I do think it's a time capsule of sorts. I also imagine that writing the poetry had its healing moments. A way to put into words your thoughts, emotions, etc. Also I think it could be a reminder that you can share your emotions and talk through your stuff. There's no reason that you *have* to keep it bottled up inside, hiding your pain and worries. Another point is that this will be an authentic way to share what it was like to future generations. On the other hand, it's like living through 2020 a second time. It took me RIGHT BACK.
Premise/plot: Garvey (from Garvey's Choice) returns for a second book in Garvey in the Dark. Garvey's life has been looking up, up, and up. Things are good, really good. He's playing music; he's singing; he's got good, solid friends; he's beginning to have a strong, solid relationship with his father; he's comfortable in his own skin. But life is about to be turned upside down because of COVID-19. The book is set in the spring and summer of 2020. The poems process his experiences and emotions.
My thoughts: I wonder if this was a book that *needed* to be written. In other words, did Nikki Grimes need to write this book in order to help process the messy-messy-mess that was 2020? Between COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests, 2020 was just...there aren't even words. There are ten billion memes but no words. Garvey, our protagonist, seems an authentic narrator who is trying day by day to survive 2020 and make sense of it all. He's got questions, doubts, worries, concerns. The poems are very straight-forward and honest. Like when his dad has COVID and he's standing outside his dad's bedroom door just listening to make sure he's still breathing. The pain is almost touchable, if that makes any sense at all.
It was not an easy read. I'm being fair, I think. I don't mean the poetry isn't wonderful. I don't. I mean reading these poems takes you right back in time and it's like you're living through 2020 a second time. Which has its pros and cons. On the one hand, I do think it's a time capsule of sorts. I also imagine that writing the poetry had its healing moments. A way to put into words your thoughts, emotions, etc. Also I think it could be a reminder that you can share your emotions and talk through your stuff. There's no reason that you *have* to keep it bottled up inside, hiding your pain and worries. Another point is that this will be an authentic way to share what it was like to future generations. On the other hand, it's like living through 2020 a second time. It took me RIGHT BACK.
November 6, 2022
Written in the TANKA poetry form (something I have recently discovered that I LOVE), this book is such a homage to Covid. Going inside the emotions of that time from masks (and making masks at home), to virtual school, to "essential" workers being exposed to COVID. Craving normalcy when the world was further reeling from racial violence, killer bees...in my state an earthquake.....I can absolutely pause, reflect, and remember these last 2 plus years. Calling it "the invisible beast" was truly an accurate description.
Covid truly knew no boundaries. People of all races, genders, sexes, and finances were affected. But this time hit us all differently. I wasn't one who was accused of being a thief when I wore a mask. (My skin color did not affect how people perceived me). I wasn't one who had loved ones get sick by the grace of God. But we all lived it. "Chronicling" it is an example of windows and mirrors. You know the ones we talk about in children's literature. ;)
It is going to be the material of books for years to come. But when they are written like Nikki Grimes....I'm okay with this! And for those who wonder about it being called a "sequel"....it did not read that way for me.
Covid truly knew no boundaries. People of all races, genders, sexes, and finances were affected. But this time hit us all differently. I wasn't one who was accused of being a thief when I wore a mask. (My skin color did not affect how people perceived me). I wasn't one who had loved ones get sick by the grace of God. But we all lived it. "Chronicling" it is an example of windows and mirrors. You know the ones we talk about in children's literature. ;)
It is going to be the material of books for years to come. But when they are written like Nikki Grimes....I'm okay with this! And for those who wonder about it being called a "sequel"....it did not read that way for me.
August 21, 2022
The early days of COVID through the eyes of a Black boy in southern California. She had me at the description of online school as being stuck in Weird Land. Hoping this book will bring some solace for kids whose families were equally impacted by the pandemic, and will build some empathy in kids whose parents were busy storming around with “Follow the Science, Unmask Our Kids” signs.
October 11, 2022
Carve out time because putting down Nikki Grimes’ books just don’t happen. I devoured this book. I love having more of Garvey’s story and having it set during the pandemic and George Floyd as well was a good surprise. This was a fantastic read and kids will really enjoy seeing their history on the page.
September 13, 2023
the sequel to Garvey's Choice...a must read to see a child's perspective on the pandemic. Yes, it was hard for adults, but seeing it through a child's eyes was very impactful. COVID was and still is a thing and as a society we shouldn't pretend it doesn't exist
October 28, 2022
This would be great for so many settings. I can also see an SEL book club for middle schoolers.
March 12, 2023
I have read books recently and thought "It's too soon to go back to Covid." This book was not too soon or too much. I loved the timeline in the beginning that relates to Garvey's experiences during lockdown; it will help students understand where his roller-coaster of emotions come from. There's an interesting explanation of the tanka poetry form at the end. Finished this book and went immediately to the shelf for Garvey's Choice!
April 3, 2023
So beautifully written. I did not want this to end, and I cannot believe I lived through a time (COVID-19) that is now featured in literature. It’s still mind blowing.
July 10, 2024
As a teacher who finished student teaching and started her career in the pandemic, I felt so seen through the experience of Garvey’s mom.
December 3, 2022
Poignant reliving of the first months of the Covid outbreak through the eyes of a brown boy in Southern California and in verse. This thoughtful and emotive tale was more vivid as seen through the eyes of this brave lad. Bravo!
November 25, 2024
This book is about a young boy named Garvey, who is trying his best to navigate the emotional challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, finding comfort in his love for music and the support of his friends. As he deals with feelings of isolation and uncertainty, he is also facing the realities of racial injustice happening around him. In the classroom I think this book can help students process their own feelings about the pandemic and explore themes like isolation, coping with change, and family relationships. It can be a valuable tool for discussing the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and how personal passions can help us cope during tough times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2022
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book won via Goodreads Giveaways.
I wasn’t sure what to expect reading a pandemic-related story so soon, but I’m glad that I did. I enjoyed these stories. Garvey, the family characters, and all stories were very relatable. Personal bonus: I learned about tanka poetry!
I wasn’t sure what to expect reading a pandemic-related story so soon, but I’m glad that I did. I enjoyed these stories. Garvey, the family characters, and all stories were very relatable. Personal bonus: I learned about tanka poetry!
September 17, 2022
No one can doubt that the last few years—COVID years—presented an especially traumatic time for our students. While children were not becoming sick from the coronavirus in the same numbers as adults, the impact—present and future—of the pandemic on our students cannot be measured. Children have been worrying about sick and vulnerable relatives and friends and suffering grief over the death of loved ones. For a long time, they were isolated from friends, relatives, and their communities and were learning through long-distance without a teacher’s supportive presence—a hand on the shoulder, a smile, some personal words—to encourage them.
GARVEY IN THE DARK, Nikki Grimes’ sequel, or more accurately, companion novel to GARVEY’S CHOICE, shares the first six months of the pandemic in the lives of Garvey and his family and friends in southern California where the first case was diagnosed on January 25, 2020.
Readers will identify with Garvey and feel comforted that they were not alone in their experiences. They will empathize with him when his father contracts COVID and applaud when he uses his musical talent, discovered in GARVEY’S CHOICE, to give hope to hospital patients, as he did with his COVID-stricken father.
Like his teacher-mother, Garvey worries about the children on the school lunch programs, he commiserates with his sister who is missing her sports (not really Garvey’s thing), he comforts his best friend whose grandmother is in the hospital, and he waits for “normal” to return.
I rip off my mask—
two months into lockdown—and
glare at Mom, thinking
“Remember how you said we’d
Get back to normal? When? WHEN?” (75, ARC)
In the midst of this time period, George Floyd is killed, and Garvey knows, “Our black skin makes us all kin.” (132, ARC) And then Breonna Taylor “and way too many others.” (142, ARC) Because of their family quarantine, Garvey and his sister can’t join the protests and marches for justice, but his mother points out that there will be other protests. “sadly, injustice isn’t going anywhere.” (143, ARC) and his father says,
Son. Marching’s not the
only way to let folks know
our lives matter, too.
We can show the world that each
day in how we live, what we
say; the dignity
we carry ourselves with, and
the respect we show
one another.
Then, when there
are protests again, we’ll go. (163-4, ARC)
GARVEY IN THE DARK, again told through tanka poetry, recounts Garvey’s story which is all our stories, and lets our readers know they were, and are, not alone.
GARVEY IN THE DARK, Nikki Grimes’ sequel, or more accurately, companion novel to GARVEY’S CHOICE, shares the first six months of the pandemic in the lives of Garvey and his family and friends in southern California where the first case was diagnosed on January 25, 2020.
Readers will identify with Garvey and feel comforted that they were not alone in their experiences. They will empathize with him when his father contracts COVID and applaud when he uses his musical talent, discovered in GARVEY’S CHOICE, to give hope to hospital patients, as he did with his COVID-stricken father.
Like his teacher-mother, Garvey worries about the children on the school lunch programs, he commiserates with his sister who is missing her sports (not really Garvey’s thing), he comforts his best friend whose grandmother is in the hospital, and he waits for “normal” to return.
I rip off my mask—
two months into lockdown—and
glare at Mom, thinking
“Remember how you said we’d
Get back to normal? When? WHEN?” (75, ARC)
In the midst of this time period, George Floyd is killed, and Garvey knows, “Our black skin makes us all kin.” (132, ARC) And then Breonna Taylor “and way too many others.” (142, ARC) Because of their family quarantine, Garvey and his sister can’t join the protests and marches for justice, but his mother points out that there will be other protests. “sadly, injustice isn’t going anywhere.” (143, ARC) and his father says,
Son. Marching’s not the
only way to let folks know
our lives matter, too.
We can show the world that each
day in how we live, what we
say; the dignity
we carry ourselves with, and
the respect we show
one another.
Then, when there
are protests again, we’ll go. (163-4, ARC)
GARVEY IN THE DARK, again told through tanka poetry, recounts Garvey’s story which is all our stories, and lets our readers know they were, and are, not alone.
July 18, 2022
Reviewed from an ARC from the publisher.
Nikki Grimes excels with what she does best in this companion book about Garvey - she tells The Truth.
Reading like a diary or journal, young teen Garvey describes things he did to cope with the fear, isolation, and frustration he felt during the drastic lockdown period of Covid-19 (from February through summer 2020). Told in tanka (Japanese poetry that translates as "short song" and is told in a five-line 5/7/5/7/7 syllable count form), Grimes has chosen to focus more on the action of the story with mood taking a secondary place of importance. This book reads quickly and will attract all kinds of readers - slow readers, reluctant readers, and highly skilled readers alike.
In her author acknowledgements, Grimes describes how she meticulously researched this topic - reaching out to teachers, parents, hospital staff, technology experts, and survivors of Covid - to ensure authenticity of the actions of all characters in the story. It captures this period of time so well that would be a welcome addition to a time-capsule - to be opened in years to come. While it may be too close to home for some readers to read it at this time because it is too much like their own experience, others will see themselves in this book and find it comforting to know that they were not alone during this period of isolation - that others felt the same emotions and had the same experiences. Many authors are now publishing their "Covid books" (books written during the time of Covid that capture their feelings about the time); it is refreshing to see Grimes has chosen to keep her Covid book specifically set in this period of time - how it felt to be a teen living through this horrible time. Bravo!
This would be a great book to open a discussion about Covid or to compare with other time periods of distress for teens - particularly ones associated with diseases (typhoid, yellow fever, etc.) Now that we are (hopefully) on the other side of the pandemic, it would be interesting to assign students to write an essay about their Covid experience to compare.
Highly Recommended for grades 4-7.
Note to the publisher: Several places in the book, it appears a space is lacking between words: p.77, line 4 after "Okay."; p. 79, line 14 after "...babies."; p.85, line 9 after "I'm tired of..."; p.90, line 13 after "...send?".
Nikki Grimes excels with what she does best in this companion book about Garvey - she tells The Truth.
Reading like a diary or journal, young teen Garvey describes things he did to cope with the fear, isolation, and frustration he felt during the drastic lockdown period of Covid-19 (from February through summer 2020). Told in tanka (Japanese poetry that translates as "short song" and is told in a five-line 5/7/5/7/7 syllable count form), Grimes has chosen to focus more on the action of the story with mood taking a secondary place of importance. This book reads quickly and will attract all kinds of readers - slow readers, reluctant readers, and highly skilled readers alike.
In her author acknowledgements, Grimes describes how she meticulously researched this topic - reaching out to teachers, parents, hospital staff, technology experts, and survivors of Covid - to ensure authenticity of the actions of all characters in the story. It captures this period of time so well that would be a welcome addition to a time-capsule - to be opened in years to come. While it may be too close to home for some readers to read it at this time because it is too much like their own experience, others will see themselves in this book and find it comforting to know that they were not alone during this period of isolation - that others felt the same emotions and had the same experiences. Many authors are now publishing their "Covid books" (books written during the time of Covid that capture their feelings about the time); it is refreshing to see Grimes has chosen to keep her Covid book specifically set in this period of time - how it felt to be a teen living through this horrible time. Bravo!
This would be a great book to open a discussion about Covid or to compare with other time periods of distress for teens - particularly ones associated with diseases (typhoid, yellow fever, etc.) Now that we are (hopefully) on the other side of the pandemic, it would be interesting to assign students to write an essay about their Covid experience to compare.
Highly Recommended for grades 4-7.
Note to the publisher: Several places in the book, it appears a space is lacking between words: p.77, line 4 after "Okay."; p. 79, line 14 after "...babies."; p.85, line 9 after "I'm tired of..."; p.90, line 13 after "...send?".
November 12, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this sequel to Garvey's Choice, Garvey and his family have to deal with the events of March 2020 and the early Pandemic. Garvey has finally made some peace with his father, who is super interested in sports, and connected with him over music, since Garvey is not interested in sports, but would rather write or sing. His sister Angie is on a volleyball team and loves to run and play soccer. When his mother comes home with a ton of her school supplies and tells the children that school has been canceled, they aren't quite sure what she means, even though there has been some talk about a disease making its rounds. When the governor of California shuts down all the schools, Garvey and his mother go the grocery store, and things at home change in the ways they did for many of us. School goes online, but since his father installs WiFi in people's houses, he is considered essential and continues to work. Late in the school year the murder of George Floyd rocks the world, and Garvey and his friend Manny want to protest, but are concerned about COVID. Both Manny's grandmother and Garvey's father get the disease, adding to their stress. Will Garvey be able to retain the connection with his father through all of the turmoil of 2020?
Strengths: Grimes does a great job of writing tanakas and using them to tell Garvey's story in an actually poetic way. The details about 2020 will ring true to middle grade readers for whom two years ago seems like a long time. A lot of different threads are woven together well, and seeing each family member, as well as Manny, deal with COVID and other struggles of the time in different ways is illuminating.
Weaknesses: Readers who don't remember the pandemic would benefit from more details about schooling from home, etc. to help this make sense. And yes, I would classify any books about the COVID pandemic lockdown as historical fiction!
What I really think: This is a good pandemic novel if you want another title to go along with Walters' Don't Stand So Close to Me and Yang's New From Here.
In this sequel to Garvey's Choice, Garvey and his family have to deal with the events of March 2020 and the early Pandemic. Garvey has finally made some peace with his father, who is super interested in sports, and connected with him over music, since Garvey is not interested in sports, but would rather write or sing. His sister Angie is on a volleyball team and loves to run and play soccer. When his mother comes home with a ton of her school supplies and tells the children that school has been canceled, they aren't quite sure what she means, even though there has been some talk about a disease making its rounds. When the governor of California shuts down all the schools, Garvey and his mother go the grocery store, and things at home change in the ways they did for many of us. School goes online, but since his father installs WiFi in people's houses, he is considered essential and continues to work. Late in the school year the murder of George Floyd rocks the world, and Garvey and his friend Manny want to protest, but are concerned about COVID. Both Manny's grandmother and Garvey's father get the disease, adding to their stress. Will Garvey be able to retain the connection with his father through all of the turmoil of 2020?
Strengths: Grimes does a great job of writing tanakas and using them to tell Garvey's story in an actually poetic way. The details about 2020 will ring true to middle grade readers for whom two years ago seems like a long time. A lot of different threads are woven together well, and seeing each family member, as well as Manny, deal with COVID and other struggles of the time in different ways is illuminating.
Weaknesses: Readers who don't remember the pandemic would benefit from more details about schooling from home, etc. to help this make sense. And yes, I would classify any books about the COVID pandemic lockdown as historical fiction!
What I really think: This is a good pandemic novel if you want another title to go along with Walters' Don't Stand So Close to Me and Yang's New From Here.
June 22, 2022
I was introduced to Nikki Grimes through Masquerade this year as part of my 8th grade scripted curriculum. The one good thing about the scripted curriculum was that it was pretty diverse in its offerings AND it always had a fictional short story, a nonfiction text, poetry and a compare/contrast section in each themed unit. So it wasn't all bad by any means. Back to Nikki Grimes, I have no idea how Nikki's works have eluded me for so long, but I devoured Masquerade after reading parts of it in our textbook. So when I saw this novel in verse, I had to read it.
I can tell you that as a teacher during the pandemic, this novel 110% reflects my experience. It was almost like reliving those days again. I feel seen. The struggle was real and it's accurately depicted in these lines. I also feel like Garvey's family could have been any of my students' families during that time. His story matches my son's feelings and emotions during the time and he had a big sis who was feeling trapped too.
What I loved:
The feels - this felt like my family's story (or very close to it).
The poetry - Grimes uses the tanka form of poetry throughout each stanza - lots of unpacking with this that you could use in the classroom.
Mood is a key part of each poem - also could be great to analyze in the classroom.
What was real vs what is fiction - great way to teach fact vs fiction in the classroom
Coping - there are several coping mechanism in this novel that can be found and discussed
Current events
Literary allusions
This book is a middle school teacher's dream to teach. I already have ideas of pairing it with Fever 1793 for next year. Can also be paired with Ghost Boys. Lucky for me, I have 15 copies of each that I can use to partner this with!
I can tell you that as a teacher during the pandemic, this novel 110% reflects my experience. It was almost like reliving those days again. I feel seen. The struggle was real and it's accurately depicted in these lines. I also feel like Garvey's family could have been any of my students' families during that time. His story matches my son's feelings and emotions during the time and he had a big sis who was feeling trapped too.
What I loved:
The feels - this felt like my family's story (or very close to it).
The poetry - Grimes uses the tanka form of poetry throughout each stanza - lots of unpacking with this that you could use in the classroom.
Mood is a key part of each poem - also could be great to analyze in the classroom.
What was real vs what is fiction - great way to teach fact vs fiction in the classroom
Coping - there are several coping mechanism in this novel that can be found and discussed
Current events
Literary allusions
This book is a middle school teacher's dream to teach. I already have ideas of pairing it with Fever 1793 for next year. Can also be paired with Ghost Boys. Lucky for me, I have 15 copies of each that I can use to partner this with!
August 21, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the early copy of this book.
Written in verse, this is the story of a family in California in early 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic entered the country and everyone's lives.
I love the characters and seeing how the pandemic impacted Garvey and his friends. It made me wonder how the teens, my own included, processed what we were going through, especially in the early days. While we were thrown together more as a family, were we available for the children or were we too wrapped up in our own worries and pressures that we were actually less connected and less aware of how they were being impacted. I am a teacher and I very much related to the mom in the story. I also couldn't help but flashback to so many of the fears and decisions we made in an attempt to keep ourselves and our family safe.
As COVID-19 stories begin to appear on the shelves, I wonder whether kids will be ready for them. Do they want to read a book about a historical event that impacted them in such a traumatic way? My father, a WWII vet, used to avoid movies and books about the war. He would say he lived it and didn't need to live it again. The memory of this conversation with him goes through my head every time I read a book about a lived experience of my own and those of my students.
The biggest issue I had was that the formatting of verse novels and graphic novels seem to always be super wonky on my kindle when I download from NetGalley and I prefer not to read on the app on my phone so reading this was a little challenging at times. With that said, I devoured it in less than 24 hours. This is definitely a book I will add to the collection.
Written in verse, this is the story of a family in California in early 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic entered the country and everyone's lives.
I love the characters and seeing how the pandemic impacted Garvey and his friends. It made me wonder how the teens, my own included, processed what we were going through, especially in the early days. While we were thrown together more as a family, were we available for the children or were we too wrapped up in our own worries and pressures that we were actually less connected and less aware of how they were being impacted. I am a teacher and I very much related to the mom in the story. I also couldn't help but flashback to so many of the fears and decisions we made in an attempt to keep ourselves and our family safe.
As COVID-19 stories begin to appear on the shelves, I wonder whether kids will be ready for them. Do they want to read a book about a historical event that impacted them in such a traumatic way? My father, a WWII vet, used to avoid movies and books about the war. He would say he lived it and didn't need to live it again. The memory of this conversation with him goes through my head every time I read a book about a lived experience of my own and those of my students.
The biggest issue I had was that the formatting of verse novels and graphic novels seem to always be super wonky on my kindle when I download from NetGalley and I prefer not to read on the app on my phone so reading this was a little challenging at times. With that said, I devoured it in less than 24 hours. This is definitely a book I will add to the collection.
November 13, 2022
The setting for Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes will seem familiar to today’s readers who have experienced all of Covid and its fallout. Looking ahead to future readers, it will become historical and give a picture of the great pandemic to generations to come who did not live through it. From the beginning of the crisis, Garvey looks to a short holiday from school that turns into a long term problem with his mother figuring out how to teach remotely, his father allowed to work as an essential until he contracts Covid, and newscasts filled with the history of Emmitt Till and present day Breonna Taylor.
Woven skillfully into that setting, the likeable protagonist Garvey deals with relationships with friends, family, and community that are common to every generation. The extras come in episodes like the night his father comes home with face masks and the demand, “You go anywhere, you wear these. Clear?” Garvey’s take is “This Dad’s a little scary.” His dad becomes even more scary when he comes down with a severe case of Covid.
In signature Nikki Grimes fashion, tiny phrases produce a big picture in an amusing way. She introduces Garvey’s friend as “just Emmanuel, or Manny for short, the other tenor from chorus who sings in the key of we.”
All of this hopeful novel in verse is written in the ancient Japanese poetry form called tanka. Nikki’s description of the form and the way she used it is described in the delightful back matter. The book is worth reading once for the story line and again to see how Nikki used the tanka to make it sing. Middle graders through adults will enjoy this book.
Woven skillfully into that setting, the likeable protagonist Garvey deals with relationships with friends, family, and community that are common to every generation. The extras come in episodes like the night his father comes home with face masks and the demand, “You go anywhere, you wear these. Clear?” Garvey’s take is “This Dad’s a little scary.” His dad becomes even more scary when he comes down with a severe case of Covid.
In signature Nikki Grimes fashion, tiny phrases produce a big picture in an amusing way. She introduces Garvey’s friend as “just Emmanuel, or Manny for short, the other tenor from chorus who sings in the key of we.”
All of this hopeful novel in verse is written in the ancient Japanese poetry form called tanka. Nikki’s description of the form and the way she used it is described in the delightful back matter. The book is worth reading once for the story line and again to see how Nikki used the tanka to make it sing. Middle graders through adults will enjoy this book.
February 10, 2023
Thank you to Follet Learning for providing me with an Advanced Reader copy of the book!
Garvey has so many interests and talents, and one of his biggest comforts is the time he spends with his dad learning guitar. When news about a virus initially makes its way to California, Garvey does not really notice. But in March, when his state goes into lockdown, these distant problems become a reality. In addition to worrying about when things can go back to normal, Garvey and his family are reeling for what has happened in America--the death of George Floyd and the protests asking for justice. Garvey is thrown into asking--what can one voice do?
"Nothing about racism is fair, or right, or past tense." This quote really resonated with me and I think it underlines the sentiment of the story. When I started reading this novel, I think (as many people probably feel) that it felt almost too soon. Should we really be writing about the pandemic and coronavirus when its impact is still present? 2020 was an experience like no other, and it's so hard to revisit emotions from that time period. However, I appreciated how delicately Grimes captured the emotions surrounding both the coronavirus lockdown and the protests that came in response to George Floyd's death. She really emphasizes how emotional a time this was for everyone, while also demonstrating the power that people have to create change and make an impact. I also appreciated that this was in the Japanese poetry form Tanka--it added so much depth to the poetry.
Garvey has so many interests and talents, and one of his biggest comforts is the time he spends with his dad learning guitar. When news about a virus initially makes its way to California, Garvey does not really notice. But in March, when his state goes into lockdown, these distant problems become a reality. In addition to worrying about when things can go back to normal, Garvey and his family are reeling for what has happened in America--the death of George Floyd and the protests asking for justice. Garvey is thrown into asking--what can one voice do?
"Nothing about racism is fair, or right, or past tense." This quote really resonated with me and I think it underlines the sentiment of the story. When I started reading this novel, I think (as many people probably feel) that it felt almost too soon. Should we really be writing about the pandemic and coronavirus when its impact is still present? 2020 was an experience like no other, and it's so hard to revisit emotions from that time period. However, I appreciated how delicately Grimes captured the emotions surrounding both the coronavirus lockdown and the protests that came in response to George Floyd's death. She really emphasizes how emotional a time this was for everyone, while also demonstrating the power that people have to create change and make an impact. I also appreciated that this was in the Japanese poetry form Tanka--it added so much depth to the poetry.
June 19, 2022
A return to Garvey’s life in Garvey in the Dark.
🎸
Garvey is finally in a good place with his dad and has two close friends. Things are going along great until a mysterious disease named COVID19 starts causing businesses and schools to shut down. When Garvey’s dad is diagnosed with the illness, his family worries night and day that he might not survive it. Through music and hope Garvey shines his light on those around him during this difficult time.
🎸
I loved Garvey’s Choice so when I saw he was returning I wanted an ARC immediately! This MG novel in verse used tanka poetry throughout and brings us back to a sweet boy whose inspiration makes our world a better place. Garvey in the Dark releases October 4!
CW: pandemic, COVID19, hospitalization, illness, racism, police brutality
Great, but not as good as book 1. 4⭐️
🎸
Garvey is finally in a good place with his dad and has two close friends. Things are going along great until a mysterious disease named COVID19 starts causing businesses and schools to shut down. When Garvey’s dad is diagnosed with the illness, his family worries night and day that he might not survive it. Through music and hope Garvey shines his light on those around him during this difficult time.
🎸
I loved Garvey’s Choice so when I saw he was returning I wanted an ARC immediately! This MG novel in verse used tanka poetry throughout and brings us back to a sweet boy whose inspiration makes our world a better place. Garvey in the Dark releases October 4!
CW: pandemic, COVID19, hospitalization, illness, racism, police brutality
Great, but not as good as book 1. 4⭐️
December 2, 2022
(I didn't realize this was a sequel or I would have read that first, however, whatever happened in the first one did not have any significant bearing on this one that I could see so it didn't end up mattering in the end.)
In-Verse is a bit hit or miss for me so keep that in mind.
That being said, I'm not sure if this book would appeal to kids all that much, not because the topic is a little heavy given how much COVID might have affected them - though that definitely should be kept in mind when considering giving it to a kid - but because it reads a lot like a checklist of things that occurred in the first several months of 2020. For kids who actually lived through it and have a decent memory it doesn't add much to stand out.
They most likely recall how they felt in those moments enough on their own and Garvey doesn't offer a new perspective or insight into these events. The fact that it is in-verse means there isn't a lot of deep dive into any particular facet. It's like an average kids' guide to COVID 2020 and I'm not sure many kids would find it interesting without another big draw or gimmick to the concept.
In-Verse is a bit hit or miss for me so keep that in mind.
That being said, I'm not sure if this book would appeal to kids all that much, not because the topic is a little heavy given how much COVID might have affected them - though that definitely should be kept in mind when considering giving it to a kid - but because it reads a lot like a checklist of things that occurred in the first several months of 2020. For kids who actually lived through it and have a decent memory it doesn't add much to stand out.
They most likely recall how they felt in those moments enough on their own and Garvey doesn't offer a new perspective or insight into these events. The fact that it is in-verse means there isn't a lot of deep dive into any particular facet. It's like an average kids' guide to COVID 2020 and I'm not sure many kids would find it interesting without another big draw or gimmick to the concept.
June 29, 2023
In terms of kid lit I’ve read about the COVID pandemic, this was not my very favorite. The author touches on a lot of important things, but they didn’t feel very well-explored. I read another review that said this read like a checklist of things that happened during the early pandemic, not necessarily like a narrative, which I agree with. Because it’s written as a novel in verse, which is often hit or miss for me, I think that a lot of the explanations and context for 2020 was missing. In a few years, when the kids reading middle grade fiction won’t remember living through the pandemic pick up this book, I don’t think they’ll properly get the feelings of the time. Mid 2020 had both the pandemic and the wave of protests against racial injustice, and while this book does touch on the main character’s feelings on both, it could have been elaborated upon more.
July 10, 2023
3.5 stars for this book in verse, for ages 8-12. This story takes place during the first months of the Covid 19 lockdown, and is a very fast read. Nikki Grimes uses the Japanese poetry form, Tanka (author's note at the end!) which has 5 lines. Many of the pages only has one of these. Others pages have multiple stanzas. There is a great timeline at the beginning that was fascinating to read. The book itself is so quick that it doesn't plunge you back into the pandemic. Serious issues are addressed, of course, and the killing/murder of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd are included. The closeness that grows in Garvey's family is an important theme. There are several times when the break between stanzas is in the middle of a line, and I wish she could have avoided that. Overall a feel-good book about a very dark time.
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