Words With Wings, Nikki Grimes

Explain This, Please

Mom names me for a creature with wings, then wonders what makes my thoughts fly.

Gabby has been a daydreamer for as long as she can remember, but when her parents began arguing, daydreaming became as essential as breathing. At first an escape, it's now taken over her life.

In her new home with only her mother, Gabby misses the way their family used to be. In her new school, she's always alone. The kids see her as Shy Girl Who Lives Inside Her Head and tease her. Her teacher keeps telling her to pay attention, while her mother scolds her for drifting off.

Will Gabby ever find a way to keep her thoughts grounded? Or could her day dreams help her take flight?

Coretta Scott King Award