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. ( )

Garvey (Garvey's Choice) returns, this time as the COVID-19 pandemic descends and the Black Lives Matter movement rises. Garvey forms a closer bond with his sister, Angie, and worries about his father when he is quarantined with the virus.

Tanka form:
Line 1: 5 syllables
Line 2: 7 syllables
Line 3: 5 syllables
Line 4: 7 syllables
Line 5: 7 syllables

See also: New From Here by Kelly Yang, Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac

Quotes

Tired of hearing we're all in
the same boat, since it's sinking. (70)

...so I can
go back to school, to chorus,
to normal, to life before

but before seems like something imaginary,
a wild fairy tale,
a dream I half remember,
one that is slipping away. (86)

I remember when
I thought Dad was so lucky
being essential.
Now I know that mostly means
you get to risk getting sick. (126) ( )

Garvey's experiences during the covid-19 pandemic and social unrest are told through short poems written in tanka form. While it hits on all the familiar milestones and aspects of this period (online schooling, not being able to see friends, bad news all the time, protests, etc.) the tone and mood come off less harrowing than how those unnerving months really felt like in 2020. ( )

Garvey 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.