Bibliography Grimes, Nikki. 2007. When Gorilla Goes Walking. Ill. by Shane Evans. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 9780439317702 Plot Summary This simple story of a girl named Cecilia and her cat, Gorilla, is told through a series of poems. The personalities of the little girl and her cat shine through the sweet, rhythmic poems and vibrant illustrations. The unique, funny, loving relationship between Cecilia and Gorilla will appeal to readers of all ages. Critical Analysis In this book, a series of poems describes the personalities and relationship between Cecilia and her cat, Gorilla. The poems vary in style and mood throughout the book, helping the reader to connect to the characters. Poems range from a haiku to rhyming couplets, each varying in length and mood, creating a vivid picture of Cecilia and her life with Gorilla. One element of the poems that stands out is Grimes’ use of language that is simple and childlike. It is easy to read and understand, and completes the perspective of young Cecilia as she tells about her cat, and inadvertently the events of her own life. Throughout the poems the language ranges from playful and silly, to melancholy as Cecilia describes her cat and events in her own life. We see Cecilia go through ups and downs from walking the fierce Gorilla through the neighborhood, to her best friend moving away. The language of the poems is expressive and creates a different feeling for each poem. In “Chase,” the reader can almost feel Gorilla chasing after the fly, and in “Comfort,” the sadness Cecilia feels after her best friend moves away is tangible. The personalities of each character are brought to life, and Grimes’ does an excellent job of describing the playful, silly, stubborn, loving relationship between a pet and his/her owner. The illustrations bring the story to life with their simple lines and bold colors. The emotions and personalities of the characters shine in Evans’ wonderful artwork. The illustrations paired with Grimes’ uncanny ability to capture the personality of a cat and her owner will entice and capture the hearts of even the youngest readers. Overall, this book is a wonderful, and fun, introduction to poetry that young children will enjoy. Response Being a cat owner myself, this book of poetry had great appeal to me. I thought the author, Grimes, did a wonderful job of using poetry and language to capture not only the personalities of the two characters, but also the dynamic of the relationship between them. Any pet owner can empathize with the feelings Cecilia has about her cat, Gorilla. Children will be able to make connections to the events that happen in Cecilia’s life, from getting into trouble to having a friend move away. This book is a great and simple introduction into poetry that will appeal to readers of all ages. Honors Bank Street Best Books for Children 2009 California Readers Collection Reviews “Enormous, lively illustrations are paired with an equally bouncy text in this winning picture book. In a series of delightful poems, a girl introduces her cat, Gorilla, and describes her pet's many interests, talents, and behaviors. A fierce meow,/a tiger's claws–/Gorilla ain't/no Santa Paws….She has no tail./She's rain-cloud gray./I love that cool cat/more each day. While the feline is decidedly the star of this show, Cecilia also shares tidbits about her own life, such as getting into trouble for making a mess and feeling sad when her best friend moves away. The rich and rewarding relationship enjoyed by cat and human comes through loud and clear. From a breathless entry about the animal chasing a fly, to an elegant haiku (Gorilla gazes/into a puddle. Does she/know she's beautiful?), the poems vary in style and mood. Grimes's use of language and point of view are consistently refreshing and childlike. The bold cartoon artwork endearingly portrays the African-American narrator and her smoke-colored pet as they play together, comfort one another, and experience life's ups and downs. This book is an excellent choice for cat lovers, budding poetry enthusiasts, and just about any reader who enjoys a fun-filled romp with words.” -- School Library Journal “In interlinked poems, Cecilia, a young African American girl, introduces her "cool cat,"---a fierce, tailless, gray shorthair named Gorilla. Written in a variety of forms, from rhyming couplets to haiku, the poems celebrate Gorilla's idiosyncrasies and "everycat" habits. Grimes' skillfully chosen sounds and rhythms echo the distinctly feline behavior, from erratic, zooming action--"skate 'cross the floor. / Sail by the window, / leap through the door"--to soothing, purring comforts: "Gorilla raised a paw / and pet me." In spare, expressive lines and bold colors, Evans' dynamic paintings capture the messy intimacy of the cat and human bond. Also evident is the sense that Gorilla isn't just a pet; she's also a mirror. Like many children, Cecilia sees her own best and worst qualities in her bossy, beautiful cat, who is, she says, "like stubborn me." A fill-the-page portrait of dreadlocked, brown Cecelia, arm and arm with a blue-eyed, white best friend opens this playful, insightful poetry collection (classified as fiction) with an image of open-hearted friendship.” -- Booklist (starred review) “A girl's keen and loving observations of her audacious, "rain-cloud gray" cat—the Gorilla of the title—are the inspiration for this wonderful suite of poems by Grimes (Dark Sons). The book also serves as a kind of primer on poetry, proving that the medium is infinite in its versatility; Grimes offers up everything from multi-stanza paeans (both rhyming and not) to a sort of haiku ("Gorilla gazes/ into a puddle. Does she/ know she's beautiful—"). Her word choices are always lively and evoke an appropriately feline combination of affection and entitlement ("I scratch Gorilla's belly when/ she commandeers my lap"). Of course, it helps to have such a rich subject—Gorilla loves to fight with Ivy, cuddle on a sick bed, interrupt homework, eat soul food and pine for a tom cat. Evans's (Here We Go Round) poster-like paintings are the perfect accompaniment—the illustrator beautifully captures the many moods of both the supremely confident Gorilla and her adoring mistress. A winner for youngsters, cat fans and poetry lovers of all ages.” -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) Connections
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AuthorMy name is Mrs. Scott and I'm a secondary Media Resource Specialist (librarian) in Texas. This blog was created as part of my graduate coursework at Texas Woman's University. All reviews and opinions are my own.
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