Well-versed in real life

Danette Goulet

COSTA MESA -- With her books lining the stage behind her, children’s

author Nikki Grimes shared her work and inspiration with students at

Sonora Elementary School on Thursday.

“Words are magical, powerful things that you can use in a good way or

bad,” Grimes told students.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for her popular poetry book, “Meet

Danitra Brown,” Grimes spoke of her love affair with books and her escape

into writing.

The presentation was part of the districtwide Authors Festival 2000,

designed to encourage children in their reading and writing.

After meeting and talking to the author, having an opportunity to ask

questions of her -- the woman behind the words became a person rather

than a name on a page.

“Schools invite authors from all around the country that come and share

with children to make it real,” said Lorie Hoggard, principal at Sonora.

“It then becomes personal.”

Students, who have been working on their own writing skills, were

intrigued by Grimes and the entire process of writing a book.

They wanted to know when she began writing, how she came up with ideas,

if her books and poems were based on herself, if she drew the pictures,

how many books she had written, and so on.

“Most of the stories I write are about real life -- things that happened

to me or my friends,” she told students. “So if you have a friend who

wants to be an author, you’d better be on your best behavior.”

Grimes, who has been writing since she was 6, said she found solace in

writing when she was angry or down. She said she loved to read, but very

few of the books were about African Americans or the city life she knew

in Harlem.

So it became her desire to write books that would speak to children like

her. In her alphabet book, “C is For City,” there are no farm animals.

As Grimes finished reading her book, “Wild Wild Hair,” which was

accompanied by a slide show of the story, a spontaneous shout of “do it

again” came from somewhere in the second-grade audience.

“My favorite was the one where the girl didn’t like to get her hair

done,” said 8-year-old Joanna Toqiantzi. “I loved it -- it was so funny.”