"[A] testimony and a triumph."--Jason Reynolds, author of Long Way Down

In her own voice, acclaimed author and poet Nikki Grimes explores the truth of a harrowing childhood in a compelling and moving memoir in verse.

Growing up with a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and a mostly absent father, Nikki Grimes found herself terrorized by babysitters, shunted from foster family to foster family, and preyed upon by those she trusted. At the age of six, she poured her pain onto a piece of paper late one night - and discovered the magic and impact of writing. For many years, Nikki's notebooks were her most enduing companions. In this accessible and inspiring memoir that will resonate with young readers and adults alike, Nikki shows how the power of those words helped her conquer the hazards - ordinary and extraordinary - of her life.

There are 336 pages in this book. This book was published 2019 by Highlights Press .

Nikki Grimes (nikkigrimes. com) received the Coretta Scott King Award for Bronx Masquerade , and has also received five Coretta Scott King Honors. She has written more than fifty books, including The Road to Paris , Jazmin's Notebook , the Dyamonde Daniel series, and the New York Times bestseller Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope . She lives in Corona, California.