Review by Christi De Leon
a.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Woodson, Jacqueline. Locomotion. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2003. ISBN 9780142415529
b.
SUMMARY & CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Through a series of sixty poems, Locomotion tells the story of an
eleven-year-old boy named Lonnie who previously lost his parents in a fire.
Lonnie expresses many different emotions as he copes with the heartbreak over
his parents and the bond with his sister, Lili. He also shares his perspective at
school and how his teacher has helped him convey his feelings through writing
poetry.
This book, filled with energy and emotions,
tells a moving story through the use of poetry. Protagonist, Lonnie, voices
himself lyrically in a way that matches his thoughts and feelings. Through
Lonnie’s experiences, poet Jacqueline Woodson ultimately shares the power of
poetry along the way. This is evident in many ways, including the influence of
a teacher who encourages Lonnie to write poems to express himself. Other
characters, like Lili, also share how they see the world through poetry. These
details allow the reader to visualize the world through their eyes. Readers may
even learn a bit about poetry themselves from this book. One poem even refers
to famous poets, Richard Wright and Langston Hughes, by mentioning the types of
poems they have written.
Different forms of poetry are used throughout
the book including free verse, sonnets, haiku, a list poem, and more. Lonnie
mentions how he prefers free verse instead of more structured forms, such as
haiku. His opinion happens to follow the research-based trend of poetry
preference among young people. Although the poems do not typically have a
rhyming pattern, the line breaks make the poems easy to follow. Each poem
begins with a bolded, capitalized title. By quickly flipping through the pages,
readers can go back to a certain poem easily. The hint of rap is an engaging
feature that will draw kids in even more. The variety of poem topics generate the potential for
having meaningful discussions, especially with older students.
Although there is no clear description of the
setting, there are indications that the story is set in the city and that a war
is taking place. There are also clues indicating that Lonnie may have lived in
Georgia at some point. Many of the poems awaken sensory images in
various ways. The use of onomatopoeia allows the reader to hear sounds such as the
“swish” of a basketball in the net in a poem called "Latenya." Some poems, like "Pigeon," will likely give readers a good laugh. A particularly
impactful poem is called "Tuesday." In this poem, Lonnie shares how he doesn’t
want to do anything “but go somewhere and write.” He continues by saying,
“Writing makes me remember.” This sends a positive message about the greatness
of poetry and writing to young people. Although parts of Lonnie’s story are sad, the ending leaves the reader hopeful in this inspiring book.
c.
POEM TO SPOTLIGHT AND SHARE
"How I Got My Name"
By Jacqueline Woodson
Whenever that song came on that goes
Come on, baby, do the Locomotion,
Mama
would make us dance with her.
We’d do this dance called the Locomotion
when we’d bend our elbows and move
our arms in circles at our sides
Like our arms were train wheels.
I can see us doing it now—in slow motion.
Mama grinning and singing along
Saying all proud “My kids got rhythm!”
Sometimes Lili got behind me and we’d
do the Locomotion around our little living room
the song ended.
And we fell out on the couch
Laughing. Mama would say
You see why I love that song so much, Lonnie?
See why I had to make it your name?
Lonnie Collins Motion, Mama
would say
Lo Co Motion
Yeah.
This particular poem within Locomotion has a lot to offer to
readers. First, it explains the title of the book and instantly personalizes
the main character, Lonnie. For instance, it gives insight into what an
ordinary day was like in his household as a child, and the closeness amongst
his family. These ideas are essential in bringing meaning to many of the other
poems that Lonnie shares. Many students also have a story behind their name,
just as Lonnie does, and can relate to this poem in that way. The poem’s beat and
musical connection makes it catchy for children as well.
Reading this poem aloud would be a great way to
introduce students to the book in order to promote interest in further reading,
either as a class or as individuals. Playing the song “The Locomotion” by
Little Eva and allowing volunteers to act out the scene described in the poem
would also be fun for them. A possible follow-up activity could be to encourage
students to write a poem about their own name, giving each student the freedom to
use their preferred choice of poetry form.
