Lonnie (Locamotion) and his little sister Lili get separated living in different foster homes after their parents die in a fire. Lonnie decides to write letters to Lili so she won’t forget him while they are living apart. Lonnie lives with Miss Edna, who he loves and her two sons who are in Iraq. Lonnie has problems in school since his teacher won’t let him write poems, this gets resolved when he gets a new teacher that acts like a mentor/role model. Lonnie struggles with getting close with his foster family while still remembering his real family. With the arrival of his brother back from war, he works to incorporate both families in his life. This book raises problems that can be faced to children now a days. With the brother going to Iraq, children can relate to their family members and what they have to deal with. I think this book would be a helpful read to preteen children trying to deal with problems they could be facing whether it be a family member coming back from war, foster homes or even just transitions in life. Honestly, I grabbed this audio book because it was only two discs, and much to my delight, I saw that it is narrated by Dion Graham, the narrator of The First 48. I did not read the first companion book to this novel, but I decided to give it a go anyway. I thought it was a really good story, largely due to the excellent narration. Im not sure if I'd have liked this as much if I read it on paper. It's a series of letters written from Lonnie to his sister Lilly while they're living separately from one another in different foster homes. Lonnie writes to Lilly almost every day in an attempt not to forget the time they spent apart. The characterization was surprisingly in depth for an epistolary novel, a format which doesn't always lend itself to learning about secondary characters. It's hard not to fall in love with Lonnie because he's just a genuinely good boy, and Dion Graham really brought his character to life. This is a book that I'd recommend to middle and high school, boys and girls alike, and definitely reluctant readers.
What do You think about Peace, Locomotion (2009)?
using poetry throughout a book is amazing
—maher92
