Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir

In this poetry memoir, Nikki Grimes recounts an unstable childhood and adolescence while tracing her growing connection to writing. Neglect and her mother’s schizophrenia led to foster care and separation from her older sister. After finding belonging with a foster family, she was returned to her mother and later experienced sexual assault by her stepfather. Her father offered support, a home, and exposure to Black cultural life. With help from her sister and an English teacher, Grimes learned to rely on herself and continued filling notebooks with words.