Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Growin' | 1977 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 2 | Jazmin’s Notebook | 1998 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 3 | Stepping Out with Grandma Mac | 2001 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 4 | Bronx Masquerade | 2001 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 5 | Dark Sons | 2005 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 6 | The Road to Paris | 2006 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 7 | A Girl Named Mister | 2010 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 8 | Planet Middle School | 2011 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
Nikki Grimes’s standalone novels span from her 1977 debut Growin’ to Planet Middle School in 2011. The eight books cover a range of ages and formats, from prose novels for middle-grade readers to verse novels for young adults. Several have won or been nominated for major children’s literature awards.
Bronx Masquerade, which follows high school students finding their voices through an open-mic poetry session, won the Coretta Scott King Award. Dark Sons retells a biblical story through dual perspectives in verse. The Road to Paris follows a biracial girl navigating the foster care system. Each novel stands alone, but they share Grimes’s focus on identity, family, and the power of self-expression.