Peace, Locomotion

This middle grade book is what I would term a "quiet" book. It's not a fast-paced, plot-driven story, but rather a story that gently unfolds as you turn each page. I think it will appeal to readers who don't mind a slower-paced character-driven book. Because of its epistolary format (with short chapters), it's not a difficult read, and may very well appeal to more reluctant readers. I enjoyed it very much, and have found that it has stayed with me long after I finished the book. Peace, Locomotion is told in a series of letters that are written by twelve-year-old Lonnie (Locomotion to his friends) to his little sister Lili. We learn that they are living in different foster homes, although we don't immediately know why. From the first chapter, Lonnie's voice comes through loud and clear. You can't help but like this young boy, who is sensitive, artistic and has experienced some incredible losses in his young life. He lives with Miss Edna and her two sons, although one of them--Jenkins--is over fighting in an unnamed war. Miss Edna is kind and loving to Lonnie, and we watch over the course of 134 pages as his definition of family changes to be inclusive of her, as well as Lili and her foster family. Not a lot happens in Peace, Locomotion and yet Lonnie experiences tremendous growth. He has a best friend Clyde, and their friendship is typical twelve-year-old boy stuff, and much more. On the one hand they play basketball and soccer, while on the other we learn that Clyde and his sister live with his aunt, and that his mom just drops in every now and then. Once again, pushing the definition of family to the edge. When we learn that Jenkins has gone missing from the war, the fear and worry are palpable in the house. Lonnie starts to grapple with the idea of war and peace, and all that entails. When Jenkins is eventually found, he is injured. The story depicts his re-entry into the household, shell-shocked and in a wheel chair. Woodson doesn't shy away from anything, and the story is told in spare, beautiful prose, that is absolutely appropriate for the middle grade reader. She's a wonderful writer who manages to say a lot, without a lot of words. It's an art.

Lonnie is in one foster home, and his beloved little sister Lili is in another. Lonnie deals with missing her by writing her letters which he saves, planning to give them to her when they grow up and can live together. Lili's foster mother had been willing to take a little girl but not Lonnie. Fortunately, kind Miss Edna, whose two sons are grown, took Lonnie in as her foster child.Lonnie and Lili, whose parents died in a fire, are able to see each other occasionally. Lonnie's life improves under Miss Edna's care and he gradually becomes happier as revealed through his letters. He also becomes more concerned about war and peace as he matures and feels concern for Miss Edna's son Jenkins who is fighting as a soldier. When Jenkins returns home wounded,Lonnie learns about the personal costs of war first-hand. In this epistolary novel, the author makes her protagonist seem absolutely real. She reveals Lonnie's love for his old family, his new family and especially his sister through his open prose.The protagonist matures in his thinking as he writes of his experiences to his little sister. The author shows true insight into the thinking processes of a young boy.

A few years ago, the always wonderful and inspirational Jacqueline Woodson came out with her book, Locomotion, the story of a young boy dealing with losing his parents, being new to foster care, and being separated from his sister, through the writing of poetry. This follow-up entitled Peace, Locomotion continues the story of Lonnie and his sister, though this time through Lonnie's letters to Lili. Lonnie is now twelve and has started getting used to living with Miss Edna, enjoying his time in her home and in having two older brothers. His younger sister Lili is still living across town in a different foster home, causing Lonnie to decide to write down all the events in their lives, so when they're together again, they can have an account of of their time apart. Through his letters we learn that Lonnie's foster brother is serving in the war in the Middle East and has been declared missing. The word "peace" begins to take on a whole new meaning to Lonnie, at first simply being a manner of saying goodbye to Lili in his letters, now becoming an incredibly important part of his life. He begins to want peace in regards to the war, and also peace within himself as memories of his family together continue to linger and cause contant heartache. Another beautifully written story by Woodson. The cover is beautiful and conveys the title perfectly. Lonnie's letters are written with the mind of a child, yet show the maturity Lonnie has been forced to exhibit because of his situation. The love for his sister is glowing throughout each letter and the touching accounts of their visits together are beautiful.

Peace, Locomotion is a hopefully book that speaks of the different definitions of family. Biological family, foster family, and your country. I believe the book is set around current issues but really it's relevant for any time period. I hadn't realized when I started reading, that this is a companion book to the book, Locomotion, but I felt it had to power to stand alone just fine. The book is a series of letters that Lonnie Collins Motion aka Locomotion writes to his little sister Lili. After losing their parents in a fire they are put into separate foster homes and don't get to see each other as often as they would like it. In his letters Lonnie tells his sister all about his life, his classes, his poetry, his friends and also his foster family who has a son in the war. I thought this was a sweet book that deals with some heavy issues in a very hopeful way. It made me smile but also made me a little teary eyed. The character of Lonnie is wise beyond his years and his love for his sister and foster family is touching. It's inspiring to see what a good person he remains after having to deal with so much at a very young age. The author has captured his voice perfectly.

As soon as I saw this book, I knew it was going to be good. I can't say how - perhaps it was the cover or the description - but I knew. And Peace, Locomotion stood up to my expectations. Peace, Locomotion is only about 120 pages long but it tackles more emotion and life's hard lessons better than most books twice it's length. Lonnie is a character that I'm sure we can all relate to. Though he's not the smartest kid in town, he often thinks about things many people may over-look, including Peace. The entire novel is told only in letters to Lonnie's little sister (who lives in a separate foster home) so you hear less about his life and current actions which makes the characters a little less developed than what I would have liked. Despite that, I think Peace, Locomotion is a book that everyone should read. It's thought-provoking and intelligent and something everyone will enjoy.