Book: K.A. Holt.Rhyme Schemer. San Francisco: Chronicle Books LLC, 2014.

Genre:Poetry, Juvenile Fiction.

Audience: Grades 5-7
Read Alouds:
Robin in the hall,
So small compared to everyone.
He can sneak between them
Unseen
Like a bug. p. 39
I chose this quote because it encompasses Kevins use of similes to describe the
people he encounters at school, especially Robin. As Kevins poetry progresses
through his experiences at school with Robin, his perceptions of Robin and the way
he describes his enemy changes. Here, at the beginning of Kevins story, he
describes Robin as a small bug, unnoticed and irrelevant in the hallways. This
shows that Kevin feels superior to Robin. I think it is interesting to notice how
Kevins perceptions of Robin change through the course of the book.
And for just a second
I am moving fast.
I scatter the crowd
Like a burst of bees exploding
When you hit their nest p. 39
By comparing and contrasting characters through the use of metaphors and similes,
Holt is able to paint a picture in his readers minds. As I read this page, it felt as
though I was in the hallway of Kevin and Robins middle school. In contrast to
describing Robin as a quiet and harmless bug, this comparison shows that Kevin
feels aggressive and powerful in the hallways at school like a burst of bees.
Just like a fake moth eyes on ugly wings
Robins eyes
Better be hiding
His true self
That he is still scared of me.
Because he should be. p. 68
Holts style and use of similes continues as Kevin and Robins social battle
progresses. I chose this quote because as tensions raise between the two boys, we
begin to see a shift in Kevins dominance over Robin. Kevin uses an ugly and

harmless moth to describe Robin; explaining that Robin should still be scared of
him. However, Kevins same comparison of a quiet and harmless moth changes
towards the end of the book:
Like a moth to flame
I lure Robin in with my tractor beam of words.
I call him all the worst things:
A baby. A jealous nerd. Ugly.
But he is word-proof now, a fireproof moth. p. 106
I chose this quote because now, Kevin shifts his comparison of Robin from a
harmless "hiding" moth to a "word-proof" and "fireproof" moth. This shift in
dominance emphasizes Kevin's insecurities. Kevin was once a strong and powerful
bully, and Holt's use of comparison and contrast completely shifts power to Robin,
the once "small" and "hiding" moth.
Summary:
In K.A. Holt's book, Rhyme Schemer, a 7th grade boy, Kevin, is constantly running
into trouble in school and at homeall because of his bad attitude. However, Kevin
is much more than just a name calling bully. Kevin writes poetry in his journal as an
outlet to express his anger towards his family, teachers, and peers...a journal that is
full of secrets... a journal that nobody besides Kevin should ever read. Kevin's
bullying lifestyle and power in the school hallways takes a halt when his enemy, the
boy he bullied the most in school, Robin, gets a hold of his secret notebook.
Suddenly, Kevin finds himself being the victim rather than the bully. As Kevin is
forced to sort out the dilemmas with his peers, he even befriends an unlikely
companion. Rhyme Schemer is a book that puts its readers in the mind of a middle
school boy. With elements of humor and style, readers are able to feel empathy and
are given insight on the realities of bullying in schools and the effects it has on
others.

Themes:
Anti-bullying
K.A. Holt presents a reoccurring and obvious anti-bullying theme in this book. At the
beginning of the story, Kevin seems to be the ruler of the hallways and classroom.
Through his poetry, Kevin describes his classmates and even his teachers in a
negative tone. However, Kevin's actions do not go unnoticed. Kevin is punished
and forced to work in the library shelving books to reflect on his actions. As the plot
of the story progresses, we can see that Kevin eventually becomes a victim of
bullying. We as readers, are given insight on how the actions of Kevin's peers effect
him emotionally. I think that this book would be a great topic of discussion in a
middle school classroom. From a personal standpoint, I can empathize with the
characters because I was a victim of bullying throughout my young adolescent

years even leading into high school. As a prospective educator, I think that it is
important to be aware of what goes on not only in the classroom, but also at home
or in the hallways. Holt provides his readers with a powerful message, outlining the
importance of bullying awareness in schools.
Family relationships
Another theme that is evident in Holt's writing is the structure of family
relationships and how it effects the mind of a young adolescent. Kevin seems to be
the outcast of his family. He is the youngest boy, and even refers to himself as "an
accident." His name is even the only name of the boys in the family that does not
start with a "P." It is easy to assume that Kevin's poor relationship with his family is
certainly a factor as to why he is so angry. It is noted that Kevin's parents are
constantly working, and being the youngest child, this makes it easy for him to slip
under the radar when he acts out in school. Is Kevin's misbehavior actually a cry for
help? I think that this is an important issue to cover in a middle school classroom. I
feel as though that many young adolescents could relate to this theme, and by
addressing it in the classroom, students are given an opportunity to voice their own
concerns in regards to family life.
Literacy Elements:
A very obvious literary element utilized throughout Holt's entire book is the
utilization of similes. The book has rhythm being written in verse, and the use of
similes adds to the overall style of Kevin's story. Comparing his classmates to bugs,
or referring to himself as "stone" gives readers a depiction of what it is truly like to
be a pre-teen boy. Holt also uses repetition to add to the rhythm and style of his
writing:
My pillow over my head.
My homework on the floor.
My window painted shut.
My door closed with a chair under the knob.
No one in.
No one out p. 121
This repetition emphasizes Kevin's feelings of isolation and anger. Through this
literary element, Holt allows his audience to empathize with the character's
frustrations.
Connections:
I was bullied badly in middle school and so were my siblings; therefore, I am a very
strong advocate of anti-bullying and zero tolerance programs in schools. As a future
teacher, I plan to be aware of bullying in my classroom and address it in a proper
way. When my younger brother was in the seventh grade, his school social life
became so bad that he refused to attend. I remember sitting in the kitchen one

morning getting ready to leave for the bus, and hearing my brotherwho has
always seemed nothing but strong to mecrying to my parents about a boy that
had been pushing him in the halls, and calling him names at lunch. My mother took
initiative and began to call the school trying to find a way to put an end to the
bullying. Unfortunately, the school did nothing about the issue. They said that
unless the altercations became physical, they could not address the situation. It
can be noted that the boy bullying my brother was an athlete and had a strong
presence in school activities. This made me wonder, Are there social biases in
schools? With a lack of initiative on the school's end, and the altercations
progressing and getting worse, my brother took the issue into his own hands. Long
story short, he ended up fighting back the next time the bully pushed him and got
suspended. There is no reason that an altercation between students should ever
lead to this. As teachers, it is our job to be aware of these situations and put a stop
to them. Teaching the themes of this book to middle level students is a great way
to emphasize the effects of bullying and also put it's repercussions into perspective
for students.

Reader Response:
To be completely honest, I have not enjoyed reading a book in a very long time. I
feel as though most of the time, I find difficulty in focusing on a textmainly
because I am unable to relate to the plot or characters. However, Rhyme Schemer,
kept me engaged from start to finish. This could possibly be because of the way it
was writtenshort poetic phrasesbut I also found my self connecting with Kevin's
feelings on a personal level. I found humor in Holt's writing, and thought that it
seemed as though a middle schooler actually wrote it. Holt encompasses the
maturity of a seventh grade boy in his word choice, doodles, and character
development. I would love to teach this book to my students and I would strongly
recommend it to anyone. I think that it would be interesting to have my students
act it out, or read it allowed to one another in small groups. I think that Rhyme
Schemer is a very accurate and relatable depiction of middle school, which is why I
enjoyed it so much.
Others' Reflection:
As I looked over reviews for this book, I noticed that it is a popular pick to many.
Reviewers describe the book as "relatable" and "engaging" for students and
teachers. One review that stood out the most to me was found on Amazon:
"This is an excellent, engaging text to supplement anti-bullying programs in schools.
It is a quick, fun read--I want to use as a read-aloud for the junior high classes I
teach. I found the book personally encouraging as well. It was a great reminder to
keep my family a priority in my life (as opposed to the upper middle class home life
of the main character). This book also shows the importance that educators play in
the lives of students--reminding us to go beyond worrying about standards and
state testing! Highly recommend!"

I could not agree more with how this reviewer expresses their thoughts on Holt's
book. Like I previously stated in my own review, I like the idea of having a readaloud with my students to highlight the importance of having respect for one
another inside and outside of school. I also agree that the novel shows the
importance of building student-educator relationships. As young adolescents
transition from middle school to junior high/high school it is important that teachers
are able to provide a safe and friendly outlet for expression. I want to be sure that
my students feel comfortable enough to confide in me in regards to any kind of
social issue or at home problem. Reading a review from a junior high teacher really
puts the books effectiveness into perspective.