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First published in the United States of America by G. P. Putnam’s Sons,
a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2009
Published by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2010
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Text copyright © Nikki Grimes, 2009
Illustrations copyright © R. Gregory Christie, 2009
All rights reserved
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS CATALOGED THE G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS EDITION AS FOLLOWS:
Grimes, Nikki.
Rich : a Dyamonde Daniel book / Nikki Grimes; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.
p. cm.
Summary: Free is excited about a local poetry contest because of its cash prize, but when he and Dyamonde befriend a classmate that is homeless and living in a shelter, they rethink what it means to be rich or poor.
ISBN: 978-1-101-61317-7
[1. Homelessness—Fiction. 2. Friendship—Fiction. 3. Poetry—Fiction.
4. African Americans—Fiction.] I. Christie, Gregory, date - ill. II. Title.
PZ7.G88429Ri 2009 [Fic]—dc22 2009001033
Puffin Books
Printed in the United States of America
Design by Katrina Damkoehler
Text set in Bembo Semibold
Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.
For Ariana Katherine—N.G.
To Jerry Gant,
artist and poet extraordinaire—R.G.C.
Here comes the
fabulous Dyamonde Daniel
and her best friend, Free—
and that means there’s going
to be an adventure!
The World of
Dyamonde Daniel
Dyamonde Daniel
Dyamonde Daniel is a third-grader who likes to know everything that’s going on. She gives terrific advice, she’s great at math and she has her friend Free all figured out. She loves meeting people and knows that being “rich” doesn’t always mean having a lot of money.
Free
He’s Dyamonde’s best friend, and he dreams of being able to buy all the video games he wants. And winning a poetry contest with a cash prize would be a great start! Free thinks that should be easy since he knows he’s a great poet.
Damaris Dancer
Damaris is the quiet girl in class who never raises her hand for anything. She runs away from Dyamonde when Dyamonde sees her in their neighborhood. Does Damaris have a secret? Dyamonde plans to find out!
Dyamonde’s mom
Dyamonde lives with her mom in an apartment, and they are super close. Mrs. Daniel is nice and makes the most awesome pancakes on Saturday mornings.
Rich
Dyamonde and Free stood in front of a store window.
“I hate being poor,” said Free. “Ever since my dad lost his job, all my mom seems to say is ‘We can’t afford this, we can’t afford
Jeffery Deaver
Joely Sue Burkhart
Howard Bloom
Edward Lee
Aliyah Burke
Thomas Maltman
James Carlos Blake
Lili St Germain, Callie Hart
Des Hunt
Carmen Reid