Rhyme Schemer

Rhyme Schemer (2014) is a young adult novel in verse by K. A. Holt. It tells the story of 12-year-old Kevin Jamison’s struggle to belong. When Kevin starts seventh grade, he directs his anger over being ignored by his parents and bullied by his brother, Petey, toward his peers. His own bullying behaviors only lead to detentions and suspension. To cope with his frustrations, Kevin writes poems in his precious notebook; however, one day, his bullying victim Robin steals the notebook and uses it as fodder for abusing Kevin. This role reversal challenges Kevin to change. Written from Kevin’s first-person point of view and in the form of collected free-verse poems, the novel explores The Value of Poetry as a Coping Mechanism, The Challenges and Rewards of Personal Growth, and The Causes and Repercussions of Bullying. Holt is an award-winning middle grade and young adult author. Her titles include House Arrest, This Is Not a Drill, From You to Me, and others.

This guide refers to the 2014 Chronicle Books paperback edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of bullying and emotional abuse.

Plot Summary

Twelve-year-old Kevin Jamison starts seventh grade at school. On the very first day, he bullies his peers, singling out classmates including “Giant John,” “Freckle-Face Kelly,” and Robin. He teases them, insults them, pranks them, and physically attacks them. Kevin doesn’t feel sorry for his actions and is instead entertained by his own unkindness.

Meanwhile, Kevin records his experiences in his personal notebook. He likes to get down his thoughts in poetry, which he doesn’t categorize as poetry because he isn’t writing about flowers. Mostly, Kevin writes about how much he dislikes his classmates, how horrible his teachers’ breath smells, and how laughable Principal Hartwick’s punishments are.

After another bullying incident at school one day, Kevin is sent to see the principal. Hartwick tries to call Kevin’s mother to report the incident, but she doesn’t pick up her phone. Kevin is unfazed. He doesn’t expect his mother to care, and he doesn’t care that the principal is angry with him.

Back at home, Kevin struggles to fit in, too. He has four older brothers, Patrick, Paul, Philip, and Petey. They are so much older than Kevin that they hardly pay him any attention. Petey is the only one who does, and he is always mean. Kevin thinks that Petey hates him because he saw him cry on the day they watched a tornado sweep through town together. Furious, Petey started picking on Kevin. He locks Kevin in closets or makes fun of his poetry. Kevin wishes that someone would do something about it, but his parents are always busy. When they are at home, they don’t pay attention to him and make his brothers take care of him. One day, Petey’s antics even cause Kevin’s notebook to fly out the car window on their drive to school. He blames Petey for ruining his life.

Kevin gets in trouble at school again and visits Hartwick’s office. This time, however, Hartwick suspends him. Kevin’s mother comes to pick him up, but she doesn’t say anything. She continues not speaking to him for the entirety of his three-day suspension. When Kevin returns to school, he is horrified to discover that Robin found and stole his poetry notebook. He is even more upset when he discovers that Robin has copied some of the poems and is passing them out to their classmates.

Kevin sulks in the library, where Hartwick has sentenced him to a two-week after-school detention. The librarian, Mrs. Little, notices that he’s upset and asks if he’s okay, but Kevin ignores her. He keeps trying to pretend that he feels nothing.

Over the following weeks, Robin continues to torment Kevin. He and a new band of followers insult, badger, and attack Kevin. Kevin can’t fight back or else he’ll get expelled. He complains about his problems to his brother Paul back at home. Paul has taken a new interest in Kevin and gives him advice on the situation. He encourages Kevin to reflect on how he has hurt Robin, too.

Meanwhile, Kevin comes to enjoy his time in the library. He’s annoyed when Mrs. Little tells Hartwick that he’s behind the slanderous found poems that he’s been pasting anonymously around the school, but he secretly appreciates that he can hide from his bullies in the stacks of books. Soon, he and Mrs. Little start passing found poems and creative messages back and forth. Then, one day, Mrs. Little leaves Kevin a flyer advertising an upcoming open-mic poetry night. Kevin asks his parents if he can go, but his mother wants the whole family to attend a dinner with her boss on the same night.

On the night of the dinner, Kevin accidentally makes a scene when Petey dumps hot sauce on his food, unbeknownst to him. His mother dismisses him from the restaurant. While Kevin is sitting outside on a cold bench, Mrs. Little drives up. She hears Kevin’s side of the story and goes inside to defend Kevin. Kevin is amazed by how she compliments him to his parents and shocked that his parents give him permission to attend the poetry night.

At the open mic, Kevin feels strange being out in public with his librarian. He is skeptical of the poetry he hears at first, too. By the night’s end, however, he decides that this is the best experience he’s ever had.

Not long later, Robin attacks Kevin on the playground at school, and Kevin has to fight back to defend himself. Kevin’s teacher sends the boys to the principal, who threatens to expel Kevin. Mrs. Little steps in in Kevin’s defense. Hartwick revokes the punishment and instead makes Kevin and Robin apologize. Kevin realizes that he is actually sorry.

For his 13th birthday, Kevin’s parents and brothers each give him a new notebook. He is thrilled by all the pages he has to fill with his new poems. When he returns to school, he is happy to help Mrs. Little in the library, too. One day, she leaves him a note reminding him of the next open-mic night and encouraging him to perform. Kevin starts writing a new poem in preparation.