Ordinary Hazards

Content Warning: The source text contains references to and descriptions of child abuse, substance use and addiction, sexual assault, and trauma. The text also contains outdated and stigmatizing language and descriptions surrounding mental health conditions. Additionally, this study guide quotes and obscures the author’s use of the n-word.

Nikki Grimes is the author, narrator, and protagonist of Ordinary Hazards. She is a Black writer who grew up in different parts of New York, and the book is a memoir about her tumultuous childhood experiences. She also explores the beginnings of her desire to become a writer.

A young Nikki feels unloved and neglected, and she thus has a low sense of self-worth. The only person who reliably looks out for her and takes care of her when she is a child is her older sister, Carol, who is a child herself. The lack of love and support Nikki receives despite the abundance of relatives contributes to Nikki’s belief that she is undeserving of love. This belief is reinforced by the abuse she experiences from babysitters and foster parents in her early years.

Despite these negative experiences, however, Nikki proves to be strong and resilient. Especially when she is younger, her faith is what protects her.