Johnson (Gone From Home, p. 1036, etc.) offers a collection of poems that comprise a single, intricate story of the town of Shorter, Alabama, a place she "loved and hated." With its houses and red dirt roads, Shorter is being pulled down to make a dog track, and Johnson's poems tell readers what matters: the smell of soap at the Wash-a-Teria on a hot afternoon, the shack that hid her grief after her dog died, the carousel horse with the red saddle outside a store. Her whole family is there, in a town "where/every other person is/related to you/and thinks they know/everything about your/life." Her father is haunted by Vietnam; her best friend, T. Fanny, sends her grandmother a carton of cigarettes every year in memory of the time both girls were caught smoking and as punishment were put in the broom closet with a pack of unfiltereds; Uncle Fred has a scar across his face from trying to order lemonade in Montgomery. They burst into life in these poems and glisten with the affection Johnson lavishly bestows. Illustrated with family snapshots, this bittersweet volume will catch the heart of any reader who believes that growing up means leaving home behind. (Poetry. 10-14)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-531-30114-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Orchard
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1998
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heartfelt portrait of the complexities of grief and the indomitable human spirit.
In the Newbery Honor–winning author’s latest, a Harlem teen copes with overwhelming pain while learning how to open up.
Sage’s 13th birthday was the worst day of her life; it was the day her best friend, Angel, was killed after a hit-and-run. In the wake of Angel’s death, Sage takes part in grief counseling with four other students; she connects with Ebony and DD, whose losses were sudden as well. Sage grapples with conflicting emotions, but the person who could help her sort them out is gone forever, leaving her convinced it was her fault. She wishes her life had concrete answers, like the math problems she enjoys. Instead, new friendships and a possible romance raise more questions. Finally, all her pent-up anger and sadness spill over, and Sage can longer hold in her feelings. Much to her surprise, speaking honestly helps lift the veil of sadness and sets her on a path toward healing. Watson has crafted an achingly beautiful novel that masterfully captures the realities of loss—the constant reminders of what life used to be like, the guilt that haunts Sage, and the anguish of “talking about someone you love in past tense.” Sage’s voice, rendered in a mix of prose and free verse, is visceral and wholly authentic, while the supporting characters are also richly and fully realized. Characters are cued Black.
A heartfelt portrait of the complexities of grief and the indomitable human spirit. (author’s note, resources) (Verse fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781547605897
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
A story that sings to the soul.
Elio is in love for the first time—and he has no idea what to do about it.
Eighth grader Elio Solis is only 13, but he’s met the girl of his dreams. His feelings for Camelia are so profound that he sees things in ultraviolet: “Whoever heard of having your whole vision / change because you met some girl?” Growing up in East Oakland, California, Elio is trying to navigate social media, friendships, his family’s Mexican culture, and his changing body—all part of his quest to understand what it means to be a good boy who will grow into a good man. What does that look like when your father takes you to cockfights and your mother warns you about toxic masculinity? Most of all, how do you handle the crushing blows of a first heartbreak? Written in Salazar’s stunning and highly accessible verse, with Spanish words contextually woven in and easily understood by non-Spanish speakers, this novel stands out for the thoughtful way it expresses a young boy’s perspective as it discusses topics such as masculinity and consent. Elio and his dad join Brothers Rising, a group started by Fernando, Elio’s best friend Paco’s dad, which offers them community and a framework for honest conversations about coming of age and masculinity, as well as a beautiful rendering of Indigenous Mexican rituals.
A story that sings to the soul. (Verse fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781338775655
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
PERSPECTIVES
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