Happy Poetry Friday!
Roses are red,
violets are blue,
these are the first poetry reviews for you.
Last year, the CYBILS Awards piloted the idea of judging two “types” of poetry: collections and novels in verse (including nonfiction verse). We’re happy to announce that from here on out, we will be awarding two poetry books for each cycle. So let’s get going …
Book covers link to Goodreads, which is where the book summary comes from, too.
POETRY COLLECTION
Kevin Howdeshell (Illustrator)
What? You’ve never seen animals in pants? A dog in yoga pants, a goat in overalls, a yak in slacks It's a parade of impeccable poems about animals wearing perfectly pressed pants.
Linda @ Goodreads – Be ready to laugh out loud, from every page, filled with most imaginative ‘animals in pants’. With brief and hilarious poems, Suzy Levinson made me want to share and then find other animals that could also be dressed in such appropriate attire – ha! Find this wonderful poetry book so you can “wear” a big smile!
POETRY NOVEL IN VERSE
After a rocky first year, Anna's family have settled into life in California. When her parents make a shattering discovery: their visas have expired, Anna's world is quickly overwhelmed by unfamiliar words like "undocumented" and "inequality."
As Anna grapples with the complexities of being undocumented, the strain that it places on her family, and the loneliness of keeping it all to herself, she has to wonder--if America is the promised land, why does everything she's hoped for feel like a lie?
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction – A gorgeous sequel to In the Beautiful Country that depicts the difficulties that immigrants face and the many pitfalls of the immigration system. Like many verse novels, this book is light on plot, but it perfectly encapsulates the emotional turmoil of families with lives in limbo. When Anna’s parents discover they have accidentally let their documented status expire, her mother has to leave to make money to pay a lawyer and Anna has to pick up the slack by working in the family store instead of enjoying her summer. Anna struggles to be dependable and not waste her time on “frivolous” activities (like reading!) and she struggles with the burden of this secret about her family. A beautiful story! Rating: Devoured it.