Category Archives: Poetry

Review: Desert Queen by Jyoti R. Gopal

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Desert Queen by Jyoti R. Gopal

Desert Queen
Jyoti R. Gopal
Illustrated by Svabhu Kohli
Levine Querido
Published January 1, 2024

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About Desert Queen

In a kaleidoscope of desert sands and swirling skirts, Queen Harish takes flight. This picture book biography, spun in vibrant verse by Jyoti Gopal, traces the journey of a beloved Rajasthani drag performer who defied tradition and dazzled the world.

Fueled by an inner fire, young Harish yearns to join the captivating desert dancers, their music pulsing through his veins. But societal constraints paint a narrow path, one that clashes with his vibrant spirit. Through lyrical stanzas and Svabhu Kohli’s evocative … Continue reading →

Review: The Winnie-the-Pooh Collection by A. A. Milne and Ernest Shepard

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The Winnie the Pooh Collection by A. A. Milne and Ernest Shephard

The Winnie-the-Pooh Collection
A. A. Milne
Illustrated by Ernest Shepard
Aladdin Books
Published August 6, 2024

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About The Winnie-the-Pooh Collection

With gorgeously redesigned covers and the original black-and-white interior illustrations by Ernest Shepard, these beautiful editions of the four Winnie-the-Pooh books by A.A. Milne are now together in a collectible hardcover boxed set—sure to delight new and old fans alike!

Explore the Hundred Acre Wood with everyone’s favorite bear-of-very-little-brain, Winnie-the-Pooh!

In Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, meet Pooh, Christopher Robin, and the other residents … Continue reading →

Review: Death’s Country by R. M. Romero

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Death's Country by R. M. Romero

Death’s Country
R. M. Romero
PeachTree Teen
Published May 7, 2024

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About Death’s Country

Hadestown meets “Orpheus and Eurydice” when two Miami teens travel to the underworld to retrieve their girlfriend’s soul.

Andres Santos of São Paulo was all swinging fists and firecracker fury, a foot soldier in the war between his parents. Until he drowned in the Tietê River… and made a bargain with Death for a new life. A year later, his parents have relocated the family to Miami, but their promises of a fresh start quickly dissolve in the summer heat. 

Instead of fists, Andres now … Continue reading →

Review: One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome

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One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome

One Big Open Sky
Lesa Cline-Ransome
Holiday House
Published March 5, 2024

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About One Big Open Sky

Three women narrate a perilous wagon journey westward that could set them free—or cost them everything they have—in this intergenerational verse novel that explores the history of the Black homesteader movement.

1879, Mississippi. Young dreamer Lettie may have her head in the stars, but her body is on a covered wagon heading westward. Her father, Thomas, promises that Nebraska will be everything the family an opportunity to claim the independence they’ve strived for over generations on their … Continue reading →

Review: Ruptured by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz

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Ruptured by Joanne Rossmassler-Fritz

Ruptured
Joanne Rossmassler Fritz
Holiday House
Published November 14, 2023

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About Ruptured

The sensitive, suspenseful story of a family coping with a life-changing tragedy, told in stunning verse.

Is it wrong to grieve for someone who is still alive?

Claire’s mom and dad don’t talk to each other much anymore. And they definitely don’t laugh or dance the way they used to. Their tense, stilted stand offs leave thirteen-year-old Claire, an only child, caught in the middle. So when the family takes their annual summer vacation, Claire sticks her nose in a book and hopes for the best. Maybe the sunshine and ocean breeze will … Continue reading →

Review: Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

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Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo cover shows a girl on the left with darker skin and a winding fire escape staircase behind her and a girl on the right with lighter skin and palm leaves behind her separated by the silhouettes of airplanes in the center, nose to nose.

Clap When You Land
Elizabeth Acevedo
Quill Tree Books
Published May 5, 2020

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About Clap When You Land

In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.

… Continue reading →