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Review: Loveboat Forever by Abigail Hing Wen

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Loveboat Forever by Abigail Hing Wen

Loveboat Forever (Loveboat, Taipei #3)
Abigail Hing Wen
HarperCollins
Published November 7, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Loveboat Forever

Return to the sparkling world of Loveboat, this time with Pearl Wong, on an entirely new, romantic, whirlwind adventure from Abigail Hing Wen, New York Times bestselling author of Loveboat, Taipei!

Pearl was ready for a worldwide stage. Instead, she needs to stage a comeback.

Seventeen-year-old music prodigy Pearl Wong had the summer of her dreams planned—until a fall from grace leaves her in need of new plans…and a new image.

Where better to revamp her “brand” than at Chien Tan, the Taipei summer program for elite students that rocketed her older sister, Ever, on a path to romance and self-fulfillment years ago.

But as the alumni know, Chien Tan is actually Loveboat—the extravagant world where prodigies party till dawn—and there’s more awaiting Pearl there than she could have ever imagined, like a scandalous party in the dark, a romantic entanglement with a mysterious suitor…and a summer that will change her forever.

Sweeping, glamorous, and deeply soulful, this companion to the New York Times bestselling novel Loveboat, Taipei and Loveboat Reunion will reunite readers with their favorite characters, in a thrilling new journey of romance, self-discovery, and empowerment. Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen.  

My Review

I really enjoyed Loveboat, Taipei, but this book is truly something special. Pearl, who appears as a minor character in the first book, takes the lead in this story. She’s a musician, so lots of the ways she describes things have a connection to music. She also plays the piano in several scenes and learns a new instrument called a pipa, or a Chinese lute.

True to Loveboat form, Pearl has a summer romance and finds herself drawn to two different boys for very different reasons. One is open and friendly and interested in the kind of music she’s trained so hard to play. The other is surly and frank and doesn’t seem interested in her until he teaches her to play the pipa.

But as she gets to know both boys and learns more about her own family history, she discovers that there’s more to her than being a classical pianist, and she wants to explore these things. She begins examining her feelings about music (her preference for Western composers, for example) and what it means to be a Chinese American musician.

At one point, she meets her mom’s extended family while trying to track down proof of her connection to her great-grandmother, a professional pipa musician. I loved those scenes and how they changed her path forward in the book.

Conclusion

Honestly, this has to be my favorite book in the series so far, and I absolutely need to read more of Abigail Hing Wen’s work. This story has layers for days. From the romance to the explorations about a musician’s identity to how we treat Chinese American artists to the power and strength of community, this book has so much to offer.

If you haven’t read the other books in the series, you could still start with this one, but it will spoil the endings of the other books. If you plan to read all three, start with Loveboat, Taipei first.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Few instances of profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing and brief touching under a shirt.

Spiritual Content
Pearl’s family is Christian. She references her family history and her grandfather’s conversion to Christianity and her questions about the context of that conversion after she visits a place where he lived and worked.

Violent Content
Pearl’s social media post goes viral, labeling her photos racist. At first, she is furious, but as she learns more about how racist tropes have harmed Chinese people, she realizes why she triggered some hurt with her images.

Drug Content
References to drinking alcohol, smoking, and vague references to drugs. It’s legal for eighteen-year-olds to drink alcohol in Taipei, so some do, mostly off-scene. No drug use happens on-scene. A tabloid magazine reports drugs were used at a party, but it’s unclear whether that happened or is a rumor.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and

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The Worst Ronin
Maggie Tokuda-Hall
Art by Faith Schaffer
HarperAlley
Published May 21, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Worst Ronin

When an unlikely pair of female samurai join forces, what begins as your run-of-the-mill quest for glory and revenge evolves into something much more complicated. Turns out fighting actual demons doesn’t mean you’re not running from your own internal ones. Nimona meets Attack on Titan in this edgy, unexpectedly hilarious, genre-defying young adult graphic novel.

Being a samurai isn’t easy. Sixteen-year-old Chihiro Ito knows that more than anyone. Her father is renowned among the samurai, but the only thing Chihiro is known for is spending way too much time on her phone obsessing over Tatsuo Nakano, Chihiro’s idol and the first woman to be accepted into Kesi Academy, a prestigious samurai school.

So, when Chihiro’s father is conscripted for service and the opportunity arises to work with Tatsuo in his stead, Chihiro jumps at the chance to prove that she’s worthy of a spot at Kesi Academy and the samurai title. Their mission: kill the yamauba demon terrorizing a village. With a legendary samurai like Tatsuo by her side, Chihiro is convinced victory is inevitable. But Tatsuo isn’t at all like the hero Chihiro imagined. Foulmouthed, quick-tempered, and a terrible drunk, Tatsuo completely turned her back on the samurai way and is now a ronin working for hire as a means of escaping the grief that haunts her. Forced to work together, the two are thrust on a treacherous journey filled with epic battles and twisted conspiracies as they must put aside their differences to save the village and face the demons of the past.

My Review

I think I heard of this book through a review on another site. I’ve wanted to read something by Maggie Tokuda-Hall for a while, so this graphic novel seemed like the perfect chance.

The story has a bit of a grumpy vs. sunshine vibe, though there’s no romance between Chihiro and her idol Tatsuo. The two have a mentor/mentee kind of relationship, which still winds up being adorable and funny. Though it’s set in a fantasy landscape, there are some references to Japanese culture and traditions.

The scenes alternate between a past timeline in which Tatsuo was younger and the present when most of the story occurs. The past and present collide during Chihiro’s mission, and we learn more that explains some of Tatsuo’s behavior. Ultimately, the story resolves conflict from both timelines, which makes the conclusion pretty satisfying.

I enjoyed reading this one. It’s a bit goofy and fun but has a serious undertone. The balance of those two things was nicely done.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple f-bombs and some other profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The story contains a mythical monster made from unresolved grief.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battle scenes. One scene shows two people betrayed and killed. Another scene shows children in peril. Readers learn that at least one child has died. One battle happens between a monster and two people.

Drug Content
Tatsuo drinks alcohol until drunk in a couple of scenes.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Wishbone by Justine Pucella Winans

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Wishbone
Justine Pucella Winans
Publisher
Published September 17, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Wishbone

Coraline meets Ghost Squad in this terrifying story about what happens when you aren’t careful what you wish for.

Ollie wishes things could be different. He wishes his parents would stop fighting. He wishes his sister Mia didn’t have to worry about paying for college. He wishes people would accept him for who he is. Most of all, he wishes he wasn’t so angry about all of this.

When he and Mia find a two-tailed cat they name Wishbone, Ollie takes comfort in telling him everything he wishes would change—then, it does. Everything Ollie and Mia wish for comes true, and it’s like all of their problems are solved. But magic comes at a price. Their wishes have consequences, and a mysterious shadow man called The Mage is after Wishbone. Darkness is overtaking their world, and worst of all, it threatens to take over Ollie, too. Can he let go of everything he’s ever wanted, or will he let evil win?

My Review

I read The Otherwoods by the same author in 2023, and I enjoyed the spine-tingly elements of the story and how they ultimately played out. I’ve been meaning to read more by Winans, but it has taken me too long to get back to another of their books.

One of the things I knew I’d love about Wishbone is that it has a cat-who-is-not-a-cat character. Wishbone is a cat with two tails that has the inexplicable magical ability to grant wishes. He is feisty and prone to biting people, which makes sense, considering the trauma that he’s been through. I like the unpredictable nature of him as a character. For a long time, I wasn’t sure whether he was supposed to be good or bad. Eventually, he makes his alliances known and says pretty loyal to his people.

The book has a nicely inclusive cast. Ollie is a trans boy, but the book isn’t at all about him explaining his identity or existence. We enter his story past all of that, and he simply is who he is. He has other LGBTQIA+ friends and allies, too. The story touches on the impact of bullying and anger issues, and takes readers through a Twilight Zone kind of experience.

If you like scary stories like The Darkdeep by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs, definitely check out Wishbone.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to a crush between Ollie and another character.

Spiritual Content
Another place/dimension Ollie calls The Backward Place contains magic and curses, including the ability to grant conditional wishes.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some characters try to kill other characters while under the influence of a curse. In one instance, a parent character tries to kill a child because of the curse. References to and a brief scene showing animal cruelty in an apparent science experiment.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Winter 2025 Backlist Reading Check-in and Life Update

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Winter 2025 Backlist Reading Check-in and Life Update

This will be the whale shark of blog posts because I read a lot of backlist titles in January and February. I was sick for most of February, so I ended up taking it easy and doing a lot more mood reading than I usually do. Plus, as I heard the news about removing Black History celebrations and mentions of women leaders in STEM from websites and government programs, I only felt more determined to read more about both of those things.

Because this list includes so many books, I’m breaking it into subsections. Click the links to jump directly to a subsection that interests you, or feel free to browse the whole post!

Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. Thanks for using them to do your shopping.

Graphic Novels and Adaptations (MG and YA)

Middle Grade Fiction

Young Adult Fiction

Nonfiction

Black History Month

Winter 2025 Backlist Reading Check-in

Graphic Novels and Adaptations (MG and YA)

Layers: A Memoir by Pénélope Bagieu

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Translated from French by Montana Kane. The author expertly captures being awkward and the transition from childhood to adulthood. I laughed and cried. I will be reading more by this author.

Published October 17, 2023 (Orig. 2021) | My Review to Come

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This has been on my reading list since it came out. I love how participating in the swim team changed Bree’s life and helped her form meaningful relationships with others. The story also offered context for why some characters didn’t learn to swim.

Published May 17, 2022 | My Review to Come

Boy vs. Shark by Paul Gilligan

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This poignant memoir is about growing up in the 1970s, seeing the movie Jaws, and the impact of toxic masculinity on a boy’s adolescence. It’s so underrated. I loved this one.

Published October 15, 2024 | My Review

Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band by Christian Staebler, Sonia Paoloni, and Thibault Balahy

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: An enthusiastic recounting of a Native American rock band and Native American civil rights movement in America. This is a perfect blend of music history and Indigenous history. Really nicely done.

Published October 28, 2020 | My Review to Come

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This is another book that was on my reading list for a long time. Tamaki made the pain and confusion of a toxic relationship absolutely palpable here. If you’ve been through a rough break-up or had the on-again-off-again experience of a bad relationship, reading this could be extremely cathartic. (Or triggering. It was cathartic for me.)

Published May 7, 2019 | My Review to Come

The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Faith Schaffer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A young warrior teams up with her idol to save a village’s children from a terrible threat. A few moments are darker than I expected, but it’s also super funny and celebrates unlikely friendships. I enjoyed this.

Published May 21, 2024 | My Review to Come

Horse Trouble by Kristin Varner

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: This sweet graphic novel offers a closer look at competitive riding for curious/unfamiliar readers and a heartwarming tale of a girl who loves horses.

Published October 26, 2021 | My Review

Middle Grade Fiction

Sylvia Doe and the 100-year Flood by Robert Beattie

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Set in Western North Carolina, this book was published on the heels of Hurricane Helene, a real-life 100-year flood. I loved the imaginative elements of the book and the relationships between characters.

Published October 8, 2024 | My Review

Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I read this with some blogging friends, which was incredibly fun. This is the kind of book that sticks with you. Hazel’s complex grief journey and the challenges she faces in a new town with the possibility of new friends and anxieties were so relatable and engaging.

Published May 25, 2021 | My Review to Come

The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot #1) by Peter Brown

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: Absolutely fantastic. The description of this book didn’t appeal to me so much, but the engaging illustrations and endearing relationships between Roz and the animals on the island absolutely won me over. I will be continuing with this series.

Published April 5, 2016 | My Review

The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: My littlest and I read this one together after I read the first in the series to her. We had to know what would become of Roz and whether she’d ever make it back to Brightbill on the island. It’s such a sweet story about connections and found family.

Published March 13, 2018 | My Review to Come

You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I’m woefully behind on Gino’s books, so this is part of my attempt to play catch-up. I continue to be so impressed with Gino’s ability to write deeply nuanced, emotionally vulnerable stories that never talk down to readers. Just amazing.

Published September 25, 2018 | My Review to Come

The House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Charmain Baker must care for her wizard uncle’s house while he’s away with the elves. She discovers a sinister plot against the king and seeks help from Sophie and Howl. I loved getting to visit the world of Howl’s Moving Castle again in this book.

Published May 22, 2009 | My Review to Come

Joy, to the World by Kai Shappley and Lu Bunker (writing at the time as Lisa Bunker)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The joy in this book is so beautiful. Joy, a young trans girl, faces discrimination and learns about activism while finding her people and celebrating a love for faith and cheerleading. I loved this.

Published May 9, 2023 | My Review to Come

Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Another great book! Here, we have another author who never talks down to her audience and yet writes about complex ideas: recovery from witnessing a loved one experience trauma; the empowerment of learning self-defense; the ways in which adults surprise us (for better or worse); and the validation that comes from understanding who we are.

Published November 14, 2023 | My Review to Come

Wishbone by Justine Pucella Winans

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The author’s first middle grade book is one of my all-time favorites, so I went into this with huge expectations. I had a great time reading this book. The Otherwoods remains my favorite, but Winans did some great storytelling here, too. I’m also ALWAYS a fan of a cat-who-is-not-a-cat, so it was pretty much destined to be a win for me.

Published September 17, 2024 | My Review to Come

Young Adult Fiction

Warrior of Legend (Heromaker #2) by Kendare Blake

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The conclusion to the Heromaker duology read to me more like a middle book than a conclusion, but it sounds like the author is leaving room for spinoff series’ to come. I’m glad I read it.

Published October 29, 2024 | My Review to Come

Flyboy by Kasey LeBlanc

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Mostly closeted, transgender Ash wakes up at night to live a circus life in a body that matches his identity. I love the powerful way Ash’s night/day lives converge and how this speaks to identity and being seen.

Published May 14, 2024 | My Review to Come

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: The high-stakes game kept me turning pages from start to finish. Great intensity and memorable characters. I cannot wait to see where this series is headed next.

Published September 26, 2023 | My Review

Heist Royale (Thieves’ Gambit #2) by Kayvion Lewis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I listened to an audiobook version of Thieves’ Gambit last year, and I had to find out how Ros’s story ends. Overall, I thought this conclusion was satisfying, and I loved seeing how Ros’s relationships from the first book continued to grow in this one.

Published November 12, 2024 | My Review to Come

Bad Graces by Kyrie McCauley

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A group of girls becomes castaways on a strange island. Their bodies begin to change. They wrestle with past trauma and deal with current horrors. This one is deep, and thought-provoking. Do not read if you are squeamish about mushrooms.

Published June 18, 2024 | My Review to Come

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Another big one on my reading list. The two perspectives here are perfectly chosen and add so many layers to the story and draw readers’ attention to some of the issues that might be overlooked otherwise. Nobody who has read Reynolds will be surprised to hear that this is great writing.

Published September 29, 2015 | My Review to Come

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I love so many things about this book. Ever’s journey to set her own boundaries and priorities and her love for choreography deeply resonated with me. I will be reading more of this series for sure!

Published January 7, 2020 | My Review to Come

Loveboat, Forever (Loveboat, Taipei #3) by Abigail Hing Wen

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Here’s me, reading more of this series. I skipped the second book, but it didn’t really matter (except for a HEA spoiler). I went into this series expecting a fluffy romance, and it’s got romance, no doubt about it. But it explores so much more than that. I loved the descriptions of music and Pearl’s journey reconnecting to lost family and family history here.

Published November 7, 2023 | My Review to Come

Nonfiction

The Ultimate Driving Book by Emma Carson Berne

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: My daughter is learning to drive, so I wanted to check this out in case it was useful for us. It has a lot of basic info, and covers a wide range of topics.

Published August 27, 2024 | My Review to Come

This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This upbeat guide to coming out, forging relationships, and forming a community includes testimonies of hundreds of LGBTQIA+ people and practical tips and advice from a seasoned writer.

Published September 4, 2014 | My Review to Come

Black History Month Reading

Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Yet another title on my reading list since it was published. I love the method that Grimes used here to pair her poetry alongside women poets of the Harlem Renaissance. The connections between poems and the illustrations are awesome. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Published January 5, 2021 | My Review

March: Book One by John Lewis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This has been on my TBR list a LONG time. The first volume in this nonfiction series recaps John Lewis’s early work for the Civil Rights movement including marching and attending sit-ins. It brings history to life and helps create a broader view of the Civil Rights movement.

Published August 14, 2013 | My Review to Come

The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Do you know about the Port Chicago disaster during World War II? I had never heard about this before reading Sheinkin’s book. The author does a phenomenal job anchoring the events discussed in the book into the timeline of familiar events from World War II and the Civil Rights Movement in the US. I can’t recommend this enough.

Published January 21, 2014 | My Review

Hidden Figures: The Untold True Story of Four African American Women Who Helped Launch Our Nation Into Space (Young Readers Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I can’t believe it took me so long to read this book! And I wish I’d read it before seeing the movie! This is another wonderful nonfiction account that anchors itself well within other familiar points in US history. Really nicely done.

Published November 29, 2016 | My Review to Come

Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Offers context and information about Black cowboys and specific contributions by people like Mary Fields, Bob Lemmons, and Bass Reeves. Engaging and informative. I was blown away by some of the information offered here, especially in the before and after sections.

Published September 15, 2020 | My Review to Come

What are the best books you read this winter?

Have you read any books lately that you can’t seem to stop talking about? Have you read any of the titles on my Winter 2025 Backlist Reading List? If so, what did you think about them?

Leave me a comment below and let me know!

Review: Hidden Figures: Young Readers Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly

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Hidden Figures: The Untold True Story of Four African American Women Who Helped Launch Our Nation Into Space (Young Readers Edition)
Margot Lee Shetterly
HarperCollins
Published November 29, 2016

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Hidden Figures: Young Readers Edition

The uplifting, amazing true story—a New York Times bestseller

This edition of Margot Lee Shetterly’s acclaimed book is perfect for young readers. It is the powerful story of four African-American female mathematicians at NASA who helped achieve some of the greatest moments in our space program. Now a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Costner.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

This book brings to life the stories of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, who lived through the Civil Rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the movement for gender equality, and whose work forever changed the face of NASA and the country.

My Review

This book has been on my reading list for a long time. Since we’re facing more explicit attempts to erase the achievements of women and BIPOC, I wanted to take the chance to read and talk about this book.

One amazing thing about the book is that the author, Margot Lee Shetterly, grew up in Hampton, Virginia, where these women worked and lived. She knew many of them. I imagine it must have been really cool to compile the information and create this book telling the stories of people she knew herself.

In addition to doing a great job laying out the development of the space program alongside other historical events, such as the Civil Rights Movement, Hidden Figures (Young Readers Edition) also has some great resources in the back. A timeline shows how the space program developed with other major events listed. This reinforces the narrative’s work, anchoring these women’s lives in the larger story of American history. A glossary defines words younger readers may be less familiar with. A chapter-by-chapter list of sources makes it easy for readers who want more information on a particular event to know where to look. The backmatter also includes a section listing books for further reading.

The biographies of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden are the focus of the book. Shetterly shares information about their education, family life, careers, and their roles in the space program.

I wish I’d read the book before watching the movie so that this was my first interaction with the information, but I’m still really glad I read the book. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the space program, Black history, women’s history, or careers in mathematics.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief reference to marriage and family.

Spiritual Content
I think there was brief reference to attending church.

Violent Content
References to the Civil Rights Movement and sit-ins. Brief reference to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. All opinions are my own.

Review: Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes

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Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance
Nikki Grimes
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published January 5, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance

From Children’s Literature Legacy Award-winning author Nikki Grimes comes a feminist-forward new collection of poetry celebrating the little-known women poets of the Harlem Renaissance–paired with full-color, original art from today’s most talented female African-American illustrators.

For centuries, accomplished women–of all races–have fallen out of the historical records. The same is true for gifted, prolific, women poets of the Harlem Renaissance who are little known, especially as compared to their male counterparts.

In this poetry collection, bestselling author Nikki Grimes uses “The Golden Shovel” poetic method to create wholly original poems based on the works of these groundbreaking women-and to introduce readers to their work.

Each poem is paired with one-of-a-kind art from today’s most exciting female African-American illustrators: Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Cozbi A. Cabrera, Nina Crews, Pat Cummings, Laura Freeman, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, Ebony Glenn, April Harrison, Vashti Harrison, Ekua Holmes, Cathy Ann Johnson, Keisha Morris, Daria Peoples-Riley, Andrea Pippins, Erin Robinson, Shadra Strickland, Nicole Tadgell, and Elizabeth Zunon.

Legacy also includes a foreword, an introduction to the history of the Harlem Renaissance, author’s note, and poet biographies, which make this a wonderful resource and a book to cherish.

My Review

I am woefully underread when it comes to poetry, something that I’m working on fixing this year. I know that we studied a poem by Langston Hughes when I was in middle school, but I’m not sure we ever returned to his work later or ever really acknowledged the Harlem Renaissance. So, I figure doing some learning about this is long overdue.

I had heard of Nikki Grimes before picking up this book, but I don’t know that I’d read any of her work. At first I was hesitant about reading a book that paired authors from two different times and added artwork. Like, would it be confusing to me to bounce back and forth and remember which poems were from the Harlem Renaissance and which were more current?

I shouldn’t have worried, honestly. Looking back, that was a silly excuse, and I’m glad it didn’t stop me from reading this collection. The way Grimes put the collection together really celebrates the Harlem Renaissance poets.

First, you read a poem by a Harlem Renaissance poet, such as “I Sit and Sew” by Alice Dunbar-Nelson. One or two lines of the poem appear in boldface. “Room for Dreams” by Nikki Grimes appears on the next page, and the bold-face words from Dunbar-Nelson’s poem appear one by one at the end of each line of Grimes’ poem. So, the lines that appeared in bold in the original poem appear vertically in the poem by Nikki Grimes.

The themes from the two poems also connect. For example, both “I Sit and Sew” and “Room for Dreams” call out the limits that women faced (and face) in having prescribed societal roles.

Stunning artwork follows each pair of poems. The vibrant colors are captivating, and the illustrations reflect the emotions found in the poetry. Biographies about each poet and illustrator fill a section at the end.

Conclusion

Altogether, this is a fantastic illustrated poetry collection that celebrates women poets and artists. While this book should be enjoyed year-round, it’s a wonderful resource for Black History or Women’s History celebrations.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

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