Tag Archives: novel in verse

Banned Books Review: Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

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Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Tricks
Ellen Hopkins
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published August 25, 2009

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About Tricks

Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching … for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don’t expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words “I love you” are said for all the wrong reasons.

Five moving stories remain separate at first, then interweave to tell … Continue reading →

Review: Lion of the Sky by Ritu Hemnani

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Lion of the Sky by Ritu Hemnani

Lion of the Sky
Ritu Hemnani
Balzer + Bray
Published May 7, 2024

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About Lion of the Sky

A historical novel in verse about a boy and his family who are forced to flee their home and become refugees after the British Partition of India.

Twelve-year-old Raj is happiest flying kites with his best friend, Iqbal. As their kites soar, Raj feels free, like his beloved India soon will be, and he can’t wait to celebrate their independence.

But when a British lawyer draws a line across a map, splitting India in two, Raj is thrust into a fractured … Continue reading →

Fall 2024 Backlist Reading Check-In

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Fall 2024 Backlist Reading Check-in

Fall 2024 Backlist Reading Check-In

Normally, I start a post like this at the beginning of the season and add to it as I finish reading each book. That gives me a diary-like record of my experience with each book, which I enjoy looking back at later.

This time, I forgot to start the post and only remembered about it in mid-November when I began making my calendar of list posts for next year. At any rate, I did manage to get my Fall 2024 backlist reading list together, and I’m excited to talk about some of these books.

I somehow managed to get to a lot more backlist titles than I thought I did. My … Continue reading →

MMGM Review: Unsinkable Cayenne by Jessica Vitalis

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Unsinkable Cayenne by Jessica Vitalis

Unsinkable Cayenne
Jessica Vitalis
Greenwillow Books
Published October 29, 2024

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About Unsinkable Cayenne

When her unconventional parents finally agree to settle down in one place, twelve-year-old Cayenne’s dreams come true—but the reality of fitting in is much harder than she imagined. Acclaimed author Jessica Vitalis crafts an unforgettable historical novel-in-verse about belonging, family, and social class for fans of Lisa Fipps’s Starfish and Jasmine Warga’s Other Words for Home.

Cayenne and her family drift from place to place, living in their van. It hasn’t been a bad life—Cayenne and her mother birdwatch in every new location, they have a cozy … Continue reading →

Review: Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal

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Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal

Light Enough to Float
Lauren Seal
Rocky Pond Books
Published October 8, 2024

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About Light Enough to Float

Deeply moving and authentic, this debut novel-in-verse follows teenage Evie through her eating disorder treatment and recovery―a Wintergirls for a new generation.

Evie has just barely acknowledged that she has an eating disorder when she’s admitted to an inpatient treatment facility. Now her days are filled with calorie loading, therapy sessions, and longing—for home, for control, and for the time before her troubles began. As the winter of her treatment goes on, she gradually begins to face her fears and to love herself … 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 →