Tag Archives: novel in verse

Review: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

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The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X
Elizabeth Acevedo
HarperTeen
Published March 6, 2018

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About The Poet X

Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather … Continue reading →

Review: Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca

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Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca

Mirror to Mirror
Ranaji LaRocca
HarperCollins
Published March 21, 2023

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About Mirror to Mirror

In Rajani LaRocca’s breathtaking follow-up to the Newbery Honor– and Walter Award–winning Red, White, and Whole, identical twin sisters with a complicated relationship do everything together—until one day, they break apart.

Maya is the pragmatic twin. But when her sister threatens to reveal her secret anxiety to their parents, she feels completely betrayed.

Chaya is the outgoing twin. With Maya shutting her out, she decides to make a drastic change to give her twin the space she seems to need.

The once-close sisters can’t seem to find their rhythm, but they know … Continue reading →

Author Q&A with Jacqueline Jules

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Author Q&A with Jacqueline Jules

Author Q&A with Jacqueline Jules

Today, I’m excited to share a Q&A with the author of more than 50 books for young readers, and most particularly, the author of My Name is Hamburger, which I reviewed yesterday. Jacqueline Jules shares some of the inspiration behind favorite characters, why she chose to write Trudie Hamburger’s story in verse, and more.

Q: What is your favorite thing about Trudie Hamburger? What inspired you to create her?

Trudie is a version of myself at her age. My Name is Hamburger was inspired by my own childhood in a small southern town as a Jewish minority. Writing this book gave me the opportunity to recall both pleasant and not-so-pleasant memories … Continue reading →

Review: My Name is Hamburger by Jacqueline Jules

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My Name is Hamburger by Jacqueline Jules

My Name is Hamburger
Jacqueline Jules
Kar-Ben Publishing
Published October

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About My Name is Hamburger

Trudie Hamburger is the only Jewish kid living in the small southern town of Colburn in 1962. Nobody else at her school has a father who speaks with a German accent or a last name that means chopped meat. Trudie doesn’t want to be the girl who cries when Daniel Reynolds teases her. Or the girl who hides in the library to avoid singing Christian songs in music class.

She doesn’t want to be different. But over the course of a few pivotal months, as Trudie … Continue reading →

Review: 37 Days at Sea: Aboard the M.S. St. Louis, 1939

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37 Days at Sea by Barbara Krasner

37 Days at Sea: Aboard the M.S. St. Louis, 1939
Barbara Krasner
Kar-Ben Publishing
Published May 1, 2021

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About 37 Days at Sea: Aboard the M.S. St. Louis, 1939

In May 1939, nearly one thousand German-Jewish passengers boarded the M.S. St. Louis luxury liner bound for Cuba. They hoped to escape the dangers of Nazi Germany and find safety in Cuba. In this novel in verse, twelve-year-old Ruthie Arons is one of the refugees, traveling with her parents.

Ruthie misses her grandmother, who had to stay behind in Breslau, and worries … Continue reading →

2022 Reading Wrap-Up: My Year in Books

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2022 Reading Wrap-Up: My Year in Books

Here we are, at the end of another year. A lot has happened this year, and more than ever, I’ve found myself grateful for the opportunity to read and talk about so many great books. In my 2022 Reading Wrap-Up post, I’ll focus on some overall stats and list a few favorite books I read this year.

Wrap-up posts are something I struggle with in general, but I’m experimenting and hoping to develop a structure I like. I downloaded a book tracking spreadsheet from Kimberly at Addicted to Romance that I’m looking forward to trying out.

I discovered that I enjoy finding out reading stats of other bookish people and reviewers. Mara … Continue reading →