Tag Archives: Poetry

Review: Knocking on Windows: A Memoir by Jeannine Atkins

Knocking on Windows by Jeannine Atkins

Knocking on Windows: A Memoir
Jeannine Atkins
Atheneum
Published August 5, 2025

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About Knocking on Windows: A Memoir

Acclaimed author Jeannine Atkins revisits her past in this brave and powerful memoir-in-verse about memory, healing, and finding her voice as a writer, perfect for fans of Amber Smith and Speak.

Night darkens the window to mirror.
I’m back in my old bedroom.

Six weeks after the start of her freshman year of college, Jeannine Atkins finds herself back in her childhood bedroom after an unimaginable trauma. Now home in Massachusetts, she’s struggling to reclaim her life and her voice. Seeking comfort in the words of women, she turns to the lives and stories of Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou, and Emily Dickinson. Through raw and poignant letter-poems addressed to these literary giants, Jeannine finds that the process of writing and reflecting has become not only a means of survival but the catalyst for a burgeoning writing career.

Inspired and ready to move forward, she enrolls in her state university, where she feeds her growing passion for writing in fiction seminars. But she finds that she’s unable to escape the pervasive misogyny of her classmates and professors, who challenge her to assert her own voice against a backdrop of disbelief and minimalization. This time, though, Jeannine is not willing to go down without a fight.

A searingly honest memoir told through gorgeous verse, Knocking on Windows stands as a beacon of hope and a celebration of the enduring spirit of survivors of sexual assault—and of writers.

My Review

Since assault is one of the topics that I struggle to read about, I always approach books like this with caution. I love that it’s told in verse and that so much of the book focuses on finding and holding onto hope in the midst of hard times/trauma/processing hard feelings.

For example, Jeannine writes often about her admiration for and study of the work of Sylvia Plath. As she reads her work and learns about her life, she struggles to hold both her genius and her mistakes in her hand at the same time. That can be uncomfortable, but it’s SO real. It feels especially real to me right now.

In one poem, she talks about studying literature in college (in the 1970s) and how work by women tends to be trivialized. One of her peers talks about how he doesn’t want to read about bodies or boyfriends because it makes him uncomfortable.

At one point she shares a story about a girl and her mother and the difficulty of their relationship. One of her classmates minimized the experience, but others push back. “I see myself, [in the story]” one classmate tells the group. The professor agrees.

Which highlights, to me, the importance of writing about uncomfortable experiences and reading about them.

This is NOT to say you shouldn’t have boundaries and be safe. Please do that. There is a very real difference between discomfort and trauma. Discomfort can be okay (when you’re safe). Trauma isn’t okay.

Conclusion

Knocking on Windows is the first book by Jeannine Atkins that I’ve ever read. I checked my library to see if they had more of her work, but it looks like if I want to read more, I’ll have to buy it! I do want to read more.

Readers who enjoy verse memoirs or reading about writers or writing will find lots to love in this one. I love the way she connects the work of other writers with her experiences and thinks about those writers as living breathing people, too. This book gave me lots to think about. I will probably read it more than once, when all is said and done.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief description of rape and reporting it to the police. References to the assault and how others respond to Jeannine’s experience. She also describes Sylvia Plath’s experience when someone attacks her.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
See above.

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.

Review: The Fragments That Remain by Mackenzie Angeconeb

The Fragments That Remain
Mackenzie Angeconeb
Cormorant Books
Published March 8, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Fragments That Remain

First-year college student Andy can’t afford to slow down. Study, volunteer, work, make new friends, fall in love ― whatever it takes to keep her from obsessing over her brother Ally’s death, which was ruled suicide by overdose. Navigating a new life chapter without her “honorary twin,” Andy writes letters to him as she strives to embrace her bisexuality and her Indigenous identity. Once she discovers Ally’s hidden poems, Andy pours over them to make sense of her brother’s life ― and his death.

Back in senior year, Ally dreamed of being a poet. His parents encouraged him to write as a hobby, but they always expected him to inherit the family-owned bookshop with his sister. Ally wrote to cope with his emptiness, until he turned to drugs to fill the void.

Reaching for her brother through unanswered words, Andy must reckon with living a once-shared life alone.

My Review

This novel is divided into three parts. Andy’s letters to her brother make up the first and last parts of the book. The middle part is made up of poems her brother Ally wrote and left in a box she finds partway through the story.

The letters read like diary entries. They show Andy processing her brother’s death, dealing with grief, and her struggle to form new connections with others. At times, Andy circles between grief and depression, vividly describing her emotional pain. When she discovers the poems, she wrestles with wanting to know Ally’s thoughts and worrying she’ll discover something she can’t unknow.

I found her journey easily relatable. She had a lot of guilt over her brother’s death. At one point, she experiences rejection and has an explosively angry reaction. She doesn’t become violent, but she feels incredibly betrayed and says some hurtful (ace-phobic) things. As she processes her feelings and reflects on her behavior, she realizes she acted badly and apologizes.

I love her mom’s reaction when she tells her parents she’s dating a girl. Her mom is so chill about it that her dad thinks maybe she doesn’t realize what Andy is telling them, so he repeats it, and her mom is like, yeah, I know, but what’s her name? It is a sweet moment.

On the whole, I enjoyed the book. I think readers who enjoy stories that reflect on unexpected tragedy or address the fallout of addiction or loss will want to read The Fragments That Remain.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing, references to sex (not shown on-scene).

Spiritual Content
Andy reads her letters aloud and thinks of it as reading them to her brother’s spirit. Vague reference to praying to whatever gods are listening.

Violent Content
References to drug overdose/death by suicide.

Drug Content
References to drug use.

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

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

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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.

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

MMGM Review: Wildflower Emily by Lydia Corry

Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson
Lydia Corry
Godwin Books
Published October 15, 2024

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About Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson is one of America’s greatest and most original poets of all time. When you hear her name, you may imagine the famous recluse whose withdrawal from society became legendary. But it’s time to meet a new side of Emily, one that is powerful, adventurous, and joyful.

Follow along as we delve into Emily Dickinson’s childhood, revealing a young girl desperate to go out exploring―to meet the flowers in their own homes. Wade through tall grasses to gather butterfly weed and goldenrod, the air alive with the “buccaneers of buzz.” And, don’t forget to keep a hot potato in your pocket to keep your fingers warm.

This is Emily Dickinson as you’ve never seen her before, embarking on an unforgettable journey in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts, with her trusty four-legged companion, Carlo.

My Review

I am in love with this book! It really blew me away. I was expecting something cute that would give kids a connection with the poet through an imagined story of her childhood. And this book is that.

It’s also so much more. I love the color palette. Most of the illustrations outside are done in warm tones that evoke a sunny day or sunset. The illustrations inside have this soft plum-colored cast to them that feels appropriately dated. I found even the colors of the pictures engaging. It’s a graphic novel-style story, which at first might seem like an odd choice for a book about Emily Dickinson, but it really worked.

It’s a gentle story that follows Emily and her dog as they explore the fields and woods collecting flowers. A lot of the dialogue that Emily speaks comes directly from her writing, which emphasizes her creativity and the poetic way that she saw the world.

The back of the book includes some facts about Dickinson’s dog, her family life, and the ways in which she relates to others despite being known as a recluse. Those tidbits of information seem carefully chosen to inspire readers’ interest and further curiosity about Emily Dickinson’s life.

I can already tell this is going to be one of those books I can’t stop recommending. It’s one of those rare works in which the author started with an incredible concept and then executed it perfectly. I would love to see other books like this about young writers’ or poets’ lives.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
All characters are white. (The only people appearing in the book are Emily Dickinson and her family members.)

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

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.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

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

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

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

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 of the forest, including the timid Piglet, the downcast Eeyore, the impatient Rabbit, the loquacious Owl, the always bouncing Tigger, and newcomers Kanga and Roo. In each chapter, they have a new adventure, from searching for honey or celebrating birthdays to hunting Heffalumps or navigating new friendships.

Rounding out the collection are two books of children’s When We Were Very Young —in which we meet Mr. Edward Bear, the character that inspired Winnie-the-Pooh—and Now We Are Six, in which Pooh and Christopher Robin make frequent appearances. These playful and imaginative verses explore the joys and pains of growing up, the antics of peculiar characters, quiet afternoons in nature, memorable animal friends, and more.

Mini-Reviews of Each Book in the Collection

There are four books in this collection that feature the original illustrations inside the books. The book covers are completely new. The cover illustrations are new, and are pretty simplified.

Reading Milne’s classic works is a great way to slow down and reconnect to a child’s view of the world. I love the original artwork—it was really fun just flipping through the books to look at the illustrations.

This would make a great gift for a family with younger kids or early middle grade readers.

Winnie-the-Pooh

This book introduces readers to Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Christopher Robin, and their familiar friends. Each chapter reads like a self-contained adventure and is written as though it’s a story being told to a young boy named Christopher Robin about his very own stuffed bear, Winnie-the-Pooh.

I’ve read at least part of the book before, so this was partly a reread for me, but it was fun to revisit these characters and their stories. The dialogue contains a lot of wordplay or interpretations of words that feel very childlike.

Perhaps the only moment that stood out to me as something to think about is when Pooh gets stuck in Rabbit’s front door in the first chapter. Christopher Robin says they’ll have to wait a week for him to “get thin again.” I don’t know that anyone said anything directly shaming to Pooh. They sort of shrug and go along with the situation, but readers sensitive to body image issues or shaming might find that scene uncomfortable.

The House at Pooh Corner

If you’re a Tigger fan, this is the book you want to read, as it’s the only one in which he appears. Early in the collection, Tigger appears in the Hundred Acre Wood, and the rest of the group has to figure out what to make of their bouncy new friend.

The stories in The House at Pooh Corner are loosely connected, but each volume could be read independently. This volume also contains a lot of poetry or “hums” as Pooh calls them. Shepard’s charming illustrations appear on almost every page, too.

This is the longest book in the set of four.

When We Were Very Young

This collection of poems celebrates childhood and imagination with poems about Christopher Robin or other children. Some invert childhood experiences. For example, in one poem, the child tells his mother not to venture off by herself. When she does, she gets lost and has to be returned to the child.

In one poem, Pooh examines his body and feels bad for its stout shape. Then, he reads a book that names a stout king as handsome and feels better about himself. One poem tells about a boy who imagines sailing to South America to wave to the “Indians.” In the final poem, Christopher Robin says his prayers before bed.

Now We are Six

Now We Are Six includes a mix of poetry that ranges from sweet reflections on childhood (playing with an imaginary friend) to stories with a moral message (a king whose advisor doesn’t follow any directions is replaced by a beggar at the gate who asks for aid).

Though Winnie-the-Pooh isn’t named directly in the poems here, he appears in the charming illustrations. Milne does warn in his introduction (my favorite part of the whole book, actually) that Pooh wandered through the pages and sat down on some of them. I suppose that’s his way of telling readers to look for him in the illustrations, which is cute.

Like the other books in the collection, this volume delivers nostalgia for childhood and shows a love for those days when so many experiences were fresh and new.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 6 to 10.

Representation
Human characters are white. Most characters are animals.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some poems and stories have elements of fantasy. In one poem, Christopher says his prayers, asking God’s blessing on his parents, Nanny, and himself.

Violent Content
In one chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh, Pooh and Piglet dig a trap and hope to catch a heffalump. In one chapter, rain floods the wood, and Piglet needs to be rescued from a tree. One poem vaguely references colonialism. In it, a boy imagines sailing to South America and visiting or dismissing the “Indians” as he pleases.

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 collection in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Review: Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard by Lesléa Newman and Brian Britigan

Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard
Lesléa Newman
Illustrated by Brian Britigan
Abrams ComicArts
Published September 26, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard

A poignant tribute to the life of Matthew Shepard and his legacy in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, published on the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

On the night of October 6, 1998, in Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Wayne Shepard (1976–1998) was brutally killed solely because he was gay. It was a shocking murder that was nationally covered in the media, and it became a rallying cry for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed by President Barack Obama, expanding the federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

With a foreword by Jason Collins—the first openly gay, active player in the NBA—and written by Lesléa Newman—author of the Stonewall Honor–winning novel-in-verse October A Song for Matthew Shepard, and a friend of the Shepard family—Always Matt is an emotional yet ultimately hopeful look at the progress that’s been made, as well as the work that still continues, in advocating for the dignity and equality of all people. Without shying away from the pain and tragedy of his death, moving, lyrical prose and minimalist line drawings present a celebration of his incredible life.

Twenty-five years after the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which dedicates its mission to erasing hate, Matthew’s story still resonates for those who lived through it, and remains a vital piece of LGBTQ+ history for younger generations to learn.

My Review

I don’t have any strong memories from when these events happened, but I know I’d heard about Matthew Shepard before reading this book. Despite not having a personal connection to the tragedy, I found reading this book so deeply moving. Each page drew me into thinking about what Matthew Shepard’s life was like. His childhood. Adolescence. Early adulthood.

When I got to the page that references his death, I felt gut-punched. I felt gut-punched again reading about the hateful protests at the courthouse and the funeral service. Is there anything as destructive as hate? Awful. I loved that people dressed up as angels with giant wings that they used to shield people from those messages of hate and fear.

What’s truly beautiful, though, is the way that Matt’s family and community have rallied together to share a message of peace and kindness. It’s courageous.

This is a brave book. It’s unflinching in its truth-telling, but it centers around celebrating a boy’s life, his dreams, and hopes for the future. In the foreword, Jason Collins shares how Matthew Shepard’s death impacted him personally. The author and illustrator also share their personal connections. There were a few other brief stories about people who’ve been impacted. All were so heartfelt.

This is an incredible tribute to a young man whose life has, without doubt, changed the world. I am honestly in awe, and I’m so grateful that the author reached out and asked me to review this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Includes a foreward by Jason Collins, the first openly gay active NBA player. The story focuses on the life of Matthew Shepard, a young gay man.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The family received comfort in Matt’s ashes being interred at an Episcopal church with a ceremony led by the first openly gay bishop in the church.

Violent Content
One illustration shows Matthew Shepard lying on the ground after being attacked. It isn’t graphic, but I did find the image shocking because it really brings home what happened. The text talks about the murder briefly but spends much more time talking about the impact this senseless death had on the community and world.

There are brief references to homophobic protests held at Matthew Shepard’s funeral and outside the hospital.

Drug Content
None.

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

Matthew Shepard Foundation

The Matthew Shepard Foundation is an organization that works to promote dignity and equality among all people through sharing Matt’s story and his passion for creating a kinder world. You can learn more about the foundation on their website.