Inward by Yung Pueblo is a beautiful collection of spiritual poems. Two serve as an intro of sorts, followed by 5 sections- Distance, Union, Interlude, Self-Love, and Understanding. This book dealt me a gut punch. These poems sang to my soul, conjuring sadness and longing, but hope as well. They are about loving yourself, and […]
Poetry Builders: Ana and Adam Build an Acrostic by Victoria Peterson-Hilleque, illustrated by Winifred Barnum-Newman Ana and Adam Build an Acrostic is part of the Poetry Builders Series to teach kids about all sorts of poetry types. This one, by Victoria Peterson-Hilleque, focuses on acrostics. These poems take a word and use each letter of […]
Rosario’s 500 Words or Less is a poignant, raw look into the heart of one young woman’s senior high school year. Told entirely through free verse poetry, Nic Chen’s story is one of unbearable loneliness and devastating loss. Two years ago, Nic and her best friend Ben became more than just friends. In one drunken […]
Wolf Sanctuary by Chuck Rineer Wolf Sanctuary by Chuck Rineer is a dazzling compilation of photographs that the author took of the wolves at Wolf Sanctuary of PA, a preservation and education facility run by the Darlington family. There are ten chapters, each with brief written introductions, and full of stunning photos. While there is […]
Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies by Ben Raskin Raskin’s Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies is a lovely non-fiction children’s book that looks at gardens, and how they function as an ecosystem. A big focus is on pollination and why it’s so necessary. Kids will learn all about the various critters that help gardens function and flourish. There […]
Erik the Lone Wolf by Sarah Finan Erik the Lone Wolf is a cute story about Erik, a wolf cub who feels crowded by his big family. Tired of being told what to do, Erik sets off by himself, determined to be a ‘lone wolf’. When he gets into trouble, Erik wishes he had his […]
Song Castle by Luke Waterson is a historical fiction novel centring on the 1176 CE events in Wales during which Prince Rhys of Deheubarth arranged a most magnificent contest of song and music to establish Wales as a place of culture, and not just of war. People came to this, the very first Eisteddfod, from […]
Beau Taplin’s Bloom is a beautiful collection of poems focused on deep love, self introspection, and the value of being true to oneself. Most of the poems in this collection are fairly short, and all are thought provoking. Several of these poems spoke to me on a very deep level. Many actually made me uncomfortable […]
The Little Book of Lagom by Jonny Jackson & Elias Larsen Jackson & Larsen’s Little Book of Lagom is all about learning to live in simplicity. Lagom is a Swedish word that means ‘just the right amount’. I loved the sidebar explanation for how it possibly came about, deriving from the phrase ‘laget om’ or […]
In Songs with Our Eyes Closed Tyler Kent White has woven a powerful compilation of poetry and short prose to inspire and uplift the spirit. To me, these poems especially spoke of being oneself, not being afraid of your full potential, and knowing your true worth. These were lessons I needed at the moment. Lessons […]