No Matter the Distance by Cindy Baldwin left me with such a mix of emotions! I almost didn't finish the book because the middle was a little draggy. But verse tends to keep me reading, and the burgeoning relationship between a girl and a dolphin was promising, so I persevered ... and I really liked how the book turned out.Penny has cystic fibrosis, which forces her to lead a life that is far from normal. Hospital visits and medication are not unusual, and what's irritating is how many people tell her that she's lucky. She's lucky to have got so far. She's lucky not to have it worse. But Penny doesn't feel lucky. Not when she's the only almost-twelve-year-old in her school sitting in hospital instead of school.The weaving together of storylines makes No Matter the Distance an interesting read. One storyline traces Penny's attempt to write a poem about what she knows about … [Read more...]
Full Cicada Moon
“Where are you from?” Sometimes, this feels like such an innocuous question. But often, it isn’t. For Mimi Yoshiko Oliver, growing up in 1969 Vermont, it feels like a particularly loaded question because her mother is Japanese and her father is African-American. She is American, but she doesn’t “look” it.Full Cicada Moon is a beautiful novel in verse that takes us through Mimi’s ups and downs as she finds her feet in a new school. Several sections in the story made me stop and sigh—particularly moments when Mimi experienced kindness and sensitivity from her father, a potential friend, or a teacher. Laced with light humour, this middle-grade book is a quick and easy read that juxtaposes the tiny steps we take as individuals with Neil Armstrong’s small step on the moon. Whenever I read books that bring in other languages, I love it when these words aren’t explained to us in the … [Read more...]
Punching the Air
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Verse can do what prose cannot. I cannot imagine a book as powerful as Punching the Air being written in prose. It is stark and vivid, detailed and hard-hitting all at the same time.Amal was just sixteen when he was convicted of a crime he did not commit. Even though the protagonist Amal isn’t identical to the author Dr Yusef Salaam, what he goes through is based on the latter's incarceration. Yusef Salaam came, eventually, to be known as one of the exonerated five. Together with Ibi Zoboi, he crafts an unputdownable story that left me both angry and hopeful.Amal means ‘hope’, but when he is in prison for no reason except the colour of his skin, it is hard to hold on to hope. Every emotion rages through the story, and the way the writers play with format, word choice and alignment made the story all the more impactful. Amal oscillates … [Read more...]
Lion of the Sky
I love historical fiction, and I love novels in verse. A middle-grade work of historical fiction in verse? I knew I wanted to read it.And Lion of the Sky by Ritu Hemnani didn’t disappoint.Set in Sindh in August 1947, Lion of the Sky tells the story of Raj and his family, who are confused by all that is happening around them. On the one hand, India is soon to be independent. On the other hand, they hear that a line is going to be drawn through the nation, carving out a separate country for Muslims. Initially, Raj thinks that his best friend Iqbal will have to leave. Soon, however, he realises that it is not the Muslims who must leave Sindh, but the Hindus.Lion of the Sky is both heart-breaking and optimistic. When suspicions run high and we are inclined to think the worst of one another, what do we do? Do we hold on to love, kindness and hope, or do we grow angry and … [Read more...]
If Elephants Could Talk
Temple elephants. I’ve always hated the fact that they exist. I remember during a dance tour once, when everyone lined up to be blessed by the elephant. I stayed away. And like Meenakshi in If Elephants Could Talk, I didn’t say a thing. I didn’t know how to form my words or what to say.Ever since Meenakshi’s mother died, she hasn’t spoken. People make fun of her, calling her moonga, as well as all kinds of other names. Yet, Meenu can’t find her words. She cannot respond to questions in class, and she cannot answer the bullies.Through it all, her Acha is a pillar of strength, as is her Anju chechi, all the way in Delhi. With their unwavering support, Meenu finally finds a way to express herself.If Elephants Could Talk touches upon two themes close to my heart—animals and dance. And perhaps that was why I was left with so many questions. How is Meenakshi’s dance teacher, her … [Read more...]