Review by Kirkus Book Review
A celebration of love through 12 unique stories in verse. Beloved and award-winning young adult authors explore different forms of love across time and a variety of places. In Mariama J. Lockington's "Love-Bomb," a queer Black girl must decide between choosing herself by pursuing her dreams or staying close to the mother she loves but resents. A queer, white-presenting woman with a beard learns to believe in herself and her own power in "All for Annie" by Robin Gow. "We Are the Briar," Laura Ruby's retelling of "Cinderella," centers on a Jewish girl who reclaims her strength and love in family. Editor Wilson's "The Bridegroom's Oak" shines: A shopgirl in Germany in 1899 is caught between romance and friendship. Padma Venkatraman takes readers to 12th-century India in "The Water Clock," in which a talented mathematician born under an unlucky star takes charge of her own fate. Alexandra Alessandri deftly handles chronic pain and grief as they haunt a Colombian American girl with fibromyalgia, whose new job leads to community in "Kaleidoscope." Jordanian American Nasrin realizes that unconditional love is forever when she must say goodbye to her beloved dog in Jasmine Warga's "The First, and the Last, and All the In-Betweens." The evocative writing in different verse forms connects the narratives in this timely, relatable collection with a diverse cast of characters. The variety of themes and points of view offers something for every reader. Love wins in this enjoyable, well-executed anthology. (about the authors)(Verse anthology. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
