Critique

It’s rare that poems about love, especially teenage love or first love escape being really cheesy. Most of the great love poems that we hearken to were written well before this century and most were written the century before that. Love, as a concept, as a subject of poetry has become very tired, old, used and cliché. This is unfortunate considering that it’s one of the most profound, complex, and beautiful elements of human life.
All that is to say that this novel is not much of an exception on being cheesy, but past the verse itself, the story being weaved from poem to poem creates something somewhat interesting and unique. Also, I do appreciate poetry written for the young adult genre, because there is very little of it. This book is a quick light read that I recommend to those who want to reminisce about first love or look toward it. It’s lighthearted and fun, much like the way first love feels.

Critique

I feel like “experience” is a truly fitting adjective for this text. I would actually recommend it to children and adults alike, not only because of the richness in historical value, but also because the stories of Holiday’s life that are told through this medium create a rich experience for all readers. 

I believe, however, that Weatherford’s most phenomenal accomplishment with the text is that it communicates the story in a very similar way to the songs and jazz style of Billie Holiday—her signature style of singing just behind the beat, improvising in subtle but profound ways. All of that, although not represented in the same way, is brought to life throughout the text. I recommend this to all readers.

Critique

It’s not surprising that the Surrender Tree won so many awards, including a Newbery Honor. The language is beautiful, and the story itself is one that is not often told. Especially for an American audience, this text reveals a new type of Cuba that predates the Communist revolution that sparked an arms race during the Kennedy presidency. This is a Cuba much like the early America or Jamaica—a country of people who want to have their own independence, who want to live freely as one people, no slavery, all equals.

It’s interesting to see the story from so many perspectives, and I think that Engle adroitly switches through the first person narratives with ease. Often writers will struggle to create variance in the voices and speech patterns of their characters, but each of the four sounds different from each other, not only in style and rhythm, but also in their character—hopes, dreams, loves, actions, driving forces. I read it twice, and I would recommend it to all readers.

Critique

This collection is a treasure among poetry, not only for its rich collection of voices and poignant social commentary on being Latin in America, but for its brutal honesty and courageous content that reveals both the beautiful and horrendous aspects of American culture as well as the Latin culture that these poets have left behind. All of the voices teach educational lessons to the readers, and bring an edge about the realities of living in America that can only be told accurately through the mouths of those experiencing it.

This is an excellent read for all cultures who’ve found themselves in America, especially those who grow up in secluded suburban neighborhoods and have no concept or empathy for ‘the other’. I recommend this text to all readers, especially early teens since so few books of poetry are written for this age group.

Critique

Not only is this collection poignant and educational for younger readers, but I believe that it is an absolutely essential read for the youth of America. Too quickly people forget about the past, and these poems are necessary in order that history doesn’t continue to repeat itself. There are so many phenomenal gems by well-known authors and poets throughout the 20th century, and every single one of them is still relevant to our culture today. The list of poets in this anthology is amazing, and it’s an important read for anyone in order to show us a mirror, reflecting the current state of ourselves in hopes that we will grow and expand our understanding of life and humanity.

Critique

Although Alexie’s voice is largely the same throughout the poems, it works better in the graphic novel/fiction version of his coming of age self. It’s not that Face is bad per se, but it’s not great. However, even Alexie himself acknowledges that his poetic ability may not be of the top caliber, but he wants to express himself and makes no apologies. 

That said, it’s not entirely a book that I would recommend kids younger than 15 read. Many of the poems deal with Alexie as an adult, and again, he makes no apologies for the content. I will say, though, that all of the poems dealing with him as a child, or his adult self dealing with elements from his childhood are excellent poems and would be more interested for a younger audience.

Critique

The art and poetry throughout is beautiful, poignant, and contextual to a culture that is mostly foreign to an American audience. Nye is correct regarding the American sentiment of the Middle East and Muslims, and her attempt to ratify that, while somewhat lofty, is still admirable all the same. The poetry collected reveals something about people’s hearts, loves, dreams, hates, and fears that media cannot. Much of the writing is so fiercely honest that one can’t help but to feel drawn into the narrative of the people in a way that bridges the gap of religion, distance, and culture. I recommend this to all readers, because I believe that anyone who reads it will be positively changed by the poetry within, and hopefully the attempts toward peace and understanding will continue to move forward.