Gmorning, Gnight!

October 1, 2018
A collection of affirmations selected from the author's daily tweets.Twitter discourse is not distinguished by its positivity. But amid the rants, complaints, and depressing news, Miranda, the creator of the megahit musical Hamilton, offers daily inspirational greetings to start and end the day. These tidbits offer occasions for reflection and gratitude, and at their best, they spur confidence, resilience, and even happiness. Unfortunately, the magic doesn't carry over from social to printed media. Even when the advice is good--e.g., "Gnight! / Your mind is yours alone. / Do what it takes to make yourself comfy. / Draw the blinds, kick out unwelcome guests. / Make it your home" or "Do NOT get stuck in the comments section of life / today. / Make, do, create the things. / Let others tussle it out"--reading more than a couple at a time is like going to the store and reading all the birthday cards. Eventually, they begin to sound sentimental or pat. Miranda describes his method for composing these tweets in his introduction: "I'm writing what I wish somebody would say, / Then switching the pronoun to you." Readers will do well to invert this formula and switch the pronouns back to I as they read. This strategy allows an escape from awkward questions about why the author is saying these things to you. Although even reading "[I] did good today" forces the question, did I? Better is the playful specificity of something like "get some food in you, maybe a banana." This brief collection is best when the author deviates from straight inspiration and surprises readers. Sun's (everyone's an aliebn when ur a aliebn too, 2017) line drawings, which enhance the book's lighthearted side, are a notable addition to the print version of Miranda's affirmations; they are a fun and refreshing presence throughout.Inspiring as the affirmations can be, the book is ultimately less than the sum of its parts.

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2018

Have trouble getting out of bed in the morning? The relatable and inspiring words in award-winning composer and playwright Miranda's book might infuse a little positivity into your a.m. routine. This volume contains a little more than 200 pages of concise pieces of advice with which to start or end the day. Readers can tear through this book in a single sitting or digest it slowly-they may wish to savor the volume by reading a single "pep talk" in the morning and one at night. Miranda's words, accompanied by Sun's comforting, spare black-and-white illustrations, warrant reexamining. The writing evokes the language of mindfulness, with lines like: "Give that maelstrom in your head a place to land." VERDICT For those who enjoy self-help and psychology texts and meditation books. The brief, meaningful pep talks are lyrical vignettes and may appeal to poetry readers as well.-Emily Butler, Deerfield Academy, MA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2018
Miranda is not just the genius behind the musical Hamilton; he's also really good at social media. His followers on Twitter know that he begins each day with an inspirational, motivational "Gmorning" tweet, and ends with a "Gnight." The best are collected here in a book that will bring a smile to even the most committed curmudgeon's face. Ranging from the silly ("Good morning. / Good gracious. / Your smile is / contagious") to the straightforward ("YOU ARE SO LOVED AND WE LIKE HAVING YOU AROUND" begins and ends one day's greetings), each demonstrate his playful lyricism. But, more important, they reveal an infectious enthusiasm for our inherent uniqueness, something Miranda celebrates like a twenty-first-century Mr. Rogers, emphatic but never treacly. The illustrations by Jonny Sun are equally delightful, especially in the artist's ability to convey so much with simple black-and-white line drawings?the surprise of finding a recurring alarm-clock motif, a gleeful foot kicking through a door?which recalls poetry collections by Shel Silverstein. When the world is bringing you down, Gmorning, Gnight! will remind you that you are awesome.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)