You Don't Have to Be Everything

January 1, 2021
An engrossing, comforting collection of poetry depicting the challenging experiences of the transition from girlhood to womanhood. Ranging from the sharp and sentimental to the carefree and unbound, this anthology of poems is divided into sections based on themes such as loneliness, rage, shame, sadness, and belonging, among others. Contributors include many established greats such as Maya Angelou, Margaret Atwood, Joy Harjo, Naomi Shihab Nye, Mary Oliver, and Elizabeth Acevedo as well as some newer voices who will be familiar from Instagram. In the inspired introduction, editor Whitney emphasizes that the themes should not prescribe or dictate what readers take from any one poem. While highlighting the subjectivity and distinctiveness of poetry's impact, the overarching theme of female experience is infused in every stanza. The chorus of diverse voices will show readers that there is community in some of the most difficult and common feelings girls and women will have. Through the sharing of truths, uncertainties, and insecurities, readers will likely find poems that resonate with them. Bold and varied color illustrations complement the poems, adding a modern look and feel to the presentation of the verses. This collection feels like a gift, a pep talk, a shoulder to cry on, and, most of all, a mirror that will captivate its audience. A helpful companion for young women navigating a spectrum of complex emotions. (creator biographies) (Poetry. 13-18)

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January 18, 2021
Organized in sections named after emotions that a maturing young woman might feel (longing, loneliness, rage), this empowering assemblage of poems by an inclusive group of women writers offers insight and community to readers navigating adolescence. In poems that promote authenticity and staying true to oneself, poets including Elizabeth Acevedo, Maya Angelou, Margaret Atwood, Naomi Shihab Nye, Mary Oliver, and Brenda Shaughnessy report on experiences of love, physicality, sexuality, and trauma, among others. Whitney’s introduction offers a message that permeates the volume’s entirety: “We are already enough.” Full-color illustrations by a cohort of artists feature variously shaped women of myriad skin tones. Ages 12–up.

March 1, 2021
Grades 9-12 Aptly titled, this anthology of previously published poems will be a comfort to teens coming-of-age--growing up comes with plenty of complicated feelings, and these poems are sure to resonate. Not only is this anthology full of strong poetry from the more than 60 contributors, but the pages are also loaded with gorgeous, full-color artwork. Whitney, a poet, author, and essayist, brings diversity to the forefront, with poems presenting a refreshingly inclusive array of perspectives, including from trans and nonbinary poets, and she encourages readers to take in the poems individually as needed. To emphasize this, the book is divided into sections according to various emotions, such as loneliness, longing, and rage. It covers a variety of topics and provides meditations for pretty much any situation a young woman, the primary audience, might find herself in. The transitions between each section are sweet and poignant, and the colorful, varied page design keeps the eyes moving. Though many of these poems might already be familiar to readers, the particular context of young womanhood will likely cast them in a new light.

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