Bookalicious

This review is part of the National Poetry Month blog tour over at Savvy Verse and Wit

The pain of wanting to fit in

The joy of being consumed by love

The shame of not feeling at home in your body

The strength in learning you’re beautiful

These are moments that every girl knows . . . for they are part of growing up, of uncaging yourself, from your childhood, your environment, your view of yourself. Francesca Lia Block follows the journey from girlhood to womanhood in this three-part poetry collection that channels girls’ innermost feelings and experiences and celebrates women everywhere. It is a call to embrace the girl within, to heal her and set her free.

HarperTeen sent me this book for review. I have to admit to not reading very much poetry so I was happy to give this a go. Then when it lined up for Serena’s blog tour I knew it was fate that I read this book.

Francesca Lia Block is a master at prose. Again it is hard for me to judge seeing as how I haven’t really read a lot of poetry other than the sonnets. I know that if I had had this book while going through my transformation to womanhood, I would have been in love with this slim book of poetry.

Each section and each poem touches on the deep feelings one has while going through the in-between time. I think the book highlights and celebrates the darkest points of the transformation and possibly helps girls understand they are not alone. Millions of girls are going through the same things.

This is a great book. I hope there are parents out there that can look past the sexual elements and realize it for what it is. A great book of prose that can enlighten your daughter on her journey into womanhood.