★★★★★ 4
Building something wonderful out of the broken pieces
Format: Hardcover
Meg Eden Kuyatt has done it again. I am a big fan of novel in verse, and this author is one reason why. The poetry delivers character, setting, and story in a clear, believable voice. The protagonist, V, is a middle school girl full of feelings, celebrating her difference while fighting for her place in the wonderland of neurotypicals. V introduces herself in vibrant socks that say “I am strange and wonderful.” And with that, we are off.
V is reluctantly spending the summer with her grandma Jojo in the pristine white house that has been in her family for generations. History is definitely living here. The house is a character itself (and a metaphor). I love that V’s cousin Cat creates assemblages, an art form I was not familiar with. Cat describes it as taking discarded, broken stuff and turning it into something beautiful (another metaphor).
There is a lot going on here and a satisfying resolution brought on by a heaping dose of empathy. Highly recommend for the suggested audience (juvenile fiction, grades 3-7), their teachers, and families with neurodivergence.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2025
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