GRACE NOTES Poems About Families

Former Young People's Poet Laureate Naomi Shihab Nye delivers her latest collection, subtitled "Poems About Families." They're mostly focused on her relationship with her mother. Nye has a comfortable, unaffected delivery. Her voice has an unstudied tone, but, make no mistake, every syllable lands with precise intent. The poems are short and, at times, breathtakingly revealing, touching on acts of love and occasionally betrayal, on mysteries a child can never truly plumb. These snapshots come together to create a portrait of a vibrant, wounded, whole woman. With this gentle, piercing assemblage, Nye gives young listeners a model for understanding the adults in their lives, one poem at a time. V.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2024]