Partly Cloudy: Poems of Love and Longing by Gary Soto

From the author of The Afterlife and Novio Boy, comes this small book of love poems written in the voices of teens.  The first half of Partly Cloudy is verse from a female perspective, including “Black Books,” about a young woman’s search for Mr. Not a Jerk, and “Obsession” which ends with the line, “Young lady, there’s a picture of a boy at the back of your retinas.”  In the second half, Soto explores young love from the male point of view.  In “Beautiful Trouble” a deacon’s son yearns for a red-lipped, bangle-clad bad girl.  “Driftwood” is a sad lament of rejection that makes poetry out of a frozen river.  The poetry is accessible and captures the vulnerability of eager young hearts, without conjuring up fiery passion or utter heartbreak.  Partly Cloudy is a good introduction to poetry for younger teens and tweens and well-suited to instructional use. --Regan Schwartz

Soto, Gary. Partly Cloudy: Poems of Love and Longing. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009. Print.

Jokelopedia compiled by Ilana Weitzman, Eva Blank, Alison Benjamin, and Rosanne Green

Nothing brings people together like a joke so silly that it just cracks you up.  Luckily, Jokelopedia is chock full of them.

“Why was the margarine unhappy when she gave birth to marmalade?

She was expecting something butter”

“What did the 0 say to the 8?

Nice belt.”

“What’s the fastest way to crash a computer?

Let an adult use it.”

Now, I admit, that last one hit a little too close for this librarian’s comfort, but it is the wealth of jokes like these that pulls groups of disparate teens together for shared reading, laughing, and groaning.  Interspersed with the one-liners are pages of comedy history, comedy biographies, step-by-step procedures for a multitude of practical jokes, ample cartoons and illustrations, and longer-form narrative jokes.  Jokelopedia is an engaging, low-stress read, sure to elicit a smile (or an amused grimace). --Regan Schwartz

Weitzman, Ilana, et al, eds. Jokelopedia. New York: Workman Publishing, 2006. Print.

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DuBurke

An eleven-year-old puts in work to join a gang. Something (his aim?) goes horribly wrong and he accidentally shoots and kills a fourteen-year old girl. He goes into hiding... what happens next? If the suspense is killing you (no pun intended), you might be interested to know that this is a true story, told with the facts by a fictional narrator invented by artist Greg Neri (Yes, that author of Chess Rumble who visited Bridges during a library program several years ago) in a graphic novel. High-contrast illustrations are effectively executed by Randy DuBurke. (Yes, that illustrator of A Graphic Biography of Malcolm X, the author of which visited Boys Town several years ago.) This cautionary tale is woven for middle-schoolers and gets at an issue that is, for better or worse, frequently the elephant in the room in many Passages classrooms and libraries-- gang violence and the innocent victims affected. There are plenty of other meaningful discussion topics broached by Yummy, but I truly don't want to ruin this fast read for you. Suffice it to say I am recommending it to everyone, adults who teach middle-schoolers and the middle-schoolers themselves, because a book like this doesn't come along very often. So exceptional that an exception to our review policy had to be made-- it's a must-read. Even for those of you who have confided to me that you're not partial to graphic novels. Coming soon to a Passages Academy Library near you! Click here for a book trailer with a beat, discussion questions, and an interview with the authors to get a taste.

Neri, G., and Randy DuBurke. Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty. New York: Lee & Low, 2010.