Ode to a Nobody

A class poetry assignment helps an aimless 13-year-old grapple with the aftermath of a devastating tornado in this graceful and perceptive novel in verse. Quinn Nash is content to drift through eighth grade, invisibly living in the shadow of her "perfect" college-age brother, gaming and learning skating tricks with lifelong best friend Jack and charismatic new friend Jade, and mediating her parents' arguments, but her life is upended when a tornado sweeps through her neighborhood, destroying the family's house: "Nothing that was mine/ yesterday is mine today." Deeply affected by the devastation, Quinn surveys the Tennessee town's damage and, while helping cleanup efforts, discovers pleasure and value in both volunteer work and in writing a poem each day. To her uneasiness, Jack and Jade, personally untouched by the disaster, revel in the lawless freedom of preoccupied adults and canceled school, engaging in vandalism that creates a gulf between the formerly inseparable friends. In three free-verse sections, attentive word choice from Brooks DuBois (The Places We Sleep) exhibits the healing power of writing, charting Quinn's evolution from passive and insecure observer to conscientious aspiring poet. Characters default to white. Ages 8-12. Agent: Louise Fury, Bent Agency. (Nov.)

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 5-8--Eighth-grader Quinn is an underachiever, a failure who can never live up to her perfect older brother with his perfect grades and perfect college life. Quinn knows this is true because she is the reason her parents fight. She can't do even a simple ollie like her best friend Jack and Jade, the girl who is taking her place. Then one terrible, siren-splitting, glass-shattering night changes it all. A tornado tears through her neighborhood and her house, uprooting everything Quinn knows about herself. She begins to write poetry. As all of Quinn's relationships change--meeting new friends, getting her old ones in trouble, facing her parents' divorce, and discovering her own talent--she emerges as someone new. The telling of this novel in verse reflects the main character's own journey into words and poetry while crafting a story of pure emotion. Quinn's narrative begins fixated on her failure and brother Forest, then morphs into verse reflecting pain, confusion, and confidence as she deals with the storm's destruction. Varying text styles and placement create a visual playground. The raw emotion of the book means some characters aren't as well fleshed out as readers might like, and at times Quinn's voice reads older than 13 years old. Although the cover depicts a red-haired girl with light skin, it is unclear what Quinn or her family look like; there are only hints of other characters' appearance, such as Jade having blonde hair and tan skin. Place is also amorphous as Quinn lives in an unspecified urban environment. This, however, may allow more readers to relate to the beautiful journey of transition that Quinn embarks upon. VERDICT A book in verse that vibrates with the emotional transition of a teenager into a confident poet that should find its way to many library shelves.

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

★ "[A] graceful and perceptive novel in verse. . . . In three free-verse sections, attentive word choice from Brooks DuBois (The Places We Sleep) exhibits the healing power of writing, charting Quinn's evolution from passive and insecure observer to conscientious aspiring poet."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Quinn's personal growth will keep readers by her side as she finds her way to a brighter future."—Booklist

"A blend of lovely writing and insightful middle school dynamics."—Kirkus Reviews

"A beautifully crafted, utterly engaging, unforgettable story of courage, resilience, and finding your own way." —Chris Baron, author of Sydney Taylor Honor Book The Magical Imperfect

"In another beautiful verse novel, Caroline Brooks DuBois gives us a poignant story about thinking you're nobody and discovering you're somebody. A testament to resilience, self-discovery, and the transformative power of poetry." —Megan E. Freeman, Pushcart Prize-nominated author of Alone