Weird? (Me, Too!) Let's Be Friends

Simple line illustrations and poems pair to explore themes of friendship and communication. A boy whose friend has moved away laments his loss ("They left the stairs,/ the toilet, the doorknobs,/ AND/ (I'm living proof)/ a hole in my gut/ the size of the roof"), while other poems touch on the bond between girlfriends, insecurities, promises, and secrets. Holbrook invites reader participation with poems to be read by multiple voices, and she supplies writing suggestions. While some lines feel strained ("Did every kid once in a while wet her pants?/ Think about murder? Eat in a trance?"), the selections tenderly articulate the complexities of identity and social dynamics. Ages 9–11. (Apr.)