The Poet Upstairs

A bilingual girl named Juliana learns about the immersive nature of poetry after a poet moves into the apartment above hers. Just the sound of the woman typing is enough to transport Juliana to a tropical island in her dreams; after venturing upstairs, Juliana collaborates with the poet on a poem that opens the girl’s eyes to the way that “words can change the world.” While heartfelt, Cofer’s prose can be overly sentimental (“a poem is like a magic carpet that can take you anywhere in the world and let you be anything you want to be”), while debut illustrator Ortiz blends urban and tropical elements in inventive ways. Ages 5–9. (Nov.)