The Secret of Me: A Novel in Verse
Grade 7 Up–This novel in verse follows 14-year-old Lizzie through a year in which, despite her loving family, a circle of good friends, and a potential first boyfriend, she is plagued with a personal secret. She desperately wants to find out the story behind her adoption and her own identity, and while her parents and brother and sister (also adopted) are sympathetic, they discourage her from pursuing it. The lack of information leads her to worry obsessively and she frequently finds herself in her broken place where she wonders if being adopted makes her less of a person and if she can ever share her secret with others. The poems are readable and heartfelt, based in part on the author's life. Kearney creates a believable voice for her protagonist, and this book will be welcomed by adults working with young adoptees. Though lacking the broader appeal of Kate Banks'sDillon Dillon(Farrar, 2002) and Hilary McKay'sSaffy's Angel(S & S, 2002), it will find a receptive audience among teens who enjoy introspective coming-of-age dramas and thoughtful family stories. Kearney includes a good deal of supplemental material, including some thoughts on how families can discuss adoption among themselves, a guide to the poetic forms she has used (including pantoums, sestinas, and villanelles), six of Lizzie's favorite poems, and a list of recommended books on poetry and adoption.–Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.