We Are Quiet, We Are Loud (Best Young Writers And Artists In America)
Grade 10 Up—This anthology consists of 17 stories, 19 essays, 21 poems, and 34 photos of works of art done in various media. The written pieces range from two words (literally) to 18 pages in length, and their themes are familiar to adolescent literature: friendships made and lost, romantic (usually sexual) angst, and issues of divorced and/or abusive parents. Other entries, however, go beyond the world of average American adolescence. For instance, the poem "Mama Always Says" expresses the admiration a young girl has for her mother, one of the "underpaid black women of apron slavery," who, despite her hard work as a domestic, manages to impart to her daughter the joy of living. The essay "The Truth About the Bug" tells of the anger felt by a teenage Muslim coming to terms with the fact that she was genitally mutilated as a child. "The 27 Remaining" transports readers to Molokai where, seeing the remnants of the one-time leper colony, a woman brings closure to the pain she felt from being separated from her disease-ridden mother. All of the selections, though vastly different stylistically, are exceptionally well written. Their language is sometimes raw, and their vocabulary is always strong and geared to mature readers. The artwork, too, presents themes of personal reflection, inviting observers to comment upon feelings instilled by the often-unusual images. The volume concludes with an explanation of the awards, a call for submissions, and a listing of other "Push" titles. The anthology will provide much fodder for discussion, and it is sure to spark interest for creative writers and budding artists alike.—Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence, RICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.