Who killed Mr. Chippendale, and why? These two questions drive the narrative in Mel Glenn’s Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?: A Mystery in Poems (1999). Told from the perspectives of various characters representing different sectors of the school and community reacting to the murder of Mr. Chippendale, Who Killed Mr. Chippendale is developed through a series of interlocking free-verse poems. Many characters are introduced, the majority of whose voices are heard once and help to create a nuanced portrait of Mr. Chippendale–a mystery to his own colleagues despite […]
“The trouble with denial is that when the truth comes, you aren’t ready.”
I’ve been somewhat slow with my reviews lately, mostly because the books that I’ve been reading have taken me a bit of time to process. In fact, I’m not quite sure I’m done figuring them out yet. I first saw We are Okay at the library on the new YA shelf. The cover drew me in, it had those same dreamy pinks and blues as the Paper Girls cover, and it just looked so familiar to me. Going in to read it, I had no […]
Clueless In The Sierra Mountains
I’ll start off this review by saying I’ve not read anything else by Jill Shalvis, but if this book is an indication of her writing…it doesn’t encourage me to try another book. I picked this up based on the cover blurb: When she gets left at the altar, city girl Breanne decides to go on her honeymoon alone. She ends up snowed in at a Sierra mountains lodge, then discovers that her room has been double-booked, and she ends up sharing with burned-out cop Cooper […]
So Much Depends on Being Inspired
My pleasure while reading Sharon Creech’s Love That Dog (2001) just could not be contained as evidenced by the Cheshire grin plastered on my face from the beginning to end of this novella. Related in free verse from the perspective of Jack through dated entries that span a school year, Love That Dog is quite charming and delightful. Read the full review.