My Thoughts:
This coming of age novel in verse introduces you to three generations of Kentucky "hillbilly" women through the strong voice of Beatrice Miller. These poems hold a voice and lyricism that makes me think of butter and salt and love, fried green tomatoes and the buzz of insects at dusk.
Beatrice lives with Mamaw (her granny) and her mom, and even as Beatrice is eager to race forward to her future grown self, she does hold on to the lessons she learns from Mamaw and mom around food, cooking, gardening and the power of centering family in the kitchen.
It is hard to explain how special Beatrice is without sharing one of the poems. As a teacher, I cannot say enough for finding and sharing a recording or a video of author Ellen Hagen reading one of her pieces. It will sear the rhythm and voice of the poems into reader's ears. This poem, "Beatrice" is her name poem. She is named for Mawmaw and shares her complex love-hate relationship with her name (as most almost 7th graders are want to do):
The fact that it really is my mamaw's name/doesn't make it any better./Fact is - it makes it worse./Because I love my mamaw/more than the ocean/or french toast/or sleeping in/or bacon.
& when I don't spend all my time hating it/my name becomes a beacon./Some light to hang on to/when it's too dark/to see myself.
From the Publishers:
The co-author of Watch Us Rise pens a novel in verse about all the good and bad that comes with middle school, growing up girl, and the strength of family that gets you through it.
Beatrice Miller may have a granny's name (her granny's, to be more specific), but she adores her Mamaw and her mom, who give her every bit of wisdom and love they have. But the summer before seventh grade, Bea wants more than she has, aches for what she can't have, and wonders what the future will bring.
This novel in verse follows Beatrice through the ups and downs of friendships, puberty, and identity as she asks: Who am I? Who will I become? And will my outside ever match the way I feel on the inside?
A gorgeous, inter-generational story of Southern women and a girl's path blossoming into her sense of self, Reckless, Glorious, Girl explores the important questions we all ask as we race toward growing up.
Beatrice Miller may have a granny's name (her granny's, to be more specific), but she adores her Mamaw and her mom, who give her every bit of wisdom and love they have. But the summer before seventh grade, Bea wants more than she has, aches for what she can't have, and wonders what the future will bring.
This novel in verse follows Beatrice through the ups and downs of friendships, puberty, and identity as she asks: Who am I? Who will I become? And will my outside ever match the way I feel on the inside?
A gorgeous, inter-generational story of Southern women and a girl's path blossoming into her sense of self, Reckless, Glorious, Girl explores the important questions we all ask as we race toward growing up.
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