Perma-Bound Edition ©2018 | -- |
Paperback ©2018 | -- |
Poetry. Fiction.
Authorship. Fiction.
Newspapers. Fiction.
Labyrinths. Fiction.
Best friends. Fiction.
Friendship. Fiction.
Family life. Fiction.
Middle schools. Fiction.
Schools. Fiction.
Taiwanese Americans. Fiction.
Gr 5-8Seventh grader Beatrix Lee puts a lot of faith in haiku. Since her family and friendships are changing dramatically, Bea abandons her love of free verse poetry and takes solace in the haiku's dependable five-seven-five rhyme scheme. After an embarrassing incident at a pool party causes a painful rift with her longtime best friend, Bea writes most of her poetry in invisible ink, a reflection of the loneliness she feels at school and at home, where her parents are happily preparing for a new baby. Bea's love of words starts to reemerge with the encouragement of a supportive librarian who introduces her to the kids at Broadside, the school newspaper. During lunch time, Bea takes refuge in the Broadside office, where she meets Briggs, the paper's editor, who makes her feel like a valued member of a team, and Will, who is obsessed with labyrinths. When Bea decides to show Will a labyrinth that belongs to a wealthy and mysterious local resident, she learns the identity of the person who is leaving notes for her in a secret spot near her house. As Bea works her way through the maze of new friendships and a new role in her family, she begins to see herself and her friends more clearly. Readers will connect with Bea's first-person narrative of her winding path toward discovering her strengths. VERDICT This character-driven story is a winning combination of humor, heart, and redemption. Recommended for all libraries.Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA
ALA BooklistWho knew middle school could be such a maze? The free-spirited daughter of locally famous artists, Taiwanese American Beatrix Lee has always found solace in her poetry and her best friend, S. But as she enters seventh grade, she finds that S is avoiding her, choosing her "normal" friends over quirky, energetic Bea. With only her poetry to comfort her, Bea begins to leave haikus written in invisible ink in a secret spot in the woods behind her house, only to discover that an invisible friend begins writing back. Readers will quickly become engrossed in guessing the identity of Bea's pen pal. The compassionate school librarian? Briggs, the eccentric editor of the school newspaper, who memorizes Bea's poetry? Or Will, a new friend (whom, through a note in her acknowledgments, Yeh characterizes as on the autism spectrum) whose single-mindedness leads both him and Bea to break into a famous local labyrinth? In her second middle-grade novel, Yeh shines in depicting the loneliness, awkwardness, and angst that reign over the preteen years.
Horn BookBeatrix "Bea" Lee's seventh-grade year starts with her left out of her friend group. New friend Will's attempt to explore a labyrinth sets off a chain of events that reveals much about Bea and her friends, new and estranged. The book is honest about preteen difficulties. But even when Bea isn't having much fun, it's satisfying to catch the literary and musical references.
Kirkus ReviewsYeh (The Truth about Twinkie Pie, 2015) explores mazes, friendship, and individuality. Taiwanese-American budding poet Beatrix Lee, taking after her free-spirited artist parents, has always danced to the beat of her own playlist. But she enters seventh grade resolved to be as invisible as the ink she writes with. Lately, her best friend, S, has grown painfully and realistically distant, finding Bea's exuberance embarrassing. However, an invisible friend has begun answering the soul-searching poems Bea tucks into a wall. Is it the empathetic librarian who always recommends the right book? Or Briggs, the offbeat white student who edits the school newspaper and who likes her poetry? Or Will, the analytical white boy who's fascinated with labyrinths (and whom readers may identify as autistic)? Part friend and part plot device, Will resembles one of Bea's haiku, delivering sharp insights within the rigid structures of his routines. When Bea decides to help Will break into a famous local labyrinth via convenient plot loopholes, their plan takes an unexpected turn, and Bea must decide who her real friends are. When Bea emerges from the intricately drawn maze of her conflicting feelings, she makes a mature decision with a compassionate twist. The author includes a list of the songs in Bea's soundtrack, but her allusions to other books go unidentified, enjoyable Extra Credit Curveballs (as Bea's teacher would call them). Gets to the heart of middle school awkwardness like a sympathetic haiku. (Fiction. 9-13)
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)At the end of sixth grade, avid poetry writer Beatrix -Bea- Lee had close friends, but she-s starting seventh grade as a social outcast after embarrassing herself at a pool party. Bea tries to fly under the radar, but as the school newspaper-s new poetry editor, she starts making friends who embrace her as she is: Briggs, the
School Library Journal Starred Review
ALA Booklist
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Horn Book
Kirkus Reviews
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
With a charming voice, winning characters, and a perfectly-woven plot, Kat Yeh delivers a powerful story of friendship and finding a path towards embracing yourself.
Everything in Bea's world has changed. She's starting seventh grade newly friendless and facing big changes at home, where she is about to go from only child to big sister. Feeling alone and adrift, and like her words don't deserve to be seen, Bea takes solace in writing haiku in invisible ink and hiding them in a secret spot.
But then something incredible happens--someone writes back. And Bea begins to connect with new friends, including a classmate obsessed with a nearby labyrinth and determined to get inside. As she decides where her next path will lead, she just might discover that her words--and herself--have found a new way to belong.