The Poetry of Car Mechanics

by Heidi E.Y. Stemple

In this powerful middle-grade novel-in-verse, Dylan seeks solace through birdwatching and poetry in the woods behind his grandfather’s auto shop—but when he rescues an injured hawk, he must learn to confront the broken parts in himself, too.

15-year-old Dylan has always felt like an outsider in his small town. Isolated when he was younger as the result of his unpredictable, now absent mother and feeling like a disappointment to his grandfather who has stepped in to raise him, Dylan finds relief in the woods behind his grandfather's auto shop. Amidst the cool quiet of the trees, Dylan thrives on bird watching and writing poetry. But one afternoon after spotting an injured hawk, Dylan finds himself pushing out of his comfort zone to track down help for the bird—and ends up rescuing a part of himself in the process.

In this luminous middle-grade novel-in-verse on navigating the lonely tumult of self-discovery amid complicated family history, Dylan relays his story with bracing emotional clarity.

Genres: Middle Grade, Poetry, Novel In Verse, Mental Health, Young Adult, Nature, Family

256 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2025

About the author

Heidi didn’t want to be a writer when she grew up. In fact, after she graduated from college, she became a probation officer in Florida. It wasn’t until she was 28 years old that she gave in and joined the family business, publishing her first short story in a book called Famous Writers and Their Kids Write Spooky Stories. The famous writer was her mom, author Jane Yolen. Since then, she has published 20 books and numerous short stories and poems, mostly for children.
Heidi lives and writes in Massachusetts on a big old farm with two houses.

Reviews

[Jesse (JesseTheReader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read my fair share of books written in verse and this one soared to the top of my favorites list. I loved following Dylan's journey, despite it being filled with hardships, he's still able to rise above and find peace and understanding in the chaos. I highly recommend this one!

[Gail Levine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully told, nuanced story about a boy with soft grit who withstands storms at home and at school while leaning on his quiet strengths: love of poetry and birds and his knack with ailing cars. The keen observations of the natural world are deeply felt.

[Danielle Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can see this one getting some Newbery attention!

[Tiffany Painter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heidi E.Y. Stemple created an amazing book full of heart, and she did it in verse. This book made me fall in love with reading all over again. Dylan has faced more hardships than a 15 year old should have to, but he does it with such grace. His understanding of nature and ability to see the similarities between his experiences and what he sees in the wild made me hold my breath for a happy ending for him.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stemple’s novel-in-verse follows Dylan as he struggles to accept his mother’s absence, endeavors to help an injured red-tailed hawk, and winds up with a better understanding of the many dimensions that make up a person. I very much enjoyed the full-circle moments with the hawk and Pops.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 4 out of 5]

To my knowledge, this is the first book for young people which deals with the rift in families due to the extreme polarization of politics. Dylan's grandfather is MAGA, although that word is never used, and Dylan's bipolar mom is MIA, again. There's no mention of a dad. He talks about his grandpa's hateful news and views which lead to him putting a sign outside the car repair shop inviting ONLY American cars and American people. "Everyone else go home." Pops gets a new Confederate flag, and Dylan has to install it on the truck in order to be allowed to borrow said truck. (He can't stand it, though, and ends up chucking the flag into a ditch.) This book is wonderful and full of some of my favorite things -- poetry and birds and honest sympathetic portrayal of mental health struggles. BUT Pops' quick turnaround when Dylan's primary bully shows up at the shop and refers to him as "queer," is unrealistic, unfortunately. Is Pops more accepting because his snowflake grandkid just expressed interest in a GIRL? That idea works in Henkes' Julian the Baby of the World (big sister HATES little brother until someone ELSE says the baby is repulsive), for example, but here not so much.

pg20 That same quiet/sadness/crouches in me.

pg24 In the good old days/according to Pops/men were men/and kids knew their place. History/like world wars/and pride/in the American way/was taught/in school./None of that/safe space/sissy/ snowflake stuff.
[Here I started thinking that the overall theme would be more about toxic masculinity than queerness. That's true to an extent.]

pg41 It isn't the words on the sign/It's all the weight/of all the hate/boiling inside them.

pg72 "Broken" Nature is cruel/to broken creatures/Lame/be it claw/or mind/can mean/a long/cold/starving/season./Or worse.

pg78 [when Dylan is sent his school library in kindergarten because he can already read]
I could/I would/fly away into each poem/story/world... /belonging in every one/in ways I was finding/I did not belong in the real world.

pg103 [referring to his mom's drawer of Rx bottles]
Sometimes, while she slept/I would count pills/to make sure./ But when she stopped/I didn't need to count/to know. /You know?

pg116 [acknowledging a different kind of loss]
People can be kind/to the kid/whose mom/is gone./If she is ill or hurt/or dead/there are casseroles/carpools/offers of help... /But to the kid/with the mom/who is/unpredictable/uncooperative/undefinable... /people can be/unavailable. /And kids can be/unkind.

pg161 The Dewey number is wrong here, but it's forgiven. He looks in 590, but birds are 598.

pg170-171 I imagine/fights/where he listens./Discussions/I get to finish./I imagine him accepting/what/I know/he does not/now/respect/a contemplative/unmanly/poet for a grandson.

pg195 [this hit home] "Broken eagles"
Their broken parts/don't make them/broken eagles./ As I calculate the math/and the poetry/of this captive breeding program/two birds,/too infirmed/to live/on their own,/still with important purpose/broken/but not broken...

pg200 [a vulture perches on his arm at the raptor rehab center and Dylan is initally repulsed]
Who is to say/what parts of me/have adapted to keep me safe/from things/far worse than bugs,/and if those parts are beautiful./ When it comes time/to leave the vulture cage,/I have begun/to see beauty/in the beast./ And maybe,/he might be my favorite now/too.

pg220 "Poets still get called names"
Poetry is historically/manly,/revered/by men/and women/who would swoon/for the poet/a rock star/the hero of lore/and lover/of dames and bar maidens,/young, old,/and in between./ Rapt/sat the audiences/to hear every word of/the bard,/the genius,/the lauded guest of kings./But in school/poets/get called/names.

pg243 "The poetry of car mechanics redux"
I have to let go/of believing life/is like poetry/every line steeped with meaning/and reason./ In fact,/life is more like birds/perhaps still/part poetry,/but part mystery, too./ Beauty is in the adaptations/the ways we fit ourselves/into the world./ And grace is in the way/we allow those among us with broken pieces/to fly/to run/or just be free.

pg246 [last words of book]
... accept that/some pieces/broken pieces/cannot be/and perhaps do not need to be/fixed.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There is a certain poetry
in car mechanics.
Part art,
part meter and math,
part discovery.
Sometimes people,
even those you think you know well,
reveal themselves when you
take the time
to lift their hoods.
Everyone has missing pieces
and ones that don’t quite fit—
but perhaps
that’s the beauty of it.” (ARC 243)

Fifteen-year-old Dylan is one of the 20% minor children who have at least one parent with a mental illness. His mother balances between mania and depression and staying and leaving—or is sometimes sent away for help by her father.

Dylan’s mother passed on her love of poetry and interest in birds, but Dylan lives with Pops, his grandfather, who wants to make a “man” of him. Pops appears to be racist and, at one point, mail orders a Confederate flag for his truck. The only thing they have in common is fixing cars.
“The one thing we love
and miss—
the one thing
that connected us—
she is gone.” (ARC 51)

Dylan has no friends in school, his early friends scared away by his mother’s actions, and is bullied. His spends most of his time writing poetry and looking at wild birds.

When he finds a red-tailed hawk that appears to be injured, he researches where to find help and, through raptor rehabilitator Tom Rodriguez and his daughter Peregrine, he finds not only new friends who share his passion for birds but a truth about his mother. And through this encounter he is able to open up with Pops, both learning that things are not always what they seem.
“Am I, I think suddenly,
the unreliable narrator
of my own life?” (ARC 233)

This tale in lyrical, beautifully conveyed verse is a story of family, loss, mental illness, the healing attributes of nature and poetry, and acceptance.

[Sally Kruger]

Dylan works with his grandfather repairing cars. He is fascinated by his ability to add this and tighten that and fix what is broken. Unfortunately, fixing his mother has been impossible. Her wild emotional shifts seem uncontrollable.

Sometimes his mother is living there with Dylan and his grandfather, but with only a moment's notice, she packs up and takes off. Usually, she takes (steals) money and usually a car so she can head off to wherever. She doesn't seem to miss Dylan, but maybe he's better off where he is.

School is difficult for Dylan. He is bullied from the bus ride in the morning until the very end of the day. No one seems to notice, so he tries to make the best of it. As soon as he can, he heads off to the woods to follow the one thing he cares about - birds. On one of his adventures, he comes across a wounded hawk. This leads him to a bird sanctuary where he finds help for the injured animal and maybe the help he has been searching for himself.

Author Heidi E.Y. Stemple uses verse to tell Dylan's story. Just as he states, poetry is a perfect vehicle to express his complex thoughts and feelings. Covering topics related to mental health, bullying, and animal rescue, THE POETRY OF CAR MECHANICS will captivate teen readers.

[Robert Yokoyama · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Poetry of Car Mechanics is a great novel written in poetic verse. This novel is about a boy named Dylan who finds solace working on cars and looking at birds. This book gives me a new appreciation for time and attention it takes to care and maintain a car and for bird watching. The title poem suggests that there is a certain meter and math that is involved in car mechanics. I love the alliteration in this line and the technical images of meter and math this poem evokes. The sentiments and images captured in the title poem is just superb to read over and over. There are some people who love their cars so much they have names for them like the in the poem "Bethany", which is the name of a truck. I love the romantic reverence in this truck poem.

I love the poem entitled "Thunderbird" because i love the image of two people working together trying to restore a car. The character of Dylan refers to himself as having a great blue heron body on many instances in this book. I don't know what the body of a blue heron looks like, so I enjoy finding something about birds that piques my interests. There are also odes devoted to the noises crows make and the ever alert hawk. The observations and sentiments in these bird poems will inspire me to take up bird watching at some point.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE POETRY OF CAR MECHANICS by Heidi Stemple

Dylan doesn’t fit in, not at school, where he’s lonely and bullied for being different. Home is no better; his grandfather wants to “toughen him up” and his mother is gone. He’s most at home in the woods, watching birds, especially a blue heron, tall and ungainly like him. One day he sees an injured hawk, and concern for the hawk sends him off his normal path, on a worthy quest and . . . more details would risk spoiling it.
There are so many layers of wisdom in this lovely novel/poem, lessons in understanding self and others. Descriptions are lovely, problems are real, and the birds set such a good example of strength, courage, and beauty in living. If I were still teaching, I'd be recommending it to my students, especially those who avoid long books and those facing difficulties they may or may not share with others. Fixing cars might be more straightforward, but people are worth the extra complexity, and just might surprise you.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fifteen-year-old Dylan has felt increasingly isolated from his grandfather, Pops, after his mother had a severe mental health crisis and left. The only times they seem to get along now are while they are working on cars. Pops has extreme views on history, immigration, and how to be manly, and Dylan doesn't fit Pops' mold. Dylan, in fact, loves poetry. As a result, Dylan is also isolated and bullied at school, but that in part is due to other kids not approaching him because of his mother's very public behaviors. Besides poetry, Dylan's solace is birds. Over the course of working through his feelings, Dylan spots an injured red-tailed hawk, which leads him to a bird rescue and kindred spirits. On his return home, Dylan is confronted by the most vocal of his bullies at school, but to his shock, Pops stands up for him. Perhaps Pops and Dylan can find some common ground after all. Although the title focuses on car mechanics, an area that makes sense to Dylan, much more of his thoughts are occupied by birds.

[Angela Kidd Shinozaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and provocative novel in verse. I must admit and I didn’t even realize it was a story when I first started it. I got it on recommendation and forgot what it was about, thinking it was just a collection of poetry.
The protagonist oddly sometimes feels like a girl to me, it maybe part in his demeanor and otherness. The juxtaposition of him liking poetry and working on cars, finding meaning in both, is intriguing. And then adding in the concern for birds. There’s also his mother’s mental illness and abandonment set against his relationship with a grandfather that can be counted upon to be there for him but who is not easy to talk to and who he can not relate to. Not to mention the suggestion of possible racism. Sometimes I wanted the story to be a little clear cut, more linear, with fewer gaps. But it is perhaps the gaps that allow for making connections using puzzle pieces that wouldn’t otherwise fit. Life and people are not black and white, and that message is very clear.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The essential storyline and characters are both universal and deeply specific to the circumstances and relationships portrayed. Bi-polar disorders are rarely portrayed in works for teens, and in this case it is revealed through secondary references and through the impact that has had on those who love someone dealing with these issues.
Dylan is a young guy i will never forget, with the soul of a poet (foster by his loving mother) and an eye and heart for nature, especially birds.
His struggle in relationships with his absent mother and ever-present but intensely difficult grandpa compound the usual adolescent growing pains any kids must deal with. It is a lot, but just as Dylan finds poetry and nature can ease his struggles and pain, readers will find that the nature of poetry and Dylan's gradually revealed nature will ease the intensity of na difficult story.
Very satisfying conclusion but not at all contrived.
highly recommend.

[Laura Roettiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took my time reading this thoughtful, thought-provoking novel-in-verse written from the perspective of Dylan, a 15 year old who has much to overcome as he navigates life with a mother whose mental illness causes her to leave, and this time it looks like she might not come back, his Pops (grandfather) who runs a garage and is a "rough around the edges redneck" who puts a sign up to indicate his political beliefs and his not fitting in at school because he lost his few friends when his mom was around and now he's just a bullied loner who spends his time writing and looking at wild birds which were both things his mother liked to do.
Through lyrical writing, author Heidi Temple created a story that takes us on Dylan's journey trying to care for an injured bird and find out what happened to the bird. But Dylan's really trying to find out what happened to his mom, and if the nature-loving bird-loving parts of his mom are part of him, does that mean the mental illness will be too?

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

With an emotional resiliency of birdwatching and poetry, Dylan is navigating his life with a bipolar and largely absent mother being raised by his grandfather who owns an auto repair shop, so what Dylan knows is cars. It's easy to understand how they work and how to fix them, but humans are another story and his mother is the biggest puzzle of all. After watching her swings back and forth, she leaves and Dylan finds himself struggling with those feelings, but he fills the gaps with the natural world and birding in particular as well as poetry. This is a top notch story about what self-care could look like for anyone.

So different than many others. It fits the same category as Where the Crawdads Sing with its emotional IQ.

[Marcie Saldivar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written middle grade novel in verse. The main character Dylan has such a big heart and I could feel every emotion he felt. He goes through his mom’s mental illness, his grandfather’s bigotry and himself being bullied. There are a lot of middle grade students who struggle to pick up a book and those kids will almost always choose something in verse because it doesn’t seem so overwhelming. Even though the topics in this book seem at more of a high school level, the story was still told at a middle grade level. My student’s consistently want “more adult” books and I think this will fall into that category. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

15yo Dylan lives with his grandfather in a room near the autoshop. Dylan's world is poetry, birds, and cars. His mother struggles with her mental health and is in and out of Dylan's life, and it's been years since he's seen her. So he spends a lot of time watching birds and writing poetry. He doesn't fit in at school - it's complicated. But when he finds an injured hawk, his quest to help the hawk might be helpful for Dylan, too.

Dylan's grandfather is full of hate and places signs at his auto shop and a flag on his truck that make Dylan uncomfortable. He doesn't like that Dylan likes "girl things" like poetry and birds. This causes some uncomfortable interactions, as there's no other person there to mediate for Dylan. The Poetry of Car Mechanics is a Novel in Verse. I enjoyed the poetry; the short pieces of the story worked well in this book. Dylan is named for Dylan Thomas, the poet, and this novel, told from Dylan's point of view, feels like we are reading his journal. I really enjoyed the Poetry of Car Mechanics. It's a novel you keep thinking about after you've finished reading. Includes resources for readers struggling with their own or love one's mental health. Dylan is white.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing novel in verse for middle schoolers about Dylan, a young man dealing with his mother's absence and his grandfather's expectations. We learn that his mother had/has mental health issues. She is no longer in the home, and he believes his grandfather is disappointed in him. He finds interest in birds, particularly a hawk who seems handicapped. He finds a wildlife raptor rescuer and a new outlook. Wonderful book.
The author is the daughter of Jane Yolen, which made me think of Yolen's book Owl Moon. I wonder if Heidi was the child in that book and grew up with experiences with birding.

[Sue Hodara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books make you feel like the time it took to read them was well spent, and every triumph--the big and small are well earned. Heidi Stemple's "The Poety of Car Mechanics" is written with such care and attention, not a single syllable is wasted.

The poet protagonist, Dylan, is burdened by a tumultuous past, bullying, and trying to figure out his place in the world at large, and in his smaller world of home and school.

And though his worries weigh heavily on him, there were so many moments of lightness--pure wonder about the beauty of birds, or why things work the way they do. In these glimpses readers get to know Dylan most.

This book has gotten critical acclaim for good reason. A must read!

[Jamie Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dylan (15) lives with his Pops after his mother's public mental health crisis that led to him losing all his friends. He finds comfort in helping work on cars at his Pops autoshop - because they "are easier than people", poetry, and bridwatching in the forest, particularly drawn to raptors. He believes he will never feel comfortable with his Pops, having very different views on masculinity, prejudice, and in himself. An injured red-tail hawk draws Dylan's attention and he seeks out a local raptor rehabilitator, making friends with the daughter, Peregrine. Though he butts heads with his Pops over changing cultural beliefs and acceptances, when he needs him the most, his Pops is there, giving him hope that things aren't as dire as they seem. The love of cars, poetry. and nature meld together in this novel-in-verse, allowing Dylan to find a way to fit into his own skin and start to realize things aren't always as they seem. Give to fans of Mid-Air and Kareem in Between.

[Andrew Dittmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading history:
Normally I keep this in my private notes section, but I'm moving it. Yay!

Reading history was not added on Goodreads, but was instead kept on a post-it note with the book.


Started June 24th, 2025.
Finished July 23rd, 2025.

June 24th, 2025*: read pp. 1-101.
July 13th, 2025: read pp. 102-147.
July 23rd, 2025: read pp. 148-255 (end with pos-script).


*Note: did not keep track of this date specifically, but I did note started it the day before I picked up my new car, on June 25th, 2025.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing novel in verse that gripped me from the first lyrical page! We meet bird-loving and poet Dylan, whose mother is gone, coping with mental health issues. Pops, his grandfather and car mechanic shop owner, is raising him, and the two could not be more different. Stemple manages to show how divisive politics have become, stressing families, without naming or labeling it. Beautifully crafted and gets at the pain caused by a steady diet of hate and the pressures we put on boys to fit in one definition of "manly."

craft note: The poems are stunning!

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful handling of a difficult subject--bipolar disorder--and the resulting feelings caused by the storm. The verse format works well, and the cover is gorgeous. Nearly each page is a separate poem, working together to create the whole. Although I could nitpick some problems, I wish I had read this in time to nominate it for our Newbery consideration, if only for the discussion, because I liked it as much as some of our other choices.
52 Book Challenge 2026 Prmpt #8: a three-syllablr word in the title (in this case, two of them!)

[Deborah]

Dylan has learned how to fix things in his grandfather’s auto shop… only it takes him a while to figure out that “the poetry of car mechanics” might also apply to broken birds, and relationships. In this beautiful novel, characters reveal their layers slowly, to us and to themselves, challenging us to resist making assumptions—and reminding us that real people are often complicated and capable of growth.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher

This is classified as middle grade, but the main character is 15. I would say it is more young adult because of the slow and introspective nature of the story. None of my students have ever expressed interest in birding, and yet it is a frequent topic of books. I can't see any of my 10-13 year old students picking this up, but it might be successful in high school.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Layers of lovely lyrical verses reveal the longings of Dylan, a 15-year-old dreamer in a broken family, who is trying to fit in and find himself. His love of poetry and birds seems to clash with most of his surroundings but in the end may very well save him. My favorite pages are the last two amazing poems in Part III. Although appropriate for all ages, I think this special book will resonate most with young teens.

[Telina Duvall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a nice surprise. i love a good novel in verse. I was given an advanced proof to read while attending a Librarian Conference. Finally picked it up because I wanted to see if it was a good fit for a friend and it captivated me. if not for need of sleep, it would have been a read in one setting type of book. Our protagonist Dylan gets a lot of emotions through quickly in this novel in verse.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I am generally not a huge fan of novels in verse, the premise of this one was intriguing enough that I decided to give it a shot. I'm so glad I did. The story was emotional and beautiful and held some incredibly valuable lessons, especially for its target audience of young readers. It was exceptionally relevant without being overly preachy or heavy handed, and for such a quick read, it left a lasting impact. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful story in verse about a boy, cars, birds, poetry and life. Dylan is 15 and is struggling to deal with a Pops that seems full of hate, an absent mom, and knowing that he is different from the other kids. In his work in his grandpa’s garage and his bird watching, he starts to make sense of how to fix broken things and the fact that some broken things are not meant to be fixed. Really lovely imagery. No swears, no violence, and one homophobic slurs. 6th grade and up.

[JoAnne Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I disagree with putting a "middle grades" classification on this. It's complex enough for high schoolers and adults. It can be read on different levels. Younger kids may miss some of the complexity but still enjoy it while older kids and adults might have a better understanding for the character's struggles.