Tilt

by Jone Rush MacCulloch

248 pages, Hardcover

Published April 12, 2026

About the author

Jone Rush MacCulloch is an award-winning poet, artist, and librarian living in the magical land of the Pacific Northwest. Her debut middle-grade novel in verse, Tilt, was inspired by a tragic event involving a student whom she knew through her work as a school librarian. Not only did the process of writing this novel help her process this traumatic event, but the years that it took to get every poem just right helped her find and expand her community.

Poetry has always given Jone a voice and speaks to her artistic side. She loves to find the words that draw an image to the surface of the reader’s mind while connecting that image to deeply felt emotion. When she isn’t writing, Jone is taking photos, creating mixed-media art, heading out on road trips, and enjoying as much time outdoors as possible.

Reviews

[J.S. Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both beautiful and accessible. I think it’s perfectly written to help a child process grief. It hits several important themes including death, divorce, and friendship (both difficult friendships and finding new friends). The author did a great job capturing an elementary school aged child’s voice in her poetry. It’s a really sad and lovely book. I have to admit, as an adult, I cried in some places.