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Things I Have to Tell You: Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls
Teenage girls tell their own stories—in compelling poetry and prose paired with 42 striking black-and-white photographs.
The voices in this collection have so much to question, so much to grieve. They have so much to celebrate, so much to rage against. They’re ready to speak up and begin the conversation — with you and with the world. More than thirty uncensored poems are accompanied by Nina Nickles’s masterful photographs, which sensitively capture the moods and essence of adolescence. Here, painted in the words of teenage girls, is a portrait of their dreams and desires - a record of hope, disillusionment, anger, joy, sadness, and most of all, strength.
The voices in this collection have so much to question, so much to grieve. They have so much to celebrate, so much to rage against. They’re ready to speak up and begin the conversation — with you and with the world. More than thirty uncensored poems are accompanied by Nina Nickles’s masterful photographs, which sensitively capture the moods and essence of adolescence. Here, painted in the words of teenage girls, is a portrait of their dreams and desires - a record of hope, disillusionment, anger, joy, sadness, and most of all, strength.
80 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
7 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
About the author
Betsy Franco
151 books41 followersBetsy Franco is an accomplished and versatile author whose body of work spans over 80 published titles, including fiction, young adult novels, picture books, and poetry collections. Known for her creative, collage-like approach to storytelling, Franco has also written a screenplay for each of her novels, with Naked optioned for film and The Art of Love currently in post-production.
Franco has a strong background in film and theater, having served as the screenwriting mentor for Metamorphosis, Junior Year, a film adaptation of her novel and play. The project was a family collaboration involving her sons James and Tom Franco, and it was well received at major festivals including Cinequest and Mill Valley, earning recognition as a top ten film by the San Jose Mercury News.
Her creative partnerships with her sons continue across various mediums: she appeared in James Franco’s film The Broken Tower and on General Hospital, while Tom Franco has illustrated her books and co-produced films with her. She also works closely with her son Dave Franco, who assists with her writing projects and participated in the audiobook of Metamorphosis, Junior Year alongside James.
Franco has a strong background in film and theater, having served as the screenwriting mentor for Metamorphosis, Junior Year, a film adaptation of her novel and play. The project was a family collaboration involving her sons James and Tom Franco, and it was well received at major festivals including Cinequest and Mill Valley, earning recognition as a top ten film by the San Jose Mercury News.
Her creative partnerships with her sons continue across various mediums: she appeared in James Franco’s film The Broken Tower and on General Hospital, while Tom Franco has illustrated her books and co-produced films with her. She also works closely with her son Dave Franco, who assists with her writing projects and participated in the audiobook of Metamorphosis, Junior Year alongside James.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
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May 6, 2012Jeanine Allen
Poetry
Things I Have to Tell You: poems and writing by teenage girls edited by Betsy Franco with photographs by Nina Nickles is a collection of poetry written for and by teenage girls. The writings generally talk about the transition from girlhood to womanhood. They focus on body image, relationships, friendships, school, acceptance, etc. Some poems slide right by and some poems hit you directly in the face. One especially harrowing poem by a 15 year old girl talks about her love for crank and how the drug will never love her back. Some poems conflict the feelings of what other poems convey. One poem will be about how she wants to be accepted for who she is and not her body (Apricot Bath by Lindsay Henry - my personal favorite). Another poem written by a girl who celebrates her body (Damn, I Look Good by Miraim Stone). Another poem will reflect the authors heartbreak about stepping on the scale and the roller coaster of emotions we feel about our bodies (poem by Becky Mann). Young women will find it easy to read through the book and find a poem that relates to their life. As an adult reading this book, I was able to relive my teen years and reflect. The pictures in the book do not show the girls posed to look like magazine models. Instead, they show them as they truly are: genuine and natural.
Poetry
Things I Have to Tell You: poems and writing by teenage girls edited by Betsy Franco with photographs by Nina Nickles is a collection of poetry written for and by teenage girls. The writings generally talk about the transition from girlhood to womanhood. They focus on body image, relationships, friendships, school, acceptance, etc. Some poems slide right by and some poems hit you directly in the face. One especially harrowing poem by a 15 year old girl talks about her love for crank and how the drug will never love her back. Some poems conflict the feelings of what other poems convey. One poem will be about how she wants to be accepted for who she is and not her body (Apricot Bath by Lindsay Henry - my personal favorite). Another poem written by a girl who celebrates her body (Damn, I Look Good by Miraim Stone). Another poem will reflect the authors heartbreak about stepping on the scale and the roller coaster of emotions we feel about our bodies (poem by Becky Mann). Young women will find it easy to read through the book and find a poem that relates to their life. As an adult reading this book, I was able to relive my teen years and reflect. The pictures in the book do not show the girls posed to look like magazine models. Instead, they show them as they truly are: genuine and natural.
Read
May 6, 2012Jeanine Allen
Poetry
Things I Have to Tell You: poems and writing by teenage girls edited by Betsy Franco with photographs by Nina Nickles is a collection of poetry written for and by teenage girls. The writings generally talk about the transition from girlhood to womanhood. They focus on body image, relationships, friendships, school, acceptance, etc. Some poems slide right by and some poems hit you directly in the face. One especially harrowing poem by a 15 year old girl talks about her love for crank and how the drug will never love her back. Some poems conflict the feelings of what other poems convey. One poem will be about how she wants to be accepted for who she is and not her body (Apricot Bath by Lindsay Henry - my personal favorite). Another poem written by a girl who celebrates her body (Damn, I Look Good by Miraim Stone). Another poem will reflect the authors heartbreak about stepping on the scale and the roller coaster of emotions we feel about our bodies (poem by Becky Mann). Young women will find it easy to read through the book and find a poem that relates to their life. As an adult reading this book, I was able to relive my teen years and reflect. The pictures in the book do not show the girls posed to look like magazine models. Instead, they show them as they truly are: genuine and natural.
Poetry
Things I Have to Tell You: poems and writing by teenage girls edited by Betsy Franco with photographs by Nina Nickles is a collection of poetry written for and by teenage girls. The writings generally talk about the transition from girlhood to womanhood. They focus on body image, relationships, friendships, school, acceptance, etc. Some poems slide right by and some poems hit you directly in the face. One especially harrowing poem by a 15 year old girl talks about her love for crank and how the drug will never love her back. Some poems conflict the feelings of what other poems convey. One poem will be about how she wants to be accepted for who she is and not her body (Apricot Bath by Lindsay Henry - my personal favorite). Another poem written by a girl who celebrates her body (Damn, I Look Good by Miraim Stone). Another poem will reflect the authors heartbreak about stepping on the scale and the roller coaster of emotions we feel about our bodies (poem by Becky Mann). Young women will find it easy to read through the book and find a poem that relates to their life. As an adult reading this book, I was able to relive my teen years and reflect. The pictures in the book do not show the girls posed to look like magazine models. Instead, they show them as they truly are: genuine and natural.
May 11, 2013
Kelsey Collins
Franco, B. (2001). Things I have to tell you: Poems and writing by teenage girls. Somerville: Candlewick.
Genre: Poetry
Format: Print
Selection Process: Browsing “young adult poetry” selections from Amazon.com and reading previous reviews.
Author Betsy Franco gathers more than thirty poems by teenage girls and pairs them with black and white photographs. The poems have different subjects, but flow cohesively together to make up about teenage girls’ emotions. These girls express fears, dreams and hopes, relationships, and anxiety through these poems. This book of poems is great for young adults because it is young adults speaking to young adults. It brings more emotion out for a young adult than perhaps a classic poem would.
Highly Recommended.
Franco, B. (2001). Things I have to tell you: Poems and writing by teenage girls. Somerville: Candlewick.
Genre: Poetry
Format: Print
Selection Process: Browsing “young adult poetry” selections from Amazon.com and reading previous reviews.
Author Betsy Franco gathers more than thirty poems by teenage girls and pairs them with black and white photographs. The poems have different subjects, but flow cohesively together to make up about teenage girls’ emotions. These girls express fears, dreams and hopes, relationships, and anxiety through these poems. This book of poems is great for young adults because it is young adults speaking to young adults. It brings more emotion out for a young adult than perhaps a classic poem would.
Highly Recommended.
May 1, 2012
Dannielle Nebinski
Genre: Poetry
This is a powerful book of poetry written by very talented teenage writers. The book is a wonderful mixture of poetry and prose, about these teenage girls' fears, angst, dreams, and relationships. The black and white photographs of Nina Nickles placed throughout the book, compliment the poems in the best way imaginable.
Betsy Franco has done a wonderful job of compiling these wonderful poems along with the photographs to put together this wonderful book of poetry. I strongly recommend this book to all teenage girls over the age of 14, as it contains some poems that deal with subjects no suitable for younger girls.
Genre: Poetry
This is a powerful book of poetry written by very talented teenage writers. The book is a wonderful mixture of poetry and prose, about these teenage girls' fears, angst, dreams, and relationships. The black and white photographs of Nina Nickles placed throughout the book, compliment the poems in the best way imaginable.
Betsy Franco has done a wonderful job of compiling these wonderful poems along with the photographs to put together this wonderful book of poetry. I strongly recommend this book to all teenage girls over the age of 14, as it contains some poems that deal with subjects no suitable for younger girls.
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May 6, 2012Alyssa Peters
Poetry
This book was very sad but truthful. Many of the poems were written by teenage girls about themselves. These girls have to deal with what people think about their looks, bodies, and sexuality. There are also pictures in the book. Some are of the young girls at school, in the street and in front of the mirror. The poems were peoms that the girls wrote to express their feelings and get the truth out about what goes on in their lives. I think this is a great book for young adults to relate too. I found myself engrossed in the poems and looking closely at the meanings of the pictures.
Poetry
This book was very sad but truthful. Many of the poems were written by teenage girls about themselves. These girls have to deal with what people think about their looks, bodies, and sexuality. There are also pictures in the book. Some are of the young girls at school, in the street and in front of the mirror. The poems were peoms that the girls wrote to express their feelings and get the truth out about what goes on in their lives. I think this is a great book for young adults to relate too. I found myself engrossed in the poems and looking closely at the meanings of the pictures.
April 26, 2012
Amber Wortz
Poetry
This book is a compilation of poems and prose written by teenage girls all over the world. The poems are about issues that the author believes are important for teenage girls to know about life that most people don't talk about openly.
These poems amazed me and I could not believe that the majority of them were written by teens. All of them were very powerful and though provoking. I also love the photography that accompanied the poems.
Poetry
This book is a compilation of poems and prose written by teenage girls all over the world. The poems are about issues that the author believes are important for teenage girls to know about life that most people don't talk about openly.
These poems amazed me and I could not believe that the majority of them were written by teens. All of them were very powerful and though provoking. I also love the photography that accompanied the poems.
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April 22, 2012Alyssa Morres
Poetry
In this book it shows how much teenage girls actually go through at this time. Love, grief, happiness, self consciousness, all of these things are what are talked about in these poems written by actual teenage girls. It opens up a lot of questions and allows other teenage girls to see their not the only ones going through these things, others are to.
Poetry
In this book it shows how much teenage girls actually go through at this time. Love, grief, happiness, self consciousness, all of these things are what are talked about in these poems written by actual teenage girls. It opens up a lot of questions and allows other teenage girls to see their not the only ones going through these things, others are to.
December 9, 2019
1.Did you like the book? Why or why not? (You must provide at least two reasons - examples of why you liked or didn’t like the book. What did the author do well? Were the characters engaging? Was the story’s pace too slow?).
2.Would you recommend this book to readers? If so, why should they read this book? If not, why shouldn’t they read this book?
I did like this book because it was interesting one reason it was interesting was because in this book it talked about teenage girls telling their own stories in which compelling poetry and prose paired with 42 strikes black and white photographs. Another reason why is because these teenage girls their get their voices be heard. They seemed to be expressing them selves really inspiring poetry.The author did well in this book is because he wrote this book about teenage girls lives of the girls telling how their life is being by a poem. The characters were really engaging in the book because it explains and tell us how they feel by writing a poetry of their conspiracy. The story was place not slow it was just write because all though some part of it was long and short they still got to end their poetry write and the way they would write it to inspire us. Well in my opinion I would recommend this book Why? because it is inspiring and very good poetry book tell us about as we us girl go through at points. They should read this book so many girls would be inspire and what girls go through they wont feel like they are by there selfs.
2.Would you recommend this book to readers? If so, why should they read this book? If not, why shouldn’t they read this book?
I did like this book because it was interesting one reason it was interesting was because in this book it talked about teenage girls telling their own stories in which compelling poetry and prose paired with 42 strikes black and white photographs. Another reason why is because these teenage girls their get their voices be heard. They seemed to be expressing them selves really inspiring poetry.The author did well in this book is because he wrote this book about teenage girls lives of the girls telling how their life is being by a poem. The characters were really engaging in the book because it explains and tell us how they feel by writing a poetry of their conspiracy. The story was place not slow it was just write because all though some part of it was long and short they still got to end their poetry write and the way they would write it to inspire us. Well in my opinion I would recommend this book Why? because it is inspiring and very good poetry book tell us about as we us girl go through at points. They should read this book so many girls would be inspire and what girls go through they wont feel like they are by there selfs.
March 12, 2018
This collection is filled with brutal, honest, and poignant stories of what it's like to be a teenage girl. As noted in the foreword, many of the poems and prose are still as important today. My one complaint, that keeps this book from being a four, is the photographs. They date the books to the early 2000's when it was published. However, on average the actual writing was incredibly well executed.
December 27, 2020
I listened to the audiobook version. Interesting stories. Amazing poems.
May 21, 2021
A beautiful poetry/essay collection with powerful pieces, written by teenage girls.
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May 6, 2012Jeanine Allen
Poetry
Things I Have to Tell You: poems and writing by teenage girls edited by Betsy Franco with photographs by Nina Nickles is a collection of poetry written for and by teenage girls. The writings generally talk about the transition from girlhood to womanhood. They focus on body image, relationships, friendships, school, acceptance, etc. Some poems slide right by and some poems hit you directly in the face. One especially harrowing poem by a 15 year old girl talks about her love for crank and how the drug will never love her back. Some poems conflict the feelings of what other poems convey. One poem will be about how she wants to be accepted for who she is and not her body (Apricot Bath by Lindsay Henry - my personal favorite). Another poem written by a girl who celebrates her body (Damn, I Look Good by Miraim Stone). Another poem will reflect the authors heartbreak about stepping on the scale and the roller coaster of emotions we feel about our bodies (poem by Becky Mann). Young women will find it easy to read through the book and find a poem that relates to their life. As an adult reading this book, I was able to relive my teen years and reflect. The pictures in the book do not show the girls posed to look like magazine models. Instead, they show them as they truly are: genuine and natural.
Poetry
Things I Have to Tell You: poems and writing by teenage girls edited by Betsy Franco with photographs by Nina Nickles is a collection of poetry written for and by teenage girls. The writings generally talk about the transition from girlhood to womanhood. They focus on body image, relationships, friendships, school, acceptance, etc. Some poems slide right by and some poems hit you directly in the face. One especially harrowing poem by a 15 year old girl talks about her love for crank and how the drug will never love her back. Some poems conflict the feelings of what other poems convey. One poem will be about how she wants to be accepted for who she is and not her body (Apricot Bath by Lindsay Henry - my personal favorite). Another poem written by a girl who celebrates her body (Damn, I Look Good by Miraim Stone). Another poem will reflect the authors heartbreak about stepping on the scale and the roller coaster of emotions we feel about our bodies (poem by Becky Mann). Young women will find it easy to read through the book and find a poem that relates to their life. As an adult reading this book, I was able to relive my teen years and reflect. The pictures in the book do not show the girls posed to look like magazine models. Instead, they show them as they truly are: genuine and natural.
November 24, 2015
I first encountered this book when I was about 11 or 12 and fell in love with one particular poem - "Apricot Bath". At 21, this is the first time re-reading this book and I love so many more of the other poems. This is a raw yet poetically mediated collection of teenage experiences is so beautiful and important. Teenage girls have stories that are worth being heard and heard again.
The coupling of words and photography in this book is beautiful - both art forms stand alone so majestically and work together so cooperatively. The models in the photographs weren't told about the poems at all and thus, can be viewed simply as they are. Yet they match the poems so well.
These poems bring me to the brink of tears and make me think about what I felt at 17 and how I still feel those same emotions now.
Apricot Bath completely changed the way I viewed romantic realationships - at the age of 11 or 12. I have carried that philosophy with me to this present day. I would like to purchase a copy of my own (I took this out of the library) to re-visit again and again on days I need inspiration, courage, or even just company. I will recommned this to absolutely everyone. EVERYONE.
Read to find out not just about yourself, but about others. These are things I would want to tell every (if any) future children of mine
The coupling of words and photography in this book is beautiful - both art forms stand alone so majestically and work together so cooperatively. The models in the photographs weren't told about the poems at all and thus, can be viewed simply as they are. Yet they match the poems so well.
These poems bring me to the brink of tears and make me think about what I felt at 17 and how I still feel those same emotions now.
Apricot Bath completely changed the way I viewed romantic realationships - at the age of 11 or 12. I have carried that philosophy with me to this present day. I would like to purchase a copy of my own (I took this out of the library) to re-visit again and again on days I need inspiration, courage, or even just company. I will recommned this to absolutely everyone. EVERYONE.
Read to find out not just about yourself, but about others. These are things I would want to tell every (if any) future children of mine
August 18, 2010
I picked this book up from the library one day, back when I was in high school, on a whim. I wound up being really surprised by how much I loved it. I can see where some adults might pass writing by high school women off as fluffy and unintelligent, yet this is absolutely not the case.
This book is wonderfully put together. One of my favorite aspects of it is actually the photography, because it’s of real girls. This is fitting because these are poems about topics which many teenager struggles with at some point, such as body image, drugs and sexuality. Two of my personal favorite poems are “Hallway Between Lunch and English (French Can Kiss My Sexually Ambiguous Arse,” “Damn, I Look Good” and “The Consequence of Loving Me.”
I find it hard to review this book, but it’s definitely worth a read. I feel like I’ve met many of the girls who wrote these pieces, because I’ve contemplated many of the challenging issues here. This is a somewhat hard book to track down in stores, but if you can find it, I highly recommend that get yourself a copy.
This book is wonderfully put together. One of my favorite aspects of it is actually the photography, because it’s of real girls. This is fitting because these are poems about topics which many teenager struggles with at some point, such as body image, drugs and sexuality. Two of my personal favorite poems are “Hallway Between Lunch and English (French Can Kiss My Sexually Ambiguous Arse,” “Damn, I Look Good” and “The Consequence of Loving Me.”
I find it hard to review this book, but it’s definitely worth a read. I feel like I’ve met many of the girls who wrote these pieces, because I’ve contemplated many of the challenging issues here. This is a somewhat hard book to track down in stores, but if you can find it, I highly recommend that get yourself a copy.
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May 19, 2010I'm currently reading this book. I like this book because i can relate to this book so much and i have stories like some of these girls and it brings out some memories back. Some of these girls have it really rough and i thought i did. One of my favorite poems is called "Secrets." This book is mostly about girls going through pain and suffeing and some girls share some things they wouldn't say to people out loud. It's like they are writing poems like a diary.
"Secrets"
Do you know my secret,
Did i tell you it last night,
Were you listening to my dreams,
Were you hiding out of sight?
Do you look to find my secret,
Reading letters, reading notes,
Picking up sometimes on phone calls,
Opening Book too see what i wrote?
Do you really want too know my secret,
Will it answer your questions,
Take away your mass of worries?
Or maybe , you could ask for my suggestions.
Do you ever think to ask me about my secret,
Being honest and forthright, With no lies or hidden feelings?
Only then will my secret come to light.
"Secrets"
Do you know my secret,
Did i tell you it last night,
Were you listening to my dreams,
Were you hiding out of sight?
Do you look to find my secret,
Reading letters, reading notes,
Picking up sometimes on phone calls,
Opening Book too see what i wrote?
Do you really want too know my secret,
Will it answer your questions,
Take away your mass of worries?
Or maybe , you could ask for my suggestions.
Do you ever think to ask me about my secret,
Being honest and forthright, With no lies or hidden feelings?
Only then will my secret come to light.
April 23, 2009
The poems in this book spoke to me, spoke to the memory of being a teenager, brought me back to see the me that was then. This is a collection of poems written by girls age 12 - 18 about their lives, thoughts and feelings as they face their worlds.
an excerpt from
Clouds Rolling In, by Melissa Leigh Davis, age 14
my friend and i
got caught in a sotrm
with tears for rain,
and shouts for thunder,
lightning fists
lashing out.
i pause,
puzzled.
we fight all the time,
don't know why.
i want to ask
but am afraid of the reason.
an excerpt from
Clouds Rolling In, by Melissa Leigh Davis, age 14
my friend and i
got caught in a sotrm
with tears for rain,
and shouts for thunder,
lightning fists
lashing out.
i pause,
puzzled.
we fight all the time,
don't know why.
i want to ask
but am afraid of the reason.
Read
May 17, 2010A stunning collection of poems and short writings from teenage girls across the country. I found these pieces to represent Middle School students very well, and found that sharing them with my students was beneficial to the class. The girls in this collection have explored their own experiences and have expressed their emotional lives with clarity and courage. I would recommend this reading to anyone (not just female) who would like to discover more about going through difficulties and finding ways to overcome challenges.
May 31, 2012
I was able to find this 2001 collection from Betsy Franco on the web. It came in nearly pristine condition and I am so pleased to add this collection of poems, solicited from young writers from across the country, thoughtfully pulled together by a super advocate of young adult literacy, Betsy Franco.
The verse here is all at once inspiring and heartbreaking. Honest--sometimes brutally so--to capture the voice of the "every" girl who might happen upon this collection and find their feelings or their story within the collection.
The verse here is all at once inspiring and heartbreaking. Honest--sometimes brutally so--to capture the voice of the "every" girl who might happen upon this collection and find their feelings or their story within the collection.
November 10, 2012
The novel, " Things I have to tell you," by Nina Nickles, is a book that consist of various poems written by teenage girls. These young ladies wrote poems that focus on the personal, physical, mental, and pyschological problems that they face everyday. I think the author's purpose of this book was to show that when you come across multiple obstacles in you life that may knock you down, you can always find the strength to get back up.
"I get called fat by the skinny everyday. I never reply to what they say. When they knock me down, I just get back and then I'm om my way"...(Nickles 18)
"I get called fat by the skinny everyday. I never reply to what they say. When they knock me down, I just get back and then I'm om my way"...(Nickles 18)
December 13, 2019
What did I think of this poem called "Things I have to tell you". What i thought about this book is inspiring to all teenage girls. I liked how each page each teenage girl writing their poem is really inspiring because they all had a meaning behind it. And they all had powerful messages about the tough times teenage girls go through their teen years and powering to females thinking there are not strong but this book teach them that they have been going through hard times there whole life and there are powerful.
August 24, 2012
TCL Call #: YA 810.8 Things
D-2.5 stars
I'd probably give this more stars if I was still a teen, or angsty, or into prose.
It's not my favorite poetry, but it's written by teens, dealing with issues of teens (some painful, some trite). I can imagine the ocassional, and almost certainly girl (as all the poetry is written by teen girls), teen will identify or connect with some of the poetry in this compilation, but it will likely be a very specific group.
D-2.5 stars
I'd probably give this more stars if I was still a teen, or angsty, or into prose.
It's not my favorite poetry, but it's written by teens, dealing with issues of teens (some painful, some trite). I can imagine the ocassional, and almost certainly girl (as all the poetry is written by teen girls), teen will identify or connect with some of the poetry in this compilation, but it will likely be a very specific group.
April 22, 2015
I really liked this book. All the girls poems and storys were just so out spoken and touching. It really makes you think. I feel all teenage girls should read this it will make you think. All of their story's were different but similar in a way. They were all struggling in some way but came out of it so strong. All the girls in the book are our age, like 15,16,17 so its something I think all of us girls can relate to.
May 1, 2008
A friend of mine showed me this book last year, and although I remember reading a few of them, the one that really stuck out is called Apricot Bath. It's about a girl who wants to be able to sit naked in an apricot bubble bath with a guy and talk to him about politics and other serious things without being at all sexual. It's a pretty neat concept.
November 13, 2010
I really enjoyed this collection of poems and writings written by girls twelve to eighteen. I believe girls will enjoy reading this collection. My favorite writing was a thank you a girl wrote to her great grandmother for raising her. It was heartfelt and beautiful. The writing gives a little insight to what girls are thinking about today.
November 21, 2010
The depth of feeling is amazing. The voices are from the heart. This book lets girls speak in a way I was never able to. All teens should find their voice in it like SPEAK. The stories contrast the black and white photos. It shouts Adolescence. It cuts across all cultures and ages to reflect on relationships.
November 20, 2014
I liked both of the books that she did because they were written by children with real problems and experiences and joys that everyone faces. I ink it was a great idea to put those poems into a book. I love expression through poem and I think that it probably meant a lot to the children that their lives through poverty were published. Great read and well done.
March 1, 2008
I'm fascinated by teenagers, they always felt so foreign to me, even when I was one. Even though our society tries to deny the realities of kids' lives, these youth document the struggles they go through and also show how resilient they are as individuals.
November 21, 2010
I think many women can identify with these girls. At one point in our lives whether at a young or mature age we've felt like this. Even a grandmother can find value in this book when reading a poem about someone like her. We are able to see into the minds of teenagers and listen to their voices.
May 5, 2013
Wow! These poems were written by teenage girls. They are so powerful, and address many of the issues that teenage girls face today. I have always thought that poetry is a great form of expression. It was obvious that these girls felt every word that they wrote. I would recommend this book!
November 20, 2014
I honestly enjoyed hearing you read poems from this book. I felt that I could relate to certain parts of these teenager girls' worries. It took me back a few years and made me smile. I wish I read this when I was a teenager! I think this is a great book to read for teens!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews