Me (Moth): (National Book Award Finalist) Hardcover – 17 Aug. 2021

Me (Moth) by Amber McBride was published in 2021 and is a novel in verse. The poems are incredibly beautiful.This story combines Hoodoo and indigenous spirituality, which I found interesting.Moth lost her family in an accident and has stopped dancing. She lives with her aunt but feels invisible in her new home and at her new high school until she meets Sani - a boy who is struggling to live in his own skin.Their road trip will change everything they thought they knew.When I finished this book, I decided to read it again in order to understand their journey better. This is a hauntingly beautiful story.“Grandfather used to say, We light candles because they are lighthouses for the spirits of our ancestors to come sit with us.We give offerings out of respect.But what of other light? Like a sea turtle moving toward spotlit pavement instead of the moon-rippled sea.Who will answer for the sin of it being easy to get lost when so many orbs mirage the illusion of brightness?” (20).The cover art is incredible and this book won the Corretta Scott King award. If you want a touching yet haunting story of grief, you may enjoy this book. Ages 13 and up.

I loved this book. The prose/verse is full of imagery. The story is thought-provoking, with the intertwining of native-American legends and spirituality. The characters evoke emotional attachments throughout their journey. The book is classified as YA, but this 72-year old was captivated by this saga.

When I initially started reading I felt like I was reading poetry in a story format. It was a little confusing because I developed so many questions while reading; however, it all came together at the end. It's a different read, has a good storyline and it captures your attention.

I read this book from beginning to end in a day and I was in complete AWE ! This book gave me the jumpstart to dive into my spiritual journey and I am BEYOND grateful for this book being in my life. A HUGE THANK YOU to the author for your beautiful mind and inspiration. Will definitely recommend!

What can I say about this book...Whew! The ending was cataclysmic! I did not see that coming! It was so beautiful though-- the poetry was lyrical and it dances in your mind for a long time afterwards. I think what really worked for me was the amazing use of white space and using poetry to tell a story. This book would not have worked in prose in my opinion. It literally HAD to be told like this.When I attended the Virginia Book Festival last year, McBride did mention that her editor(?) wanted her to turn it into a verse novel and that was the greatest decision to make. I just ordered her other novel, "We Are All So Good At Smiling". Such talent!