Braided with songs and poetry, this story follows Keda’s journey to know herself. With profound final lines and yes-that’s-exactly-what-it’s-like images, the prose poem chapters shine individually and collectively. Much in Keda’s life is complicated, so she reaches for songs, gropes for her heritage, and digs for inner resources to cope. A few friends brighten her life, but when it comes to truly managing an unstable mother, a mostly-absent father, and a big sister who is less fun and also less nurturing than she used to be, Keda is on her own. Her love of Billie Holiday and the intuitional grasp she has of the Blues give her something to hold on to, but when her summer goes from bad to worse, Keda needs courage. Readers will cheer her on as she finds the strength to speak her own truth.
Find this book on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40864854-for-black-girls-like-me
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Rebecca Balcárcel 
Interesting—there seems to be an increase in narratives written in poetry.
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Yes, novels-in-verse are on the rise. While they may seem like “broccoli,” I think they are gaining traction in part because fewer words cover the page, making a page less intimidating for readers. The good ones use heightened language and imagery, of course!
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