VERSE NOVEL

Sones, Sonya. one of those hideous books where the mother dies. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. 2004.

ISBN: 978-1-4169-0788-6

Anyone who has ever lost their mother at a young age will relate to this award-winning book about a fifteen year old girl named Ruby. Ruby’s mother has just died and she finds herself on a plane headed to California where she will live with her famous dad whom she does not know. Ruby writes about her feelings and other events that take place during this time as she is forced to leave her home and friends. Along with the usual teen-age problems, worries, grief and anger at her deceased mother, this book has all the drama one can expect from the life of a teen-ager which will have great appeal to teens.

Sonya Sones’ book is written in free verse. Teen-agers who read it will sympathize with Ruby throughout the book. Written in a journal – like form, each poem sequentially tells Ruby’s story. Sones’ use of vivid and sometimes graphic language helps the reader understand exactly what Ruby is feeling. Powerful images are conjured up by the sense imagery she uses. In American Airlines Flight 161, she writes,

“and my mother’s grave,

where she lies in a cold wooden box

under six feet of dirt,

just beginning to rot.”

This passage describing the mother’s gravesite allows the reader to actually envision what it would be like to be buried in a coffin and to feel the same melancholy that Ruby does. Everything about Sones’ writing draws the reader in and has an emotional impact. Due to some of the subjects written about in the book however, I would not recommend this book to elementary or middle school readers.

Each poem in the book contributes to the story of how Ruby handles the feelings of love, loss, grief, anger and eventually reconciliation and love once more. The first line in each poem is in bold print as if it becomes the title of the poem, however there are no titles to the poems nor are there any illustrations.

Sonya Sones seems to have an insight into teen psyche with the books she writes. Two of Sones’ other books entitled What My Mother Doesn’t Know and What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know also delve into subjects which are particularly interesting to teens.

SPOTLIGHT POEM:

To introduce the following poem from this verse novel, I would begin a discussion with students about a time in their life when they wanted one thing to happen but another thing actually did. I would then share the following from page 84 of the book.

After School – Take One

I step outside --- and there’s Ray!

Grinning behind the wheel

of his battered blue 1989 Mustang.

He waves.

I melt.

He leaps out of the car

and we run toward each other.

Then he hugs me off my feet.

And I die from joy,

right there in his arms.

After School – Take Two

I step outside----and there’s Whip.

Grinning behind the wheel

of a pale yellow1929 Packard convertible.

He waves.

I freeze.

He leaps out of the car

and runs towards me.

Then he hugs me,

right in front of everyone.

And I shrivel up and die.

(You get to guess which one actually happened.)

After the discussion and sharing of the poem, students would be expected to write about their own experience of when they wanted one thing to happen and another actually did.