I was running. The earth cracked. Jumping over the water and the whale came. Safety to the island. Trees and rocks, sand. I made it.

– Mark Silha

Turn Off the Sun

“I am outside of the boxes” (“Mallory’s Situation),” begins a poem in Turn Off the Sun. And this uniqueness carries through the book. As readers, we’re are introduced to a pink cheetah and a deer as fast as a racecar. We travel with the authors through different states and the details of their days: “Nails done. Dog. One. Hat. Pretty. I’m pretty” (“ID”). We learn what courage means: “Being brave is like when you have to hustle” (“How to Be Brave”). This book offers both thoughtful perspectives and vibrant imagery. Wild creatures roam the pages: “The bull has a sword. The fish is flying a cat” (“The Wizard of Oz”). Full of unexpected twists and turns, the authors of this collection wield language and narrative in inventive ways.

 

Book 72	Summer 2021