Just Mad Rantings Poetry and Short Prose

Some are similar or even borrow from her previously published works. Like all great works of poetry, Fierce Fairytales becomes a bit mind numbing, the poems losing their brilliance as each page is turned. I've learned to not read poetry books in one sitting, rather choosing a few based off name or even just selecting a random page. This is the same, I suggest you keep it on your shelf or table to reach for when only words will soothe your thoughts or inspire you when all feels lost.

Fierce Fairytales is filled with refreshing retellings, some short and some longer, each addressing a pivotal fairytale character, experience, or misconception. Sep 24, Bekka rated it it was ok. Was pretty good until halfway through when I noticed it kept recycling its own ideas over and over again. Yeah um fuck that? Sep 17, Krissy Hamrick rated it it was amazing Shelves: Nikita Gill is probably my favorite poetry artist. This was an amazing book full of self love, understanding, healing, and loving one another. Oct 03, Carla Johnson-Hicks rated it it was ok Shelves: I am not sure what I was expecting when I requested this book, but what I read was definitely not it.

I had never read anything by Nikita Gill, yet I understand she has quite a following. In this collection, Nikita Gil addresses some of the biggest problems in the fairytale genre: Nikita Gill rewrites the stories we are familiar with in poetry or prose that makes them I am not sure what I was expecting when I requested this book, but what I read was definitely not it. Nikita Gill rewrites the stories we are familiar with in poetry or prose that makes them often unrecognizable except for the names of the characters.

From classics, like Cinderella, to folklore like Baba Yaga, and even literary ladies like Wendy Darling, Gil has left nothing untouched. I understand that the purpose behind this is to empower women and minorities, but this was not something I related to. I did not see these as fairytales so much as her personal conviction being shared using the same characters and settings. I did enjoy some of the poems, but overall, I was disappointed by this collection.

I am sure others would love this collection, but it was not for me. The publisher, Hachette Books, generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. The rating, ideas and opinions are my own. Nov 08, Mavence rated it it was ok Shelves: I DNF'd this one by page This collection was a pretty great rep for villains we love to hate in our stories.

This talks about abuse, superficiality, heartbreak, and has this recurring feminist theme. I felt way too uncomfortable reading the cheesy poems and the predictability of it all, sometimes I feel like it tries so hard to be an aesthetic self-help book Hahhahaahahh. For me, not so much. Although, here are some excerpts I really love in this collection.

I wonder where the wildest things go when the devilled copse is no longer there. But it also doesn't elicit any profound emotion from me other than "Oooooohhhh. Oct 02, Leanne rated it it was ok Shelves: Girl Power, Self Love, Abuse. I felt a lot of her work in this collection of poems and stories would start off strong then end flat. It felt like the writing didn't work with the tone it was attempting to set. I also felt in her work you could feel her hurt, anger and sadness. The overall stories are meant to be about self love and bringing women up but I could also feel this strong hatred towards men.

Which felt off for me. The love will come. I've read some of her shorter poems on Instagram and I love those and they feel strong. Her other work is full of so much passion, heart and soul. This felt like a letter to herself of her fight with her hurt and it took away from the stories. Don't get me wrong, I love fierce badass women but girl pack some more heat. This dragon want to feel the fire you project, I want to hear the battle cry and feel the tightness in your bones as you launch yourself into battle.

I want to also note, she did her own illustrations and her art is majestic. Aug 29, Amanda rated it it was amazing. I was so excited to get an advance reader copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review. I really like Nikita Gill's poetry and I loved this collection so much! It was a quick and easy read that I couldn't put down. I loved the entire book. It was filled with both magic and truth and fire. Each piece is a poem or short story that is somehow related to a fairy tale but also reality. I highly recommend this book if you like poetry about strong women, pain, betrayal, and the spirit of a I was so excited to get an advance reader copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

I highly recommend this book if you like poetry about strong women, pain, betrayal, and the spirit of a survivor. I could see myself reading this book over and over again. One of my favorite quotes: Sep 11, Jenna rated it liked it. Thank you to Hachette Books for a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thankful to have you as a partner. This book focuses a lot on female empowerment, respect, and living your life the way that you want to live it - not the way that society tells you to.

While I found myself wondering if maybe they were a bit overthought, I did appreciate some of the ideas she had. Beauty without kindness and bravery is just a pretty, empty shell, my dear. And you can find plenty of those on the beach. People use them to decorate their rooms. So I hope you aspire to be so much more than just beautiful. I hope you aspire to be so much more than a pretty little thing that decorates the room you walk into.

Outside of being a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, I exist. I exist as a human first, as a bei "Definitions of you are for you to make and for you alone. I exist as a human first, as a being that experiences joy and suffering, beauty and learning, life and tragedy. I exist because the universe chose to put me here for a purpose higher than my relation to men. I exist because a wise old woman gave me a gift and now magic runs through my veins.

So the problem is not my existence as half dragon, half girl. The problem is how you perceive it as so small, you do not believe I can exist at all apart from through my bonds with men. Dec 02, Elvina Zafril rated it really liked it. The cover is just soooo pretty! All the poems were good. Nov 24, Leona Carstairs marked it as to-read Shelves: I need this book so much that I fear I shall die of longing if it doesn't find its way into my hands soon. Oct 13, Stephanie Strazzybooks rated it it was amazing. I had no intention of adding another book to my stack, but the cover caught my eye.

I walked past it a couple times, reading a few sentences at each pass, until I gave in to the feeling that this one had to go home with me. This is why I believe in book magic and the right books finding us when we need them.

Honeybee: Poems Short Prose by Naomi Shihab Nye

The water and the wild have never forgotten you and in them you will always have a home. Fierce Fairytales was a lovely read, one that awoke something in me as I read it, and one I plan to revisit often in the future. Sep 08, Moriah Conant rated it it was amazing Shelves: What a beautiful, empowering book. Nikita Gill masterfully reworks well-known fairytales with new perspectives and commentary on the key issues of the world.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I've only, very recently, discovered poetry. Don't get me wrong, I've read a lot of poetry in class; it was just never something I came home and picked up in my free time. Even though I knew of Nikita Gill, I hadn't really gotten into her poetry before, either.

Then I read the synopsis for Fierce Fairytales and, to be honest, stared longingly at the cover as well and fell in LOVE with the idea. Nikita Gill managed to spin the fairytales we grew up with in I've only, very recently, discovered poetry. Nikita Gill managed to spin the fairytales we grew up with into modern, feminist, empowering verse and I loved reading second of it. This book gave me chills, made me smile and made me think. I had to put the book down multiple times after a particular poem really hit home, just to breathe and process. Fierce Fairytales disassembles all the characters in our traditional fairytale, bringing them into a new light that makes everybody gray, not black and white.

She wonderfully explored concepts of self-love and self-harm, consent, courage, family, first love, hope and female power. Will I read it again? It's just the kind of book you pick up and devour a few poems from time to time. Would I recommend it? I'm considering getting myself a copy of Nikita Gill's first book, Wild Embers now. Oct 01, Laura Hoffman Brauman rated it it was amazing. Fierce is the perfect word to describe this collection of poetry and prose inspired by fairytales. The women in here are strong and unapologetic and they have wisdom to share and lessons to teach about identity, power, acceptance, and strength.

While these aren't tales for young child Fierce is the perfect word to describe this collection of poetry and prose inspired by fairytales. While these aren't tales for young children, if you want to counteract the version of the princess story where she sits around waiting to be rescued or gives up her voice for a man, this would be a great choice.

Sep 09, N. It has all my favorite things in the title: The reading experience, however, was more… meh. The themes are repetitive, and nothing is structured or cohesive. This is supposed to be about fairytales, but then we take a turn into reality, dealing with eating disorders that particular poem hit a little close to home and then we jump back into fairytales.

The word choices are also a little bizarre. I also struggled a lot in particular with the short stories. Not everything is bad, though. Sep 22, Ryley Ryley Reads rated it really liked it Shelves: When I first heard about this collection, I was expecting it to be retellings of fairytales in poems or short stories. While this is sort of what this book is about, there is so much more to it than that. Thanks so much to Hachette Book Group Canada for sending me a copy of this book for an honest review, as always, all opinions are my own.

This book is essentially a collection of poems - some short and some long - as well as a few longer pieces I would call very short stories. They cover not only When I first heard about this collection, I was expecting it to be retellings of fairytales in poems or short stories. They cover not only fairytales but social issues as well. The fairytales all have a "fierce" feminist sort of twist, either with dismissing the necessity of a 'Prince Charming' or explaining why the logic that puts such a necessity on one is flawed.

I also found it very refreshing to see not only feminist ideas but also those touching on more general social issues like eating disorders, toxic masculinity, being a refugee or immigrant, racial issues, and many more. I don't think this will be a very long review because this is just not a very long book, but I will say that I found Gill's prose absolutely riveting. It's been a really long time since I've had the urge to do that to a book I wasn't reading for school and while I didn't want to "wreck" my book which is another topic for a whole other discussion , I also couldn't resist doing it.

Not only did Gill take the typical fairytales and give them a feminist or more modern twist she also worked to explain characters that have been glossed over or labelled as purely evil to become a plot point. Evil stepmothers come from the anger of being heartbroken widows who see the beauty of their youth reflected back in a daughter they didn't ask for.

Witches are made from women living alone, outside of society's allocated position for them. I found these stories and poems really interesting and fascinating takes on "villainesses. Sep 10, Breanne Winkle rated it it was amazing. First, I have not read much poetry since graduating from college and what I read then was pretty dense.

Fierce Fairytales: Poems and Stories to Stir Your Soul

Second, I was afraid that my favorite fairytales from when I was a little girl were about to be complete I requested this ARC on NetGalley from Hachette Books mostly because I am a fairytale addict and the cover strongly reminded me of the cover for the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplay. Second, I was afraid that my favorite fairytales from when I was a little girl were about to be completely shredded the way I have seen other writers handle them when going for a modern makeover.

This fear was completely banished as I began to wade my way through the stories and poems. As I was reading the first fifty pages I had a nagging feeling that there was something familiar about what I was reading. Slowly it began to dawn on me. This modern makeover was reminding me of the Fables comic series from Bill Willingham. Instantly my worries were gone and I was excited to see the reimaginings and twists that the tales would take. Rather than altering the bulk of the tale, there were twists taken on the beginnings and the endings of my favorite stories or small details added or looks into the minds of the characters that we all know so well.

I was smiling, laughing, and even tearing up while reading this book. And there was a good mix of tales from different cultures and mythology. I recognized a lot of the characters I saw but there were a few that I had not heard before that I enjoyed. It didn't feel stale in any way. And even though not every short story or every poem was my favorite, the collection as a whole really resonated with me. I do not often give books as gifts. Most people I am close to are not avid readers.

But, this book was the first time in a long time I wanted to gift one to someone. The stories have something for everyone and I would have loved to receive this and read it as a preteen or teenager even. It has everything that people really deal with from feeling small, to abuse, to eating disorders, to neglectful parents, to lost loved ones, to the pain of first heartbreak. And what I loved was it never felt like this book was preaching something at me, making me want to turn away. Instead it felt like it cared about you. Like reading a friend.

This was an amazing collection that I can't wait to add to my physical library in the near future. It is a work that I think will become incredibly important in so many people's lives. If you are looking for a gift for someone in your life or a treat for yourself I highly recommend checking this one out. This and other reviews can be found here. I was given an e-Advanced Reader Copy from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Poems and Stories to Stir Your Soul by Nikita Gill is a collection of poems relating to fairy tales, some well known and others not as much.

And folks, it is really different. What I have read just these past few months makes me sad that I was reading crap like Christopher Pike when I was in middle school. This is my lastest read-Honeybee, by Naomi Shihab Nye. This is a collection of poetry for kids and adults. She writes outside of the catchy rhymes and funny characters. She writes about her experience growin Studying elementary literacy in school has given me a great opportunity to catch up on what my kids are reading these days. She writes about her experience growing up as an Arab-American, the Iraq War, Education, Americana culture, family and the environment.

She has warmth and insight into the human spirit. I bought it over the weekend and I have read it about five times now. It's a beautiful collection that helps kids connect with the society that they are growing up in. This will be a staple in my classroom for sure Jul 09, Jason rated it really liked it. The cover of this book says "Poems," but you'll notice the title here on Goodreads is more accurate: I dug most of the poems.

Here are some standouts: May 18, Hanna rass rated it really liked it. This is a collection of poems that Naomi Shihab Nye has written. I the beginning she tells a story about how when she was in college she took this class where they studied all types of animals. She picked bees, so for a whole semester she studied bees and at the end she gad to write a essay on what she had learn about them.

Throughout the book she tells many stories and poems, at first you might not realize it but they all tie back to the story in the beginning. I love how creative she was, she This is a collection of poems that Naomi Shihab Nye has written. I love how creative she was, she would tell a story and a couple of poems that connected to the story you just heard or the one you are going to hear.

All of her poems and stories are either real life events that happen or she got the idea from a real event. Her poems are short but they get to the point. I think this is a great read and everyone should read it, but I have to pick a specific group. This book came into my life at a perfect time, so I think high school freshmen should read this book towards the end of the year.

Dec 09, Bobby rated it it was amazing. I learned after I acquired my copy, but before I started reading it, that it is a "kids book. That turned out to be the case with Honeybee. That said, this book never seems to be "talking down" to its intended audience. Instead, it is full of the respect for people - and other living creatures including the honeybee - and could be appreciated by anyone of any age. The mixture of poetry and short prose works well and it is a book that, as I finished it, made me think, "I look forward to reading this one again, and the sooner the better!

Dec 05, Loren Prato rated it really liked it Shelves: Honeybee is a book composed of poetry and prose that mix memories, science and social issues. The focus shifts continually from honeybees, to the continuing violence in the Middle East, to memories of childhood, to specific situations in which people manage to transcend their own differences. I had never read a book of poetry and prose before, and I absolutely loved it. I will definitely use this someday in my class to introduce poetry, prose, and figures of speech. It is not too hard of a read, Honeybee is a book composed of poetry and prose that mix memories, science and social issues.

It is not too hard of a read, yet it still gives the reader plenty of opportunities to decode and interpret the writing. Both middle schoolers and high schoolers could benefit from reading this book. Nye, using honeybees and their language as inspiration, writes many beautiful poems about the delights and sorrows of everyday life. Her poetry is certainly more serious in nature, and would be best for the introspective youth, perhaps interested in writing their own poetry.

This anthology is perfect Nye, using honeybees and their language as inspiration, writes many beautiful poems about the delights and sorrows of everyday life. This anthology is perfect for sitting and reflecting. Great for grades 5 and up. May 29, Cara rated it liked it. The writing is fantastic. I enjoyed so many of the poems and I didn't expect some of them to be so funny.

There is a significant airing of grievances with the politics at the time. I appreciate the snapshot into what the author thinks or thought of the situations she writes about. What took away from it for me was the one sided, divisive bitterness. It was written in such a way the reader is left with only two options, the option to sympathize or to be offended by the author's views and it feels The writing is fantastic. It was written in such a way the reader is left with only two options, the option to sympathize or to be offended by the author's views and it feels Nye's ability is so far above that.

Dec 09, Diane rated it liked it Shelves: Many themes that would not resonate with kids! Feb 26, Lauren. Bastian rated it really liked it. Charming and touching collection. I liked a lot of the poems, but I think the prose really stood out for me. Favorites are the story about the museum, the essay about the school, and the final story about the airport.

Jul 17, mumtaz rated it it was amazing Shelves: Mar 07, Farah Fitria Sari rated it really liked it Shelves: I didn't think it would be political, hence the not-5 rating. But overall it has great insights, as always expected from Nye. Sep 26, Charles Collyer rated it it was amazing Shelves: Poetry and short prose pieces. I like her work here a lot. Apr 10, Molly Walker rated it really liked it Shelves: I loved Nye's use of honeybees throughout her writings, both in literal and metaphorical senses.

Changing Track

I particularly enjoyed the final essay, "Gate A-4" and the sense of global unity and togetherness it captured. Oct 20, Amanda rated it really liked it. Jan 10, Polly rated it it was amazing. These will break your heart. Oct 25, Carolyn rated it liked it Shelves: Overall Response I did enjoy a lot of the poetry in this collection and I'm excited to have gotten an introduction to Nye.

There are two things that kept me from really loving this book, however. One was that it didn't feel like a very cohesive collection to me--and maybe it wasn't meant to be. It's not necessarily the fault of the book-- it may indeed be that although I read a LOT of poetry, I am much more drawn to the smaller, individual, focused poetry books than the collections of various smaller books drawn together.

Two, I thought the intended age of the reader was often unclear, i. Those feelings probably contributed to 1 as well. And I think some of the really great political commentary poems would really go over the heads of non-adult readers. That said, I think she makes a great protest poet and I think she could put together a pretty amazing book with a tighter selection process. Specifics I think the strongest poems in this collection were actually not the Bee poems although some of those made interesting connections and had cool imagery but the political commentary poems.

Some were obviously quite blatant "Culture of Life" for example and others took a wider historical viewpoint that still hit home with a very modern anti-war message "Missing Thomas Jefferson". I am looking for the human who admits his flaws Who shocks the adversary By being kinder not stronger What would that be like? We don't even know I liked "The Cost" not only for its pointed message but its connection to current WI events.

Under another poem she talks about showing kids the newspaper as a place where ideas come from and I think that's the perfect poem to tie to current events in a teaching moment. So simple and yet so devastating. I am a big fan of realistic, conversational poetry like this--this spans back to William Carlos Williams' poems and to the more contemporary stylings of someone like Billy Collins, for example. Finding the poetic moment in the everyday motions of, in this case, the paperboy flinging the horrible news of the world at you as he flies on by.

Curricular Connection I would not use this book as a whole but I would select specific poems out of it to use with my high school students, both on poetry and imagery generally and more specifically to point to poetry as a way to not just talk about your feelings but make your statement and take a stand on what you believe in. Feb 12, Patrica rated it did not like it Shelves: This book is a collaboration of poems and short stories. The poems and short stories are written through the writers point of view and provide meaningful insight about life that everyone can relate to.

A majority of her pieces focus on war, politics and society. The writer also incorporates bees and insect communication. The writers allows the reader to have an inside look of her life, thoughts and daily activities. As the reader, you can really feel the writers passion for what she does through This book is a collaboration of poems and short stories. As the reader, you can really feel the writers passion for what she does through her pieces. After reading this story, I believe this book would be better appropriate for an other audience.

I really found it hard for myself to stay interested. Although I could relate and found some of her pieces very beautiful, the book never was rather slow for my taste. I found it hard to follow because some of the poems didn't make sense to me and were a bit all over the place with their meaning. I did learn that all poems don't necessarily have to rhyme which I think most people might not know. I gave this book one star because it was hard to follow, slow format and my least favorite book I've read thus far in this course.

I did have a connection with a couple of her pieces.

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• Wolverine Cirque;
• The Last Myth: What the Rise of Apocalyptic Thinking Tells Us About America.
• Writing: How Poetry Helped My Prose.
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• Whered You Get That Red Dress?: (a short story);

I really enjoyed her insights and poems about God. This book did make me realize how powerful and what and effect poetry can on a person. It allowed me to be more opened minded to different forms of writing.

• Poet and Literature Consultant.
• See a Problem?;
• Prose Poetry | Anne Caldwell.

This book would make a good classroom connection by introducing this form poetry. By teaching your students that not all poems have to rhyme. It is also important to teach students the different types of poetry. Allow your students to write their own poems and read them aloud to the class. By incorporating this activity students will build confidence, improve writing skills, be engaged and stay interested.

Be True To Yourself

I could not find the lexile on this book. I believe this book would make a good read-a-loud for fourth grade. I believe by the fifth grade students should be able to read this book independently. Nov 02, Nicole Perez rated it really liked it Shelves: From an adult's perspective, I found this book of poems to be both profound and sweet; very telling in how Nye explores relationships, love, war, Earth, memories, communication and the very nature of humans.

Honeybee: Poems Short Prose

Interesting how she also weaves in the role of animal and insect communication, and her voice alone suggests a very one-ness that we have with other beings. Lots of political and religious ideas , and personal experiences from Nye throughout. Gave me a better sense of who she is as a person From an adult's perspective, I found this book of poems to be both profound and sweet; very telling in how Nye explores relationships, love, war, Earth, memories, communication and the very nature of humans. Gave me a better sense of who she is as a person and an artist poetry, after all, is a very personal art.

I like how she alternates back and forth between verses and prose. Love her style as well. Lots of great literary elements in use, great ideas, thoughtful way of looking at ourselves. Specifics I found many of her poems to be insightful and beautiful, and some lines really stuck with me. I think every poem and piece of prose in this collection is very beautiful in its own way. I like Nye's intelligence, and how she sees the world. For My Desk pg 22 "each morning birds speak first" Curriculum: Middle school and high school students can find something very special in this collection, if not in a particular poem.

Very teachable moments in this book, and they can bring about profound moments of understanding ourselves as people, communicators, artists, leaders and as a race; great discussions for class. We could especially discuss current events and the war in Iraq, and Nye's poems could be one of many pieces of literature by many writers who think about the middle east and the things happening today.

Jul 03, Carmyn rated it really liked it Shelves: The inside flap of the book says, "In eighty-two poems and paragraphs, Naomi Shihab Nye alights on the essentials of our time--our loved ones, our dense air, our wars, our memories, our planet--and leaves us feeling curiously sweeter and profoundly soothed. I tend to prefer poetry anthologies rather than books in which Honeybee: I tend to prefer poetry anthologies rather than books in which all the poems are by one author.

I find that there is a wee bit of disappointment in realizing that an author can't be brilliant with every poem. I am never sure the ratio that makes the book "good" for me.. I find I love a few poems in every book.. In this book these are my favorites: This was a book of poems I liked quite a bit. You can read excerpts-the first 45 pages-here: Mar 12, Sara Baker added it Shelves: Summary This book is full of a collection of poems and stories.

Naomi writes about everyday occurrences from things she reads in the Sunday paper to personal experiences. Many of the poems and short stories she writes about has something to do with honeybees. Naomi even includes poems about the war and Iraq. She includes many poems and stories that talk about God, as well. I feel that this book is very personal.