Pause for Poetry: You Are Not Alone

‘You Are Not Alone’ is Shauna’s second poetry collection. Each poem is on the theme of mental health and well-being, making it a powerful, thought-provoking treasure trove for individuals, classrooms and families to share, explore and express their feelings.

The book is divided into five sections- Sometimes like a Wild Horse and Sometimes Like Disco Lights’, ‘What if I’m Not the Shape of the Boxes on Offer?’, ‘I Asked the Edge, the Edge Said Yes’, ‘The Crate of Air That Will Change Everything’ and ‘Happiness is a Hummingbird.’ - and cover a huge variety of feelings and experiences. Readers are sure to find those which speak directly to them, those which make them pause for thought, those which make them empathise and those which make them cry.

I was caught by the pace and imagery of ‘I’m Juggling a Hundred Full Stops’. ‘Suvi’ reminded me of children I have taught and made me cry. I was fascinated by ‘If We Have More Words for Good Things, Do We Feel Better?’. There are so many poems here to comment on- and which I will return to regularly.

The collection offers a rich source of material with which to support and develop understanding of emotions, encouraging empathy and self-awareness, a recognition that others may have similar experiences and an outlet for pent up worries and fears.

The addition of notes about the poems at the end of the book makes for fascinating reading and can be used as a starting point for further reading. An excellent collection which should not be missed!

You Are Not Alone Shauna Darling Robertson

Troika ISBN: 978-1912745173

You can read my review of ‘Saturdays at the Imaginarium’ here.

Three Girls

"We just want to show that friendships forged here are the real deal. Genuine. Built to last. That sort of thing. For the brochure. Do you mind?"

Their school may be making them pose together for photos - but Minnie, Lena and Alice are not friends. And they have other things to worry about. Minnie - The Athlete: her whole life has been sport - but what if that's not all she wants her life to be? How do you even start to change your future all by yourself? Lena - The Princess: she has always resented being in Minnie's shadow - so when a freak accident changes all of her arch-rival's plans, Lena has a chance to become Queen Bee at last. But is ruling the school all she dreamed it would be? And then there's Alice - The Really Tall One. Alice has friends already, she's even got her eye on a potential crush - but she's also got a secret. And that secret is about to bound into all three girls' lives and change them forever.

I absolutely loved this book. You know you are reading something special when you find you cannot put it down and ‘Three Girls’ did just that for me! Told from the viewpoint of each girl in turn, the story skilfully explores relationships and how these change and develop over time.

My favourite character, Alice, is brilliant. Although she seems to be navigating a happy path through life, she constantly faces comments about her size- ‘Big Alice’, ‘the Really Tall One’- and has a feeling that she no longer shares the same interests as her friends. Her initial attempts at running are hilarious and anyone who has taken a similar challenge on a whim will ruefully laugh along with her as she battles through. In contrast, Lena is completely caught up in her obsession with being the best. She comes to re-evaluate her long-term friendships, realising that people can change and grow apart. As other friendships open up for her and develop, she realises how easy it is to misjudge and misunderstand others. It is great to see how she develops as a person as she relaxes. Minnie’s accident, which is the catalyst for all the changes, not only encourages her to reconsider her future but her long-term relationship as well.

‘Three Girls’ is an incredibly accessible, enjoyable read with much to recommend it. I’d love to read more about these girls!

The Girls Katie Clapham

UCLan ISBN: 978-1912979806

You can read my review of ‘The Missing Bookshop’ by Katie in the ‘Reviews from Another Life’ section.