Padma Venkatraman

An uplifting novel in verse about an immigrant girl adjusting to life in the US through her love of nature, music, and poetry, by the award-winning author of The Bridge HomeWhen Geetha and her mom move from India to Rhode Island after her parents? divorce, they leave everything Geetha loves behind?her family, her friends, her dog, and all that?s familiar. As if that?s not hard enough, Geetha is bullied at her new school for her clothes, her food, and her English (who knew so many English words could be spelled or pronounced differently in the US?or just be altogether different!). She finds some solace in playing her flute and writing poetry, and even more when she meets Miguel, a kid with whom she has a lot in common, and the two of them help rescue an injured harp seal stranded on the beach. But Geetha can feel her anger building over lots of things?careless people who pollute the sea and hurt animals, and her mom for making her move. She?s never been so sad and angry. She can see a lot of her fears mirrored in the injured seal when she visits it at the Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center, and this broadens her understanding of survival skills. And when she and Miguel start a beach-clean-up venture, she?s surprised to find how many kind kids are out there. Geetha is torn as the time comes to let the seal go, knowing she?ll miss him, but wanting the best for him. She?s learning to live with mixed feelings and accept that while there will always be rough waters, there are plenty of safe harbors too.

Twelve short stories in verse by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the highs and lows of love ? romantic, platonic, familial, and self-love.Love can be many things ? all-consuming, fleeting, vengeful, selfless, toxic, uplifting, and always, a core part of the teen experience that leaves an indelible mark. This enchanting, genre-crossing anthology delivers something for every reader with unique characters, global settings, and a dazzling mixture of myth, historical, speculative, and contemporary fiction.With the turn of a page, get swept away by unexpected love blooming between two princes from enemy Mesoamerican nations in the 15th century, who''d rather make music rather than war; cheer for a timid bearded lady who was shunned by her family and runs away to find belonging and safety at the circus during the 1800s experience the heartbreak of saying goodbye to a beloved pet; breathlessly watch a myth unfold as a siren bound to the water falls in love with a winged forest spirit, their love seemingly impossible from the start. Root for a girl who emerges from grief and battles with chronic pain to discover how to love herself and life again. Love is complicated, and this anthology embraces the messiness and the joy of all kinds of love. Contributors include:Alexandra AlessandriDavid BowlesMelanie CrowderMargarita EngleEric GansworthRobin GowMariama J. LockingtonLaura RubyPadma VenkatramanJasmine WargaCharles WatersKip Wilson