Verse Novel

Book Review: Where I Live



Spinelli, Eileen. 2007. Where I live. Ill by Matt Phelan. New York. Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780803731226

1. Review of Book:
In Where I Live, Eileen Spinelli writes a heartfelt novel using verse poetry that is geared towards younger readers. The book both begins and ends with a poem called, "Where I live" but the two poems and the two places are different. Throughout, the young narrator, Diana, tells about the difficult road between the two. Using verse poetry we learn about Diana's life, her home, her family, her best friend, and things she enjoys. As readers, we get to know Diana's character and learn that she loves astronomy and writing poetry so much that she even wins a poetry contest. We also learn about more difficult issues that she has to face when she thinks her parents are getting a divorce. They don't, but it is still not good news. Her father has lost his job. As a result, Diana and her family must move away from the home and life she loves, to a new home and life to live with her grandpa.

This story and its main character, Diana, will draw young readers in and keep them turning pages. Diana gracefully shares her feelings about how she copes with the upheavals in her life. Young readers and young adults will easily be able to relate to her feelings and possibly have had a similar experience of their own. The poetry itself is written using short stanzas and each poem builds on the previous one, so the story flows nicely and young children will easily understand the plot, while empathizing with Diana. Even though some poems are more sentimental than others, Spinelli flips back and forth to the positive aspects in Diana's life and shows how Diana learns to turn a negative situation into a positive one. In addition, the illustrations by Matt Phelan are simple pencil sketches, but they greatly add to the story, while still leaving much up to the reader's imagination. Overall, this verse novel would be a great introduction to this type of poetry because it will entice young readers to want to read more like it.

2. Classroom/Library Connection:
Follow-up Activity:
After reading the book in its entirety, possibly over several days, reread both the beginning and last poems of the book:

This is Where I live

This is where I live-
in the yellow house
with the white shutters.
I'm the one who helped plant
the maple tree in the front yard,
the one who waters
the daffodils in the spring,
who rakes the leaves in autumn.
My room is on the second floor.
See my window?
This morning I looked out
and say my best friend, Rose,
waving to me......

After sharing these poems again, discuss how they are the same and how they are different. Ask students to think about where they live now, or a place that is special to them that they go to often. Then ask them if they could move anywhere or go anywhere to visit where would it be and why. Have students research a fun and exciting new place that they would like to visit or even live one day. Have them then create a travel brochure of that place to share with their classmates. Be sure to remind them to make it creative, colorful, and convincing!

3. Review Excerpts/Awards Won:
-Best Children's Books of the Year, 2008; Bank Street College of Education; Outstanding Merit; United States
-Choices, 2008; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States
-Beehive Award, 2009 Nominee; Children's Poetry Books; Utah
-Children's Gallery Award, 2009; Nominee; Grades 1-3; United States
-Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 2009; Nominee; Grades 3-5; Kentucky
-Texas Bluebonnet Award, 2009-2010; Master List; Texas
-Voice of Youth Award, 2010-2011; Nominee; 3rd and 4th Grades; Illinois, United States