Reviews

Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye

ejanep's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

shantastic_reads's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

April was National Poetry Month as well as Arab American Heritage Month.  It seemed like a good prompt for me to finally read the works of Naomi Shihab Nye.  I discovered one of her poems, Shoulders, several years ago and it has never left my mind. Shoulders is one of the poems in this collection so I figured this would be a good place for me to start.  Many of the poems are rooted in her experience as an American child of a Palestinian father, and her connection with her heritage. I was moved by the imagery and themes of home and homeland, searching for peace, belonging, working through hardship, remembering, and growing. 

Highly recommend this beautiful, accessible, heartful collection. 

rainbowbookworm's review against another edition

5.0

I had received an ARC for this book and I forgot to review it when I read it. With the escalating violence in Palestine, I wanted to revisit the section of The Holy Land That Isn't but I ended up rereading the entire collection. It contains a lot of insightful poems and belongs in every classroom library.

juliahendrickson's review against another edition

hopeful reflective fast-paced

4.5

floofymoose's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.5

barbarajean's review against another edition

hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

amiefiremoon's review against another edition

4.0

Everything Comes Next is a wonderful collection of poems by Naomi Shihab Nye. The poems are advanced in style, theme, and imagery, so this book is best for those in middle school or older. It would be a nice book to add to a language arts classroom library to use as an example when students are attempting to find their own poetic voices. My favorite poems of the collection is “Always Bring a Pencil” and “Before You Can”.

Advance copy provided courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

carrieemoran's review against another edition

4.0

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title. Naomi Shihab Nye is one of our most important living poets, and this collection did not disappoint. The notes at the beginning of the book were very helpful for context for the very distinct, but interwoven sections. As a poet myself, I deeply loved and appreciated the final poem in the collection "Slim Thoughts". I was also glad to see the poems "So Much Happiness" and "Kindness", two of my favorites by the author.

laurielou73's review against another edition

4.0

Naomi Shihab Nye's words flow beautifully and are an essential part of my poetry unit each year. These poems offer insights into the lives of Arab-Americans and her word choices paint pictures that provide opportunities for deep discussions with my 7th graders. A must have for any middle-school classroom looking to break away from the standard white, male "classics" we grew up studying.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

wildflower37's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

3.0

I have loved Nye's work for years. This collection inspired me with its beautiful art work and its inclusion of some of my favorite works and a few new poems as well.