Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In this paean to listening, many of Nye's ninety-five original poems speak to historical and contemporary figures, from storied poets to a trusted hairstylist and a nine-year-old victim of gun violence. The poems themselves are plainspoken, direct, and saturated in meaning, building connections between the world and the ways it's interpreted. Taken in sequence, the poems lead the reader through a natural and profound emotional progression. Ind. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

All the voices ever cast out into the air are still floating around, award-winning poet Nye (The Turtle of Oman, 2014) suggests. In this contemplative collection of more than 100 free verse poems, Nye summons them, channeling writers, educators, music icons, and more, from Lucille Clifton and Bruce Springsteen to Hawaiian hairdresser Mary Endo. Over the course of three sections, Nye delivers graceful dedications and intimate recollections, playful musings and sharp rebukes. In the John O'Donohue-inspired Bowing Candles, Nye celebrates the late Irish poet: all poems belong to anyone who loves them. In Oh, Say Can You See, Nye envisions Donald Trump in Palestine: I'd wrap a keffiyeh around his head, / tuck some warm falafels into his pockets, she writes. And in A Lonely Cup of Coffee, Nye admires the redolent / rich / ripe / round of a beverage enjoyed in solitude. These are poems for listeners, as the subtitle asserts, and there's no doubt that Nye's nimble, clear-eyed, and quietly political poems supplemented by meticulous biographical notes may make an avid listener out of anyone.--Shemroske, Briana Copyright 2018 Booklist

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 5 Up-Nye invokes the voices and spirits of countless inspirational figures past and present in her latest poetry collection. From Bruce Springsteen and Langston Hughes to Yehuda Amichai and Vera B. Williams to her own grandfather and a barber in Honolulu, Nye has utilized poetry as an equalizer and shows, without saying, that raised, wise, creative voices are powerful and vital. Nye frames the collection ever so clearly, first with the title, second with the subtitle, and third with her masterly written introduction. Her intentionality is palpable but never contrived. In a time when many young people feel the need to never slow down, Nye reminds readers that the pause and quiet attention required to read a poem can serve as a kind of meditation in itself. At the end, she provides brief biographical information for each person referenced; each serving not only as an explanatory note, but a teaser for those looking to dive deeper into their lives and work. Nye has given poetry readers a brilliantly constructed, thoughtful, and inspiring collection that can be entered and utilized from countless different angles. Or, one can simply savor each poem (for they stand on their own) and practice the habit of slowing down and contemplating the poem's voice. VERDICT A vital addition to poetry collections.-Jill Heritage Maza, Montclair Kimberley Academy, NJ © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A rich collection of poems celebrating diverse lives.Poet and National Book Award finalist Nye (19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East, 2005, etc.) here showcases a variety of largely contemporary vantage points. In the prose introduction to this collection of over 90 free-verse poems, Nye invites teen readers to take a break from the lure of digital devices, asking, "With so much vying for our attention, how do we listen better?" and gently reminding all that "quiet inspiration may be as necessary as food, water, and shelter." Inspiration for Nye here often comes from the crossing of cultures and results from the consummate attention she pays to the slightest of natural phenomena ("never say no to peonies") alongside such grave societal ills as the displacement or disenfranchisement of whole peoples, whether happening in Gaza, Baghdad, or Ferguson. Using thoughts from a number of famous literary and historical figures as springboards, Nye presents political issues with ease, seeking always to "translate us / all into a better world," as when she movingly describes the plight of the refugee in "Arabs in Finland": "What they left to be here, / in the cold country, / where winter lasts forever, / haunts them in the dark."Asking tough questions and demonstrating the beauty of the voices on the fringe, Nye once again deftly charts the world through verse: not to be missed. (biographical notes) (Poetry. 13-17) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.