Thursday, February 15, 2018

Review: The Cure for Cold Feet

Thank you Check-it-Out, for hosting Poetry Friday this week.

I've  read The Cure for Cold Feet (Random House May 8, 2018) by Beth Ain

At first blush, this MG novel-in-verse packs a punch of truth and insight into what it feels like to be a new sixth grader in middle school. I mean, who doesn't closely read the bathroom walls and go through friendship earthquakes, tornados, tsunamis, and cyclones?



Izzy Kline has all of that plus extra family relationships to juggle in her life...as soon as she organizes things with her mother, brother, and father.

Cure's subtitle, a novel in small moments, gives us a hint about the real vibe of the story. In so many small but essential moments, Izzy works out who she is as a daughter, sister, friend, step-daughter and sixth grader. She faces tough choices in allowing herself to be defined by the lives of her family and friends or by her own ideas of who she is.....all in between dashes of sixth-grade life.



Her story makes me realize just how much so many of my students are actually working through -- talk about homework!

The Cure for Cold Feet is a book I'm happy to have in my middle school library. This is a book that reaches out to kids that might think that they are alone in figuring things out...who need a laugh....who need to know that the small moments good and bad pass but are like pages of the chapters of our life stories.




The real power of Cure for Cold Feet is Izzy's ability to navigate her world and speak up for what she believes is right. I was cheering for her all along the way.

What I like about this book is that it is a novel-in-verse....however, as blank verse, I didn't even notice. I was drawn into Izzy's story. The format of text didn't matter to me at all. However, it might really help a student that gets tired or stressed out from traditionally dense paragraphs and pages.


17 comments:

  1. Thanks, LInda, for these excerpts. That's pretty powerful, the awareness of people being able to be both terrible and wonderful... thank you. xo

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  2. This sounds wonderful. My third grade granddaughter is already going through some social whirl stuff. Perhaps by the summer, this will be a good one for her! Thanks, Linda.

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  3. Thanks for the great review, Linda. "One person's weird is another person's wonderful" is a great quote to make us appreciate the uniqueness of all students.

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  4. Love the title! Thanks for sharing this book recommendation. I enjoy novels in verse, so I added this one to my list.

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  5. Thanks, Linda, for share The Cure for Cold Feet. Great title! I love the quotes you shared. Sounds like one I need to put it on my BTB list.

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  6. I am enjoying your book reviews. The Cure for Cold Feet sounds like a great story to share. I'll be adding it to my TBR list! The quotes you share are awesome! I love that last one---one person's weird is another person's wonderful!

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  7. This book looks wonderful. Another one for my list! Thanks for sharing.

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  8. I'll have to check that our, Linda, and give it a whirl. Thanks! -- Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/

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  9. "People can be terrible right after they're wonderful" is an intriguing quote. Makes me wonder what happens! Thanks for introducing us to "The Cure."

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  10. This sounds fabulous! And I agree with your observation about kids who have a hard time with "traditionally dense paragraphs and pages." Verse novels rock!!

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  11. My students are really into verse novels. I'll put this on my list. Thanks!

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  12. This sounds really lovely - powerful yet approachable and accessible. Novels in verse are such a fantastic option for readers of all levels.

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  13. I think we all could use a laugh, and standing up for what you believe in is tops on my list–You've caught my interest, thanks for your chock-full review Linda!

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  14. Looking forward to reading this one. Thanks for the recommendation, Linda!

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  15. Thanks for featuring this one. Sounds good!

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  16. This sounds really good. I like what you said about being a reminder of what the kids are going through. I think I could use a reminder like that.

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  17. Sounds like a great read. I will be looking for it. I agree that novels in verse can be wonderful for reluctant readers.

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Friendly, positive comments and feedback are always welcome here. Please let me know I'm not just whistling in the dark!