To This Day: For the Bullied and the Beautiful

Gr 6 Up—Bullying is a hot topic for today's children and teens, and it is sensitively handled in this long-form poem that originated as a spoken word poem performed by the author. Here, Koyczan uses personal anecdotes and borrows from the experiences of others to create a moving piece about the effects of bullying. The metaphors are very vibrant and relatable. This work will help young people facing similar situations. The triumphant ending lets readers know that overcoming the hatred of others is possible. An introduction and epilogue give personal information about the author and his art. The epilogue contains reactions from witnesses and victims of bullying and statistics about its far-reaching effects. Also included is a helpful list of resources for all types of bullying victims. The brightly colored, full-page illustrations by different artists stand out and can overshadow the text at times. The poem is very heartfelt, but there are no textual segues between the different spreads, so it feels a bit disjointed and thus sometimes difficult to follow. The latter half is more cohesive. It flows nicely, and is an excellent choice to read aloud. Purchase where resources about bullying for struggling preteen and teen readers are needed.—Morgan Brickey, Marion County Public Library System, FL