This passage depicts Whimsy's attitude towards group therapy and the desire to escape from reality. Instead of being there in the moment (which is far too painful, Whimsy chooses to escape to a far more comfortable land of fairy tales instead. I think this is a great depiction of coping mechanisms. This could spark some great discussion in the classroom and help foster SEL.
“You know, Frankenstein thought himself a god saying, I‘ll make a human. God blistered & bothered in the stars saying, How about a mind plague for humankind? We could call it Clinical Depression.
Then they handed it out, like spoiled candy.”
I love two things about this passage. First, I appreciate how it's an interlude. Personally, my only experience with the term “interlude“ is when it's in an albumI appreciate it in writing, however, because I feel that it can be helpful to introduce students to different styles of writing. We can discuss how interludes are used in musical and theatrical context. The 2nd reason is the breaking of the 4th wall. This also displays different styles.
This excerpt from “Anansi Cries“ really stood out to me as I read the book. This passage would pair very well with a unit on narratives. We could also focus on narratives that are missing from the media, or falsely portrayed in the media. This covers both diversity and media literacy. My one concern with this unit plan would be requiring all students to read this book. The nature of the book makes me hesitate to assign it as a whole class text.
I liked how the mystery of what happened to Whimsy and Faerry's siblings was revealed to them. Because this took up a part of their lives and caused the depression and sorrow that they are having to face, they couldn't find closure in order to fully heal. I think this also represents the amount of times many people end up going back tot he hospital, like Whimsy does. It's hard to heal when something deep rooted remains with no explanation.
one thing I especially liked about this novel was the representation of friendship that is there through hardships and difficult times. Whimsy and Faerry take on a lot together, the forest at the edge of Marsh Creek Lane included. I think that the “monsters“ within the forest can also be seen as things that are hard to deal with for the friends. In a way, we all have “monsters“ in that forest, and sometimes it's nice to not deal with them alone.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I also liked the writing style. Reading something in verse is definitely different from what i'm used to, but I found it to be a good change of pace. I also thought the thematic material in this book
(such as clinical depression, etc...) is something that we need to talk about more, and i'm glad McBride doesn't shy away from it. I think that this is a good book for high school age readers to take on.
So far, this has been my least favorite book to read because it was difficult to follow. However, I think the story is very important for younger audiences to relate to. I feel as if that‘s what the whole purpose of reading is—-and I know there are so many kids out there who need to hear this to feel seen in their own circumstances like this. I felt like this story, in its telling, came to life and allows for ambiguous/personal interpretation.
“Leaves don‘t think but they know things….And when the leaf decays into the soil so much and it no longer looks like a leaf, even then, even then, it is a leaf.” This quote by Whimsy was a favorite. To me, it‘s a way of saying that no matter what someone has gone through or done, at the end of the day, they‘re still a person. She says “a brain is still a brain, with or without serotonin,” and I take that as there are no limits to define humanity.
pickI was mixed up with this book both because of my appreciation for an audience of younger readers and also for my own taste as a reader. I think this is a wonderful book to introduce to older middle school or younger high schoolers with even certain sections being perfect to introduce for poetry units. This will definitely stay in my own library to see how I would put this to use.
Very honestly I was lost throughout a lot of this book. I felt like I understood and then felt lost and the cycle continued as Whimsy also encountered her own confusing emotions and feelings and memories. It was such a cool moment getting that realization that the confusion was so purposeful to represent what it must be like. I think it‘s something that younger audiences would love to see and have an even more interesting aspect to the story.
While this moment isn't super relevant to the grand scheme of the book, I keep coming back to it. I just cannot get over the teacher's reaction to Whimsy's ex-boyfriend making a joke about her killing herself shortly after she was hospitalized. Obviously, she shouldn't have threatened to shove a book down his throat, but I don't understand the teacher's response. Kevin was targeting a vulnerable student and somehow Whimsy was sent to the office.
The first moment in this book that I would describe as jaw-dropping is on page 22 when she says, “I get why Mom & Dad brought me here for the 11th time in 10 years“. Up until this point, the readers would have gathered that it was not Whimsy's first time in the hospital, but this moment confirms just how badly Whimsy is doing mentally and how she is not getting better.
I found the note from the author at the beginning of the book to be extremely special. I think in a world of book banning this message was extremely strategic. McBride gives an overview of the topics that she will be covering but also explains her intent with the book. I think it's awesome how she not only created a book that is validating for many students but also has an author's note where readers can feel her empathy.
At first, I found this book's structure extremely annoying. As soon as I saw that the book was in verse, I preemptively decided I wouldn't like it. However, the more I read the more I saw how McBride was extremely intentional in her decision-making and realized the structure didn't inhibit my understanding of the story. I was enjoying the book by the second chapter.
pickI was worried I wouldn‘t enjoy this book because I‘m not a huge fan of poetry or books written in verse. It was around chapter 4 that I started to get into the story and appreciate the style of writing. I loved the fairy tale metaphors and the personification of feelings like Sorrow. And I loved the reveal that Whimsy and Faerry knew each other and what happened to their siblings. I think this would be a great book to read in high school.
I absolutely loved how the story of what happened to Cole and Tale was told. The three different perspectives made for a great climax and plot twist to the story, and it gave me a sense of relief for Whimsy and Faerry to finally get closure for a mystery they were always half-blind to. I also loved the message that it wasn't anyone's fault because that was always the root of their sorrow and depression.
The themes of isolation and repressed emotions have been present throughout the entire story so far, but the way it‘s explained here hit me hard. Whimsy‘s parents attempted to make them all forget and repress their feelings surrounding their trauma, but Whimsy is the only one who remembers anything. That isolating feeling only adds to her depression and makes her seem unreasonable or crazy to everyone else around her until she meets Faerry.
I really enjoyed chapter 3 and the way that coming back to school after being hospitalized was depicted. There is always so much stigma around mental health, and having everyone know that you went through something only makes it worse. I think this would be an important chapter to discuss with a class, whether high school or middle school.
Although this is geared more towards a high school aged audience, I think it would work great as a book for middle schoolers. It might seem a little too simplistic for a high schooler, and the content is still relevant for younger audiences who would benefit from hearing about more sensitive topics that are being discussed in the book.
I didn‘t know what all to expect from this book as it was my first time reading a novel that is fully in verse but I loved the way that McBride intertwined it with the typical YA content and style. It can be confusing to understand verse poetry and especially with dealing with more intense content (like depression, suicide, and mental health) but it was overall easier to understand than I expected.
I think it‘s important, like most everyone else has, to note the style of this story. Written in verse, I found it interesting and different. I don‘t typically love literature like this, but I think the story in itself kind of flows like verse. It can be a lot to understand at times what exactly is happening, but I think that‘s the beauty of the verse and including ambiguity, like a lot of poetry.
This is kind of a throwback to the beginning, but I am listening to the audiobook because it is loaned out on Libby (😔), but reading along with the sample while also listening to this part brought tears to my eyes. I could not imagine going through this alone.
When Faery was trapped in the woods, he told Whimsy he didn‘t want her help/to put her at risk of danger. Depression can lead to self-isolation and feelings of unworthiness. One may feel they are a burden to others. But in order to leave the forrest (a representation of depression) Faery and Whimsy had to fight together. There is power in uniting with others to overcome suffering. We were never meant to go through life‘s trials alone.
Throughout this book, I noticed Whimsy‘s narration was guarded. At first, she did not let the reader nor Faery fully into her world. When she felt familiarity with Faery, it scared her. Not only was Whimsy disconnected from those around her, but she was also disconnected from herself. The group therapy passage on page 29 was a great representation of how mental illness can make one afraid of oneself/create a discomfort with one‘s own thoughts.
part 2 - …when Fae and Whimsy finally confront the truth, or in other words, bravely surrender themselves to it, they are freed from the forrest. So many struggle with mental illness yet deny they have a problem or refuse to receive the help they need. However, by confronting their illness and bravely reaching out for help, they are able to receive the support they need.
There was an evident transformation in both Faery and Whimsy in this book. At the beginning of the story, they both felt unworthy of love and rejected light. On page 13, it says the sun tried to love Fae but he ran away. Oftentimes mental illness can cause individuals to feel guilty and unloveable. Just a page before is written “there is bravery in surrendering” (12). When Fae and Whimsy finally confront the truth…(next post).
This book did a great job of striking a balance between fantasy and reality. It was captivating enough to capture the pleasure of a fantasy book, while still making the characters and their experiences relatable. The author does a great job of using fairytales and it allows her to cast a very wide net in terms of potential audience. I think this would be a great book to put in the hands of a lot of different students.
I would be slightly intimidated to teach this novel based on some of the content . I think that I would want to use an introductory text/ short story/ poems in order to approach some of these subjects in the text and feel comfortable facilitating those conversations with my specific class, but I think that this novel also opens doors to those conversations really well (fairytales, format).
This book did a great job of discussing sensitive subjects in a sensitive way. I think that the writing style was also really helpful in this way as well. Although I think that the issues in this book are targeted more so at the high school age group, because of the writing style I think that this could work really well for middle schoolers too.
I really liked the way that this book was written. It was in a more poetic format and the dialogue was in italics. It made this book feel like a really easy read and I think that it would be great for a student who is not that interested in reading. Like the last book we read, I think that this book not being in traditional novel format might be a good way to sell it to a student who is not super into reading.
pickI would love to have this book taught in a high school setting. I feel like the actual writing is more of a middle grades level, however the topics might be easier to discuss with older students. This book contains many deep themes (mental health, bullying, etc) that would definitely start some meaningful conversations in the classroom! Overall I loved it, but I definitely need to read it again to understand all the details and metaphors!
The fairy tale aspect of this novel is particularly interesting. I loved how the author incorporated stories from a variety of cultures, but sometimes I was a little confused as to what the fairy tales meant in the context of the story. It became a little convoluted and it was hard to figure out exactly what was happening for Faerry and Whimsy. Overall I loved their incorporation, but I feel like they could have been explained better.
so-soI found this book to be a very unique experience. I really liked how the book tries to tackle sensitive topics, but I feel like the author could have explored these topics a little bit more. I sometimes found the fairy tale themes to be excessive and couldn‘t completely understand what was happening most of the time. Regardless, I still enjoyed myself and found the author‘s use of imagery to be gorgeous.
Overall, I really loved this book. The way it addressed depression, suicide, and other sensitive topics was done in a way that was very impactful. While there was much sorrow throughout the book, I still saw hope weaved throughout which I thought was so beautiful. This is definitely a book that I would want to teach at some point in my teaching career.
The next thing that I loved about this book was that it was written in verse. I feel it really added a depth to the novel that you maybe wouldn‘t get out of a book that was written in the typical writing style. I personally loved this and it helped me have a better unsaying of what was going on within the book.
One thing I really appreciated about this book was the trigger warning at the beginning of the book and even hotlines at the end of the book. The book deals with sensitive topics such as depression and suicide so including these triggers as a book that is catered to young adults is especially important.
Another thing I enjoyed was the very delicate address of depression, anxiety, and other mental health aspects! It really presents these topics with ease to the reader and transforms a typically difficult to address topic in a kid and classroom friendly way. Honestly I would love to, very carefully, teach this novel because I would like to see the beautiful conversations and awareness that would arise!
The first thing that interested me was the fact this entire book is that written in verse. It really just adds a level of depth to the novel that you just can‘t get with a stereotypical writing style. The switch between regular and italicized writing makes it easy for the reader to differ between narration and speech, which I really enjoyed! Can‘t wait to see what comes next!
Overall, I really liked this book. I appreciate the way Whimsy personified Sorrow, but also how she and Faerry spoke plainly about their depression. It has great depth of sadness, but also incredible amounts of hope woven throughout. Great book!
I really like all the parallels to fairy tales in this novel. For instance, I love how they interlock with the plot and themes of the story. An example of this could be the candy house in the forest. While this is an obvious reference of Hansel and Gretal, it‘s also used to symbolizes a loss of innocents in a dark situation.
Leaves are super important in this novel, and I think this has to do with the tea leaves in Hoodoo. They are used as measurement tools, but as the novel progresses, we see less and less of the leaves being important. We see less of Whimsy‘s metaphorical life and more of her reality. The shift is very interesting to me.
Whimsy uses the number 11 often throughout the book, especially when it makes more sense to use the number 10. For example, she makes several lists of things people say or her thoughts, and always extends the numbered list to 11. She mentions in Chapter 5 that she is “always wishing for October 32”, which is an impossibility. These extended numbers are very interesting to me.
I think Whimsy is a very interesting protagonist for this story. For instance, the author makes the bold decision to make Whimsy an unreliable narrator. Most of what she says is fiction, but when we catch glimpse of reality, like her brother‘s background, it makes these moments even more impactful.
This novel is in a structured in a very poetic format. I really like the way, when there are multiple people in conversation, their dialogue is on different places of the page. Also, the dialogue is not in quotations, but in italics, which is unique. I like the structure!
We Are All So Good at Smiling | 
