May B.

Caroline Starr Rose is
A Laura Ingalls Wilder
Who traded her prose
For poetry
But she did not
Go awry.

She is an apple
That did not fall
Far from the tree.

I read this in an evening and really enjoyed it. I think I was kind of blown away by May's bravery and resourcefulness. The prose style of this novel is perfect for reluctant readers and the plot moves along at a page turning clip. I want to compare it to the Little House books, but that is not fair as May B is original enough to stand on its own. I think I would recommend it to my tweens who read the Little House books and other stories with strong female characters (I'm thing of Julie of the Wolves etc), and kids who love survival tales.
I predict awards for May B. Fingers crossed!

May B. is a fast read, but it is a little hard to get into at first. The novel-in-verse format is jarring for young readers used to the way a book is supposed to sound. That being said, it is a wonderful introduction to poetry and becomes easier to grasp as the story progresses.

The story itself is slow but has its moments. The dyslexia subplot was tedious, breaking from the story the reader really wanted to hear about and adding almost nothing to the story. The verse does a good job of creating a feeling of isolation and loss. The character of May was inspiring and human enough, and it was wonderful to see a character in a children's book have genuine emotions.

If you're a fan of slow and simple, this may be worth consuming. Maybe. May B. : /