Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs by Ron Koerge
Kevin recently received a new journal from his father where he is able to experiment with poetry. Writing gives Kevin an outlet where he is able to jot down his personal thoughts and feelings. Although Kevin is dating Mira, she barely attends Kevin's baseball games and isn't interested in poetry, like Kevin is. Therefore, when Kevin meets Amy at an open mic poetry reading, they instantly click. Amy is impressed that Kevin writes and shares poems. Soon Amy and Kevin begin emailing each other their poems in a variety of styles. Kevin begins to fall in love with Amy. However, he already has a girlfriend, Mira, and Amy has a boyfriend, Trevor. Amid this drama, Kevin has to deal with his father throwing away his deceased mother's belongings and his father wanting to meet a lady named Anna.
Although this book is written in a free verse, it reads like a story. This novel incorporates a little romance, humor, and great dialogue. Kevin's journal is full of haikus, elegys, free verse, ghazals, couplets, a villanelle and one memorable sestina. It is a great example of different types of poetry and therefore, having knowledge on different poetic styles would be helpful prior to reading this book. Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs, shows a male teenager overcoming obstacles in a positive way. This book is the follow up to Shakespeare Bats Cleanup. If teens have read Shakespeare Bats Cleanup, then Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs is one readers won't be disappointed with.
This book was a great read which would appeal to both boys and girls. I recommend it to students ages 12 and up. Readers who are baseball fans or have a knack for poetry may be interested in this story.
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