Title: You Don't Have to Be Everything

Author: Diana Whitney 

Publisher: Workman Publishing Company, Inc

Copyright Date: 2021

Reading Level: ATOS 7.0-7.9

Interest Level (Age): 12-18

_____________________________________

Synopsis: Diana Whitney's poetry anthology artfully navigates the intricate experiences of numerous poets as they traverse the divide between being a girl and being a woman. Arranged in no particular order, Whitney showcases the many feelings and experiences of young women in this transformational period through section prompts (ex. "seeking," "loneliness,") with the central purpose of representing the various versions of girlhood. 

Personal Reaction:

To the naked eye, Diana Whitney's poetry anthology may seem like just an amalgamated collection of poetic voices; but, upon reflection, Whitney's book was a powerful literary chart detailing the many triumphs, failures, and just-scraped-by's that young-women go through. From the introduction alone, I had a keen sense that this collection was going to be not only intellectually stimulating, but also capable of rocking me to my core. I especially loved Whitney's drive to compile the works of diverse sources to capture what "girlhood" truly means. The careful choice of each poet's work painted a verdant picture of the luscious spectrum of femininity, girliness, and all that defines each term. I also enjoyed that Whitney implored a sense of divergent thought or reflection on the bi-gender paradigms, highlighting that there was more than just black/white, slut/prude, big/small, thin/fat. I took this open-minded attitude with me throughout the read and was surprised at the severe emotions that the book shared with me. 

Margaret Atwood's "Flying Inside Your Own Body", found within the seeking section, reminded me that the fleeting feeling of being capable of any feat, no matter how small, is fleeting due to it being instantiated in surreality (our dreams). This poem struck me as it reminded me of feeling empowered to do something, but reminded that I couldn't stray far from reality in the pursuit of this same something. The poem also got me thinking about the differing levels of agency that young-women feel, and how the voices they surround themselves with can affect their perceived locus of control. It made me hope that the voices that young-women are surrounded by are overwhelmingly positive and uplifting, due to how easy it is to fall into despair at the hands of negativity when going through adolescence. 

Erin Batiste's "Questions Asked to Me When I was Ten", found in the loneliness section, stood as a shining reminder that questions, as well as answers, can be extraordinarily harmful to developing female minds (especially if they are poignantly degrading, defamatory, or aiming to be punitive). This poem got me thinking about the expectations that we hold for ourselves and others, and how debilitating they can be when seated in our brains for years. When we ask questions, we so often expect an answer, even if the answer is demoralizing, embarassing, or depressing. The fact that the poem leaves the questioner to interpretation shows how the source of the inquisition does not matter; what does matter is the inquisition's long term effect. This was particularly striking for me because it made me wonder how many young-girls that are in the process of growing into young-women/women are subjected to pointless criticisms and questions. I couldn't help but think that these same girls' self identity would be negatively impacted over time. I know I certainly was the victim of this identity shattering inquisition when I was growing up. If you don't have the answers to the poignant questions right then and there, then what use are you? This line of thought erupted from this poem to the point of palpability. 

I felt especially connected to Melody Lee's "Growing Up" poem since I resonated with the socially divergent perspective on gender presentation. I struggled immensely with my gender as a young-woman due to my divergence from the normal gender presentation paradigms. I wasn't a fan of traditionally feminine characteristics or activities. Because of this, I often would find myself spiraling downwards into the self-loathing hole due to my inability to meet societal standards for femininity. If only I had the same sense of self that the speaker in Lee's poem had. Perhaps if I did, I would have grown 10 if not 100x more comfortable in my own skin faster, accepting what I view as authentically myself and my version of femininity much earlier than in my mid 20s. This line of thought got me thinking about how excellent it is that a book like this is now available for many younger women to experience. These young woman have been granted the gift of positive voices that I myself had little of when I was there age, and for that I am grateful.

The most poignant poem that I resonated with out of all the vibrant pieces was one by Dominique Christina, "The Period Poem", mainly because of the positive message about menstruation cycles that Christina linguistically shouts from the rooftops. As a woman, I've grown to accept my menstruation cycle as not a curse, but a blessing and sign of survival, strength, and revival. When I was a young-girl, I did not view this process as such. I felt ashamed and embarrassed that something so gross would be happening to me, of all people. Due to lackluster lessons from my school and my mother's choice to have me read a book about it instead of ask her questions, I grew to view my menstrual cycle as a gross monthly purge not worth talking about. I learned to only complain about how it ruins everything: plans, outfits, moods, everything. As I got older, I learned to celebrate this cycle after some deep reflection on why I viewed it as so demoralizing. This same celebratory perspective is why I felt Christina's poem struck me the most. We, in a sense, were of the same blood. We felt the same pain, the same rejoice, and that was a beautiful process to behold (not to reject).

Overall, Whitney's anthology was both a reminder of what my life once was, and a view into what might potentially be normal for the future generations of women after me. I did go into this book with some necessary hesitation however, since the thematic aims of the book could overshadow the raw, uncut voices. I was worried that the book would overstay its welcome on the negative experiences front, but I was pleasantly surprised at the bountiful topics it covered. As a result, I highly suggest reading through Whitney's anthology since any girl can find a little of herself in the words on the page. 

Awards Won: CYBILS Award Nominee for Poetry (2021), 2022 NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDS - Silver, Young Adult, Non-fiction, 2022 Claudia Lewis Award

Award Worthiness: 

I was not entirely surprised at the award amount and specificity in regards to Whitney's book, mainly because it was an interpretative showing of pre-established works, not entirely original poetry. Though Whitney framed each piece in the greater context of girlhood, Whitney herself was only guiding the reader to the collected works and their associated emotions, not making the words themselves. I definitely believe that the book deserves the praise it has received, but I'm not surprised at its falling short of more praise and commendations since it's not original work. 

Recommendation:

Diana Whitney's artful anthology that guides the audience through the plethora of experiences that define girlhood is definitely a read that I recommend for anyone interested in diverse perspectives on the evolving female condition. Due to the more mature concepts (rape, sexual experiences, sexualization, etc.) I do suggest that readers be over the age of 12, with room for younger ages if given necessary guidance. As for the adult crowd, I highly suggest reading through this timeless book whether to feel validated, sad, angry, elated, or other necessary feelings since the poems encapsulate the wealth of experiences from young-women to women overall!

I base my recommendation on the overtly positive quality of the anthology! Whitney deftly orchestrated each piece within each section of the book to encapsulate the diverse experiences and voices of women, of both adult and adolescent ages. While the book itself doesn't strictly follow the essential narrative aspects (plot, theme, setting, etc.), it does utilize the many lines of verse to elicit the theme that there is not an ultimate version of girlhood, but many abstractions that are all valid. It could be said that the perspective shifts (first, second, third), poetic voices, and verse settings, are all used in tandem to forward a simple, yet eloquent plot: Girls experience many things when they are growing into women. So, despite the seemingly simplistic nature of Whitney's collection, it could be said that the book's quality is high due to its ability to highlight the idiosyncrasies of the female condition overall. This ability, of course, being this piece's notable value to society as well! The book itself offers society (the audience) a kaleidoscope perspective on what becoming and being a woman truly is like, with no filter and no holding back. And for that, I highly recommend reading through his book at your own pace. 

Possible Discussion Topics:

1) Are young-women hindered from learning about other female voices in modern society? If so, why? If not, explain why you think so.

2) Is it appropriate for teenage girls to learn about sexual experiences through verse? Explain your reasoning.

3) What does being a woman mean for you? Are there experiences, thoughts, feelings, or abilities that come to mind? List a few of these experiences and discuss why they define what a woman is.