First of all, I want to point out that this cover is beautiful!
'Ode to a Nobody' touches on the complicated relationships between siblings and young friendships with a poignant family background. It takes place over a short period of time but it felt like a life-time, probably how we all viewed the world in our middle school ages. The book is mainly divided into before the storm and after the storm, as it focuses on a family during a tornado.
Although the overall theme of this book was interesting, I couldn't conect to it. I thought that the writing style was a bit messy and all over the place and overall I wasn't interested.

THAT COVER. OMG, THAT COVER.

This book is not only stunning but so well-written! I don't read in verse, but this was too intriguing to not pick up, and I am so glad I gave this a chance. The book is split into before and after the tornado, so we can see how the MC, Quinn, starts to discover herself slowly but surely, getting stronger and more resilient along the way. She's so adorable and strong, and the way DuBois wrote her growth made me ache for her. I want to hug her and keep her company forever if only to make it easier for her.

4 stars only because some parts felt overly long, but still a poignant, beautiful story.

this is a really beautiful story written in a poetry format and even though the story takes place in a short period of her life, it still feels like it’s so much longer (in a good way) because of the character development. the author found a way to bring hard and delicate topics in such a beautiful and sensitive way. it flows really nicely and it’s more on the middle grade side, so it’s really recommended to younger readers. i honestly recommend this book for those who are looking for a quick read.

This was wonderful. The writing is lovely and the themes are just so relatable. The journey Quinn goes on of deciding who she wants to be even though she has no idea of how to do it is so real.
This book is told in spectacular verse. It is a novel about friends and middle school and a tornado that leaves destruction in it’s wake. It is a coming of age journey, and divorce and becoming a better version of one’s self. It is courage and resilience, and finding your own way. It is the importance of a teacher and believing in yourself and listening to your own voice. It is about home.
Love the cover!

This book was very enjoyable. The verse was beautiful and the characters were intriguing and lovable. It was very easy to put myself in the shoes of the narrator and understand what she was going through while being able to reflect on my own choices as well. I think this is a very important book for people to read to inspire them to be authentic and to let go of what is hurting you.

Poetry in Motion
A young girl connects with poetry during difficult times


BY ABBY N. LEWIS | JANUARY 12, 2023

Caroline Brooks DuBois, who won acclaim for her debut middle-grade novel in verse about the events of 9/11, The Places We Sleep, tackles the aftermath of a devastating tornado and its effect on the community in Ode to a Nobody. Thirteen-year-old Quinn (or Quinnie) has always felt underfoot in her house, diligently avoiding any actions or behavior that would trigger an argument between her parents. Quinn’s older brother Forrest has gone off to college, so Quinn is alone in weathering the brunt of her parents’ messy separation.

Quinn has always been a mediocre student. She is a good learner but often forgets to turn her assignments in on time, so her grades are suffering. The only class she enjoys is Ms. Koval’s English class, where they are learning about poetry for the month of April. When tasked to write an origin poem, Quinn describes how she got her name, explaining that her parents named her Quinn when they thought she would be born a boy. When they realized their mistake, her mother still insisted on Quinn, saying, “It’s gender-neutral,” whereas her father insisted on calling her Quinnie. Thus ensnared in her parents’ fighting since birth, Quinn has always struggled with her identity. For the origin poem, Quinn writes,

Quinn(ie) Jolene Nash—
is how I’ve been writing it lately,
so neither parent
can claim me as their victory.
That’s me.
Age thirteen.
Master of nothing.

Quinn not only feels like an incorrect piece to a puzzle with her family, she also fears for the strength of her relationship with her best friend Jack when a new girl named Jade moves to town and joins their friend group. Now it seems like Jade is better than Quinn at everything, and Quinn notes the way Jack has begun looking at Jade with admiration.

To make matters worse, an unexpected and devastating tornado hits one night, shattering her home and her neighborhood. In the hours after the storm passes, Quinn and her mother observe the damage. The destruction inside their house is jarring but seems manageable. It is when they open their front door that reality hits. Quinn says it’s

Like that old film
The Wizard of Oz,
in the landing-in-Oz scene,
where Dorothy opens
the door of her gray house
to reveal a new world in multicolor.

Their neighbors are seen tumbling out of their doors, dazed and uncertain. There is debris everywhere, shards of metal and wood, misplaced furniture (“a metal porch chair, / with a pillow still on it!”), even partial or complete roofs of houses.

In the dual chaos within and without, Quinn must navigate the rebuilding of not only her home and her community, but her relationships with her friends, neighbors, and parents. Things that once seemed functional are now glaringly damaged beyond repair. Quinn and her mother relocate to a kindly neighbor’s house while theirs is being restored by Quinn’s father. Quinn starts to hope that maybe the near-death experience will bring her parents closer together, but when her father invites her to come live with him and his mother, Quinn realizes that some things can never be fixed.

Ode to a Nobody is crafted to engage its young audience, and the innovative, insightful nature of DuBois’ writing will draw in even the most hesitant reader of verse novels. As April progresses, Quinn learns countless new ways of writing poetry, and her writing flourishes. Her perspective poem written from the point of view of houses is a moving depiction of bearing witness to the passage of time. The houses in the poem “swap stories with / misdelivered mail,” hide their residents’ secrets in basements and closets. After the storm, all these secrets are laid bare, and people marvel at what their neighbors have kept hidden. “Oh, but we knew!” say the houses in the poem, “We knew.”

DuBois’ writing has only gained depth over the years. The language is simple but elegant, and the worlds described are full of pain and wonder, love and loss. DuBois’ work is a perfect starter book for any reluctant reader of poetry, and it’s sure to convert them into lifelong lovers of the craft, just as Quinn’s English teacher Ms. Koval encourages Quinn’s transformation into a budding poet.

DuBois has created an interesting combination of elements here. You might not think that a natural disaster story would be well conveyed by the verse novel format but since the tornado functions largely as a catalyst for addressing relationship issues, for forcing Quinn to come to terms with her own opinions and strengths, it words surprisingly well. As with any verse novel, our relationship with and understanding of the characters is limited. But this is a strong example of the genre.

What a beautiful story of discovering one's self. This book in verse was gorgeous and I really enjoyed getting to know the main character through her experience with a natural disaster.

I went into this book without any expectations at all, but after only a few pages it already blew my mind. I realized it was not just a poetry collection, but actually a novel written in verse, written by the main character. She writes about her struggles - divorcing parents, school life, living up to the expectations of those around her, shifting friendships, chaotic world all around, search for self-identity. I could connect with a lot of the themes and the way she expressed herself. In a way she at the same time reminds me of my younger self and of my current self as well, as I still struggle with some of these timeless problems that she wrote about. Her change and her shift of perspective on the world throughout the book was really beautiful to witness. The poems were really easy to read, they were impactful, emotional and witty, even inspiring. I'd recommend this book to anyone who'd like to read something unique and is interested in exploring the themes previously mentioned.

This novel-in-verse is stunning. The voice of Quinn immediately transported me back to middle school, with all its hormonal challenges and friend dynamics. Add to that familial instability, and a traumatic and sudden home displacement - Brooks DuBois conquers all these and more in this story. Could not wait for its release date so I could purchase and recommend to all the middle schoolers in my school. Perfect for poetry units.

Beautiful. I loved the separation in time - a life before and after the storm. I also love a complete story told in verse. It allows the reader to get right into the meat of the story. Beautiful cover as well.

I struggled a little bit with this one. The verse aspect was great, but there was a little disconnect on the emotional side. Quinn completely forgot about her hamster, about her friends after the tornado, while that can be due to trauma, it wasn't as in depth as it could have been.

A beautiful book of verse telling the story of a thirteen year old girl whose family is struggling because of a tornado.

The book is mainly divided into before the storm and after the storm.

Quinn struggles under a lot of pressure not to be just an average student. She has to choose between homes, friends and who was Vs who she has become.

I find the writing really good. It’s heartfelt and well drafted. However, I still feel it could have been way shorter.

Overall, a good hopeful middle grade read.

Thank you, Holiday House, for the advance reading copy.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read & review this book for an honest review.

This book was beautiful. The prose is well done & I loved the poetry. The writing is stunning. My favorite middle grade novels are those that make you feel all the emotions. I felt like the author did a wonderful job of putting you into Quinn’s life. The experiences felt real and authentic.

I 100% recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for the chance to read and review Ode to Nobody by Caroline Brooks Dubois.

Ode to Nobody is a middle grade book set in verse. In the aftermath of the storm Quinn deals with her own emotions and her parents marriage falling apart.

I think this book is great for middle grade readers. Very sweet and straightforward with a message of hope pinning it together.

Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for an e-ARC of this title to read and review. For my own reading, I'd give this a 3.5 rating, but I'm rounding up because I think the intended reader age group (middle grade) will really be swept away by their own reading. There's so much loss and growth packed into this story: losing a home, watching a parents' marriage dissolve, finding new friends and finding your own name/voice are all themes in this short work. The poetry flows and takes a whopper of a story along with it, and I think that younger readers will be invited into these difficult subjects through the accessible writing style.

Actual Rating: 4.5/5 stars

“Unreal - There is no other word.
Inside our broken home, we don’t know how broken the outside world is.”

Ode to a Nobody is a powerful middle-grade novel in verse that managed to exceed my already high expectations with how impactful it was. Through a series of school-issued poetry assignments and journal entries, we’re offered an intimate look into the mind of a young girl as she navigates finding her voice in the aftermath of a storm (literally and figuratively) uprooting her home.

We first meet Quinn during the spring of her eight-grade year, through her first attempts at writing a poem about herself for a school assignment. Much like herself; Quinn’s not expecting her poem to be much of anything. Afterall, she’s an unremarkable nobody, average at best at all she does, and happy to fade into the background while her brilliant older brother takes the spotlight. Being invisible however, is no longer an option when an devastating tornado tears through her town and leaves destruction in its wake. With everything she knew changed, Quinn takes to her poetry as an outlet for her emotions. As she openly writes about the destruction of her home, the changing dynamics of her family and friendships, and her own insecurities, we slowly see her finding her voice and gaining the confidence to rebuilt a place for her own in this world.
There’s something deeply powerful to middle-grade fiction that manages to approach difficult topics through a lense that is accessible, relatable and understandable for readers of all ages. Combining that power with the ease and flow of its verse makes for an unforgetable reading experience. I loved every step of Quinns journey of charactergrowth, and it’s a testament to the skill of the writing that all that growth is portrayed through journal-entries/poems written by the character herself.

Although the format of verse may not be everybody’s cup of tea, I still beg you to give this book a chance if you’re looking for an impactful and emotional journey that still brims with hope, lightness and joy. If you enjoy a coming-of-age novel about finding your innerstrenght (e.i. The Hate U Give, A Heart in a Body in the World or The Poet X) than this is a must read, regardless if you’re an adult, young adult or middle-grade reader.

Many thanks to Holiday House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Beautifully told story about a young girl dealing with her parents' separation. When a tornado hits, many emotions arise and the family's dynamics change. The author painted an authentic picture of how a young person might deal with the trauma of a natural disaster. Great lyrical language in verse!

This book was STUNNING. The way relationships were demonstrated was done so well, and showed the complicated and messy parts that come along with relationships. There was so much character development for Quinn and I enjoyed seeing her grow so much.

When life is shaky, the last thing you need is a hurricane. Or so you would think. Quinn(ie) is torn between all kinds of things, consistently aware of the ways she is failing all those around her. When a tornado ravages her house it is just one more thing. But perhaps it is also an opportunity. Thanks to Holiday House and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In Ode to a Nobody, a stunning Middle-Grade novel-in-verse, Caroline Brooks DuBois explores the story of a girl named Quinn. Except her dad called her Quinnie, so she goes by Quin(nie) to disappoint neither parent and find a middle way. Because Quinn is always failing, especially in comparison with her stellar older brother. But what happens when her everyday is disrupted, violently, by a hurricane and, less violently, by an English teacher's demand for one poem a day for National Poetry Month? Can Quinn return to the everyday disappointment or do these disruptions mark a potential moment of growth? Ode to a Nobody works really well with the quagmire that is teenagehood, with the confusion that comes from being on the cusp of "no longer a child" while still needing so much support. I found myself utterly warmed by some of the beautiful verses in this book and also rather touched by the story Brooks DuBois has crafted.

Ode to a Nobody is, I think, a perfect read for the age-group it focuses on, namely the Middle Grade reader. It deals with difficult topics of family, friendship, lack of control, and changing environments, but does so in a way that is at once true, in that Brooks DuBois doesn't pull her punches, but also educative, without being overbearing. I think this is an incredibly hard balance to strike but Brooks DuBois manages it. I think this is in part due to the format she chose. The novel-in-verse form allows for incredibly creativity, emotion, and pathos in a way "straightforward" prose sometimes doesn't. Whether it is jagged rhyme schemes, odes to a hurricane, or any of the other myriad forms that appear in Ode to a Nobody, Brooks DuBois really uses poetry to its fullest extent to describe Quinn's journey. Even for a "mature" reader like myself, this novel-in-verse has something to offer. This book allowed me to reconnect with a certain part of my childhood, with the insecurity and lack of assurance, but also with the wide-eyed wonder of discovering so many things for the first time, of finding something you're good at for the first time, of truly getting to know yourself for the first time.

Ode to a Nobody is a beautiful Middle Grade Novel-in-verse that I would genuinely recommend to any Middle Grade reader but also to the adults around them. It's good to occasionally reconnect with your younger self and Brooks DuBois is a gentle but determined guide!