Keesha’s House

“Frost’s skill at using poetic forms is unobtrusive and deft, her storytelling skills of the highest order, and the dramatic monologues which advance the plot are told in various voices that ring absolutely true….To “get right” the voices of seven very different teenagers, plus thirteen adults, and to do so in strict poetic forms, is an astonishing achievement.” —Ingrid Wendt, Calyx: Journal of Art and Literature by Women:

“Compelling first-person accounts. . .grip the reader. . . succeeds beyond this English teacher’s imagination. . .Sentences wrapping from one stanza into the next draw readers through stories that embrace all the uncertainty and fear of teen life when adults’ failures force the teens into early maturity. . . these teenagers. . .find ways to reach out and help others in need. . . .Spare, eloquent, and elegantly concise, Frost’s novel will reach reluctant readers as well as [other teen readers]. . .Public, private, and correctional educators and librarians should put this must-read on their shelves.” —Cynthia Winfield, VOYA (5Q*5P)

“Revealing heartbreak and hope, these poems could stand alone, but work best as a story collection. Teens may read this engaging novel without even realizing they are reading poetry.” —Angela J. Reynolds, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Hillsboro, OR

“…this moving first novel tells the story in a series of dramatic monologues that are personal, poetic, and immediate. . . characters, drawn with aching realism. . .speak poetry in ordinary words and make connections.” —Hazel Rochman, Booklist Copyright © American Library Association.

“. . .sestinas and sonnets. . .prove an . . .effective format for this poignant contemporary book. . ..Each [character] grows and learns. In the final chapter each is hopeful for the future….[Frost] is a published poet and has written many nonfiction books. This is her first novel. I hope it won’t be her last.” —Janet Crane Barley, Children’s Literature

“. . . in Frost’s multi-voiced story of teens struggling to find their way in the world. . . Frost underplays her virtuosity to let readers focus on the characters and their plight. . . .In a surprisingly rigid format, the poems manage to seem spontaneous and still carry the plot easily. With a number of threads to follow, no one character is at the center, but there is great satisfaction in seeing the narratives gradually mesh as the isolation recedes and support is given. Impressive.” —Kirkus Reviews

“ . . .artfully revealed. . . Frost makes her characters and their daily lives seem relevant and authentic…Making the most of the poetic forms, the author breathes life into these teens and their stories, resulting in a thoughtfully composed and ultimately touching book.” —Publisher’s Weekly

“…the final section is a crown of sonnets narrated by the teens, poignantly suggesting that the development of their own adult voices depends on the interconnectedness of their lives. . .the voices are authentic and complex; there is much potential here for sophisticated analysis of both form and content.” —KC, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books