Reaching for Sun celebrates the growth of a young girl who flourishes over the course of a year, just like the flowers in her family's garden. As things change with the seasons, so does she, thanks in part to an unexpected new friend, her motivated mother, and her inspirational grandmother.

Josie was born with cerebral palsy, a condition which has affected one side of her body more than the other. She is a little shy and a little embarrassed to be in the special education class. She is very close to her mother and her grandmother, but hasn't any close friends at school.

Reaching for Sun is a verse novel told from Josie's point of view. Though Josie sometimes has difficulties expressing herself and speaking her thoughts, her voice on the page is full of strength. The book is split into four portions, marking each season and accentuating it with a famous quote. The floral motif is punctuated with illustrations of a flower slowly sprouting, budding, and opening on the bottom of the right-hand pages, creating a sort of flipbook, akin to that in What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones.

A beautiful book simply told, I recommend Reaching for Sun alongside Rules by Cynthia Lord, Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown, and So B. It by Sarah Weeks, all well-written stories in which young characters and/or their family members overcome physical limitations and discover their inner strengths.

Put it to you this way: I enjoyed this book so much that it is already on my Best Books of 2007 list. This book will be a valuable addition to your bookshelves and to your library, be it at home, school, or work.

In short: Highly recommended.

Vote for this and other book reviews I've written.
Read my interview with author Tracie Vaughn Zimmer.
I posted my favorite poem from this novel, Poppies, during Poetry Friday a few weeks ago.

Tracie Vaughn Zimmer's first juvenile novel, Reaching for Sun, came out on March 6th, as winter turned to spring. The publication date suits the story, in which a young girl tends to her family's garden, makes an unexpected friend, and overcomes her physical limitations. ( Read my full-length book review. )

Tracie spoke to me at length about poetry, writing, teaching, and the importance of libraries and librarians.

When did Josie first speak to you?

I had this image of a girl twirling hens and chicks and wishing she lived inside a kingdom where this was the size of their trees (they kind of look like miniature palm trees). I started writing down her observations of the garden and followed where it lead.

Did you write the poems in chronological order? If not, which poem did you write first?

Absolutely the most out of order thing I've ever written. The first poems were all the flower poems the story part came in layers.

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Tracie's website offers additional resources, such as mini-lessons and a teacher's guide brimming with prompts, charts, and other activities. Tracie also has a LiveJournal.