Now is the Time to Read
- khohlfeld
- Feb 2, 2024
- 2 min read
This beautiful and timely novel in verse follows Sadie, a Black, queer poet with anxiety who is interested in community organizing and social justice. After a harrowing incident of police brutality in her neighborhood, her anxiety starts taking over her brain. Sadie has to balance all of her emotions, a new mental health diagnosis, romantic entanglements, and just being a Black teen girl in a world that doesn’t feel very safe. Poetry, therapy, social media, and relationships are all part of her journey.
One aspect of this book I found to be very relatable was Sadie’s relationships with her friends and family. Evan, her BFF and fellow community organizer, is an integral part of Sadie’s experience. Sadie’s younger brother is passionate about cooking and trying his best to help and understand Sadie’s chronic anxiety, even when he feels negatively affected by it. Her parents are not perfect, but they are present and loving. The boy next door? Well…you’ll just have to see.
In short, I loved it. It's beautifully written with deep feeling. I felt so connected to Sadie and was emotionally invested in her journey. It was well-balanced and felt very authentic. You can sense the author’s personal investment in this story. Along with some notes on their research and some resources, they included a playlist to accompany Sadie’s story!
This book addressed anxiety, queerness, and police brutality thoughtfully without ever seeming heavy-handed. If you are interested in books about mental health, social justice, or simply love amazing poetry, this is a book for you. It also won the Schneider Family Book Award, which honors books that "embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for children or adolescents". Highly recommended.
I really enjoyed how the article on Now is the Time to Read talks about a book that mixes real feelings, social issues, and poetry in a way that feels honest and alive. When I was juggling classes and long reading lists last term, I turned to expert help with online course completion while trying to keep up with my own reading for fun and study. That personal mix of books and support made me love learning even more and reminded me how stories can shape how we see the world.
I really enjoyed how the post explained the book Now is the Time to Read and its deep look at Sadie’s life with anxiety and friendship, which made me think about why reading matters so much in tough times. I remember a semester when I was overwhelmed with homework and even thought to hire someone to take my Mathematics exams just to catch up, but picking up novels at the library helped calm my stress and made learning feel fun again. It reminded me that books can teach you courage and help you grow both in feeling and thought.