A Hurricane In My Head

A Hurricane In My Head: Poems For When Your Phone Dies by Matt Abbot is a fun book of poetry about being a young teen. There is a wide range of forms and themes covered in the book ranging from school life to the world. Many of the poems are timeless, and often deal with important issues such as bullying, gender stereotyping, dating and all the big and small issues we face in teenage (and adult) life.

While reading this book, I found myself reminiscing for the ‘good old days’ of going to the cinema, the joy of pulling a sickie, and the importance of BEST friends. The book also introduces different forms of poetry (haiku and limerick). At the end of the book, there is a wonderful section titled ‘Get Writing’ for young poets with tips to get them started on their own poetry.

There is something for everyone in this book of poetry. Some of my favourites include The Career Advisor who is dumbfounded anyone would want to be a poet, and asks “How about digital media?,” and the poem The Spine-Tingling Horror of 0% that I think we can all relate to. I laughed. I cringed. I remembered those wonderful and awful times. For that alone I recommend this book to both old and young readers.  

Emily Cross