The Geography of Girlhood by Kirsten Smith

Dances are a dream come true


or a nightmare,

depending on who you are

or how you talk

or what you choose to wear that day.

I made the mistake of polka dots.



The Geography of Girlhood is a raw and powerful novel about a girl navigating the unknown - the difficult limbo between youth and adulthood. Written in verse, the novel follows a girl form ages fourteen to eighteen, exploring first crushes, first dances, first kisses, and the many other dangers of growing up. Kirsten Smith's writing bursts with painfully accurate and sharply witty observations, evoking supercharged emotions with just a simple phrase or two.