Review: Blue Lipstick

Bibliography:

Grandits, John. 2007. Blue Lipstick. New York: Clarion. ISBN 9780618568604

Plot Summary:

Blue Lipstick is a collection of concrete poems by John Grandits. In these poems we meet Jessie - a highly individual, cello-playing, vegetarian high school student (who also writes poetry to her cat). Jessie’s observations give readers a humorous view into the mind of an adolescent, as she struggles to define herself and her place in the world around her.

Critical Review:

Blue Lipstick is John Grandits’ second volume of concrete poetry. In concrete poetry, the words of the poem are arranged to form a visual somehow related to the poem. In the poem “Bad Hair Day”, for example, the lines of the poem form the wild strands of Jessie’s hair. The connection between poem and form can be literal (as above) or symbolic, as in the poem “Style”. This poem has Jessie lamenting the cost of developing a unique style of dress. The words of the poem form a dollar sign.

Grandits’ poetry is generally free verse. Its conversational tone deftly evokes the free-form thoughts of a teenager. The writing style meshes well with the visual aspect of the poems. Often the writing, coupled with the poem’s physical form, gives the poem a kinetic feeling, propelling the reader forward. In the poem “Volleyball”, for example, the reader follows the lines of text from one side of the net to the other, evoking the back-and-forth motion of a volleyball game.

Jessie’s voice is distinct. Through the course of these poems, she struggles to define herself, fiercely trying on new roles (represented by the Blue Lipstick of the title). In an early poem, "The Wall", Jessie's words form a barrier she places between herself and the outside world. By the time she revisits her wall at the end of the collection, Jessie has realized that that being secure in her own identity doesn't require a "me vs. everyone else" attitude; that sometimes, you might just find someone you can relate to in the least likely of places.

Review Excerpts:

“This irreverent, witty collection should resonate with a wide audience.” – School Library Journal (July 1, 2007)

"A cover that'll grab adolescent girls' attention--and the poetry inside is equally appealing." Horn Book (July-August 2007)

Connections:

Read John Grandits’ other book of concrete poems, Technically, Its Not My Fault, which is told from Jessie’s brother’s point of view. Discuss point of view and differences between the way Jessie and Robert might view a common event.

Compare concrete poems in the collection A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems.

Students can compose a concrete poem themselves. They can be allowed to choose their own topics. Teacher could also prepare slips of paper with common objects on them (TV set, basketball, etc.) and students would have to write a brief concrete poem somehow related to the object they drew.