With the crisp fall breeze rolling in and August giving way to September, back-to-school season has come once again! For most high schoolers, along with buying new school supplies, this means a flurry of essays, assignments, and growing to-do lists. But for one student, writing isn’t just another item to check off; more so it’s one of her passions.
SHS junior Sanjana Sanooj has recently published her very own collection of poems and prose called “Wisteria.” Sanooj decided to publish the book on her own, due to vanity publishers who might only be interested in money, and not in producing books, which added a whole other thing to her plate! The novel, which was released this past July, took just over a year to complete and showcases her unique voice as a poet and storyteller.
Sanooj revealed that she has “always had a flair for seeing the ordinary under a poet’s lens,” a gift that first emerged in her childhood years. One of her fondest memories is of jotting down stories in a little notebook as a kid, letting her imagination run wild. She even got a head start on publishing books as she would staple together sheets of her handwritten stories.
Her inspiration for Wisteria came from a desire to offer something new to readers. “I wanted to blend poetry and prose into a single book,” she explained, “so that readers could see the arc of the plot while also experiencing the innermost thoughts of the protagonist through verse.” The result is a hybrid work that appeals not only to poetry lovers but also to readers of realistic fiction.
Now her inspiration wasn’t only sparked by her childhood fondness for writing; Sanooj also has a favorite author, Sarah Weeks. While Weeks doesn’t write poetry, Sanooj says that she finds her works “wholesome,” and they no doubt added to her passion for reading and writing. Meanwhile, Sharon Creech’s novel Love That Dog helped fuel her love for poetry. Like Creech, Sanooj experiments with structure and form, using the visual layout of her words to enhance the emotional impact of her writing.
Wisteria follows Gisele, a high school student, navigating her freshman and sophomore years. While Gisele is a teenager, the book seems to be targeted to multiple age groups, keeping it family-friendly. It focuses on the ups and downs of young love, told from Gisele’s perspective as she rides the emotional rollercoaster of pining away.
Without giving too much away (you should read it for yourself!) Wisteria explores complex feelings of rejection and self-doubt through a powerful mix of poetry and prose. Gisele uses writing to express her innermost emotions, and in doing so, the book encourages readers to find confidence within themselves – reminding us all that our self-worth shouldn’t be determined by anyone’s opinion but our own.
I recommend this book to anybody looking to support a young author or anyone who has ever felt the heartache of unrequited love. If the poetry feels daunting, don’t worry! The book is conveniently sectioned, separating the poems from the prose, making the plot easy to follow even if poetry isn’t your thing.
Whether you’re a poetry fan or just looking for a heartfelt story, Wisteria has something to offer. Sanjana Sanooj’s love for creating stories shines through on every page as she paints a beautiful picture with her words. It’s bittersweet, relatable, and written by a local, so worth checking out!
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wisteria-sanjana-sanooj-ma/1147930295
