(3) K-3 Illustrated by Brian Britigan. In gentle, three-line stanzas of free verse, Newman tells the story of Matthew Shepard's 1998 murder, a homophobic hate crime. The poems present this difficult topic in a straightforward manner for a young audience, with an emphasis on humanizing Shepard. Each spread has just one or two stanzas, allowing space for the digital illustrations in a muted but rich palette. Openly gay basketball player Jason Collins provides a foreword; back matter includes author and artist's notes and a resource list.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) YA Gay student Matthew Shepard's murder stunned the University of Wyoming community in October 1998; Gay Awareness Week was about to begin, with Newman the keynote speaker. Sixty-eight poems in varied forms present a range of voices--the fence, the doctor, stars--in this "historical novel in verse." Newman's language serves the voices well, the poems always simple, accessible, and moving. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2012