Title: The Same Beat
Author: Dakota Britton-Barrows
Publisher: West 44 Books
Genre: Hi-Lo, Poetry, Teens & YA
Release Date: 1st February 2022
BLURB from Goodreads
Words matter to Teegan. Best Friend. Forever. Future. But nothing seems clear this summer when her best friend leaves for a college road trip and her future plans after high school are nonexistent. Teegan takes an opportunity to go to New York City for journalism camp, where she is assigned to work the same beat as brilliant, complex Marcy. As Teegan starts to fall in love with Marcy, she realizes the need to discover her own voice. Can she find the right words to say how she feels, and the courage to figure out what she wants before their summer is over?
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REVIEW
The bright pink colour of the cover of this book is what initially drew my eye. I think the font is very 70’s-esque. Then there’s the pieces of newspaper leaving the shape of a heart at the centre of the cover.
Basically, the two main characters, are teenagers at the point in their lives where they are considering what college to go to, as well as what they want to major in and their aspirations for future careers.
Teegan is the main character and she is upset that the person she thought of as her best friend forever is, how she views it, abandoning her this summer to go on a road trip checking out colleges. Despite the two besties having decided years ago that they would choose the same college and remain best friends whilst their too.
In an effort to “bring her out of her shell,” Teegan finds herself coerced into going to a journalism camp. Though eager to learn more about journalism she is still nervous of being so far away from home without anyone else she knows. Teegan tries to look at the positives, the camp will look great on her CV and the experience should be fun too.
Once at journalism camp, the students are assigned “beats” and she is paired up with the outgoing, full of life, Marcy. Marcy reveals that she is bi sexual, which initially makes Teegan kind of back away but the more she is around Marcy, the more comfortable she becomes.
In a way Marcy helps Teegan discover her own self. Teegan has always had her best friend who did most of the talking and Teegan was happy with that. Teegan slowly pushes her way out of her own shelf, slowing lowering her walls with the encouragement of Marcy. Marcy’s tender coaching and encouraging Teegan means the two become closer and closer. Teegan finds herself opening her mind and heart to Marcy.
I loved the task that the Journalism students were given on the first day of their course which was to write about their beat partner and what they thought of them. These initial tasks are handed in but they are only half of the assignment, as at the end of the camp they need to do the same piece of work and write about their beat partner again.
Theres also a point in the book where Teegan’s school friend is in New York as part of her road trip and wants to meet up. Teegan is hesitant to introduce her best friend from school, to her new friend Marcy. Will Marcy like her best friend more than her? Will Teegan’s school mate see a difference in Teegan?
I really enjoyed reading this book. To be honest I could identify with the introvert that Teegan was at the beginning of the book. I would never have had the courage to go to a camp or away from home at that age, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Teegan coming out of her shell, and gaining confidence with the help and persuasion of Marcy.
Summing up all three girls in the book are going through changes in their lives over the same summer, and this book is how they handle the choices they need to make for their own futures. I feel like I should confess if anyone asked me to read a poetry book, I would shy away thinking I would not enjoy it. However, these books come under the genre of poetry and are wrote in verse and I honestly love reading them, and eagerly await more titles coming out. They have really changed my view and attitude about poetry and reading books told in verse. These books are also classified as “Hi-Lo” meaning they are “high interest” but you don’t need to be a great reader to be able to read and enjoy them. They are also quite short stories so do not take long to read. I think these books should be available in all schools to encourage every child to read no matter their reading ability or attention span.
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