James Whitman, teenage poet, confused, anxious but hopeful, creative soul, longs to understand the horror of living with parents whom he calls The Brute and The Banshee, and how they could kick his beloved, abused sister Jorie out of their home without regret or forgiveness. As James begins to question just what Jorie did to deserve such punishment, which also included expulsion from school her senior year, his quest to know her and himself better through ‘therapy’ with an imaginary dove named Dr. Bird, then a real and effective therapist named Dr Dora, is the pulse of this sweet debut book by Evan Roskos.

James, inspired by Walt Whitman, finds it is poetry and friendship that ultimately save him and bring him to reckon with the hard lessons of living. Jorie’s struggles become clear, too, as James makes his way past his own guilt and anxiety to build a healing relationship with her, out there on her own by choice, helping him carve out a way forward with parents whose inept parenting is nevertheless what he is stuck with. James’ ultimate celebration of all things life brings the book to its hopeful fulfillment. The poetry and prose move the plot forward with joy that never flags, even in the darkest of times for James.

Highly recommended.