The Weight of Water Book Review

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Written in poetic verse, The Weight of Water follows its 12-year-old protagonist as she moves from Poland to England. After her father leaves, Kasienka and her mother move to England to find him again. As Kasienka must battle with a new school, and a new home, she also begins to acknowledge the fact that maybe her father didn’t want to be found, and maybe the new life her mother so desperately wants them to have, isn’t what it seems.
I’ve not read many books in verse, so I’m always a little apprehensive, but I think the poetry of the book just made it even more profound. Given that it’s a child’s perspective, there were moments that were difficult to read due to Kasienka’s naivety in some situations, but on the flip side, there were moments where she had such clarity – clarity even her mother wasn’t able to have.
“I know I am not at home
When talking makes my tummy turn
And I rehearse what I say
Like lines from a play
Before opening my mouth” 

Honestly you can read the book cover-to-cover in about an hour so I really think there’s no excuse not to pick it up! Middle grade books can be a wonderful way to gain a refreshing perspective on issues we all deal with, not just as children, but throughout our lives and for that I think The Weight of Water was triumphant. I’ll definitely be reading more from Sarah Crossan!