These poems come in all shapes and sizes. Authors write on topics like love and pain in addition to letters to future writers. Hear about lemonade, smiling, family, and the color wheel.

— Simon Traub-Epstein, International Library of Young Authors

From the publisher: “This anthology holds open that journey through matters close to the hearts and minds of middle-schoolers. Students share what you need to know – about love, grief, joy, mental health, and generally, what life is like as a teen in the twenty-first century. These need-to-know poems are a spark to intergenerational conversation and learning. "Life can be difficult, but just so you know, you can too" – Rhianna, age 12. Written by the young writers at Frederick Law Olmsted Academy South.