Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Like 'Through These Eyes', 'Limelight' would be a great introduction to poetry, with this book adding another great poetry form to the mix. I love how it starts with telling what slam poetry is, and how to write a poem, compelling (young) readers to get their creativity flowing.

*I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

In “Limelight”, Australian poet Solli Raphael writes a book full of so much passion, one is both charmed and impressed. Raphael’s enthusiasm is contagious, and I found myself smiling through every page.

I particularly loved the first half of the book, where Raphael discusses the process of writing poetry, and how he found himself partaking in slams: performing his way to the stage of the Sydney Opera House. The text is simple and easy to follow; brimming with the disbelieving awe and steadfast sureness of a teenager who’s found his words heard at such a young age. His opinions felt young, but never naive, constantly inspiring the reader to follow in his footsteps and write. Write, write, write! It was refreshing take, the lack of cynicism, the child-like optimism, the certainty of believing it only takes grabbing a pencil.

Though is not my kind of poetry —there were too many rhymes—, most of the poems were solid; more so considering Raphael’s age and experience! I was amazed by their construction, by the use of fresh imagery, by his tone. The subject matter, too, was socially conscious, many focusing on the environment and global warming. I think many of the poems would work even better if read aloud, performed, but they are still a delightful experience when read.

Because of Raphael’s age, just 13 when the book was written, I believe “Limelight” would be very useful in the middle school classroom. English teachers wanting to introduce their students to the reading and writing of slam poetry will find it a useful tool. Raphael will be at their level, talking to them in their own words, helping them find inspiration, creativity and hope.

If you are a fan of poetry, especially spoken word or slam poetry, you will dig this book. Written by 12 year old Solli Raphael from Australia, it is the how-to of slam. In short chapters, Solli details his quick rise from artistic kid to Australian slam champion. While it borders on saccharine at times, Solli seeks to inspire readers to take up slam themselves, with particular focus on his peers. But he encourages all readers to rise, reflect, write, read, to find their calling, their creativity, to fight for their causes. Solli's passionate about the environment, climate change, and reducing plastics in the world. And of course, there's his poetry. His poetry covers a variety of styles and topics but it's all passionate and positive. The only thing better than reading Solli's work is listening to it, so be sure to check out the audiobook or find some performances online. This kid's got a future, to be sure.

"And sometimes we need to breath out, just so we can breathe in kindness and passion."

Solli Raphael is thirteen-year-old award-winning Australian slam poet and a young humanitarian. His debut book, Limelight, consists of inspiring poems and writing techniques.

Every poem in this book is inspiring and thought-provoking. A genius piece of work with amazing rhymings (Oh my gosh, those rhymes) syncs with the reader in a very astonishing way. He talks about the changes, big and small, with his vivid poems with lyric quality. I ended up singing some with my own tunes. And the writing tips and techniques which give a headstart to the book totally works! Some of them are similar to mine and few are all new to me. I cannot wait to try them all.

Solli is a poetry genius and not only can he make people give him ovations for his poetry performances, he definitely makes people reading and experiencing his poetry do the same! I loved each poem, his easiness with flow and rhyming, and young poets like him are what we need! His poems explored the topics which I am concerned about: Bullying, Climate Crisis and many more topics. This masterpiece will be one of the must-read recommendations to everyone! The poems have left an impression in my heart.

Let us all be a gamechanger with Solli Raphael 'Because no matter how many days you live, not one will be the same."!

Gotta give Solli Raphael some credit as he is so young. I really liked the message of several of the poems and I thought it was neat with the various chapters in part one, talking about writing techniques and so on.

Wow! As a fellow (less accomplished) poet, Solli Raphael's book, "Limelight" is an inspiration! Mr. Raphael is only thirteen, but he is a true artist and poet who uses his voice to incite positive change in his beliefs with those around him. At his age, what he is doing, is so inspiring!

Solli won a Slam Poetry competition hosted at the Sydney Opera House as a pre-teen and now has written his first book for kids (and adults) to teach them about writing, poetry, slam poetry, about having confidence, about the issues that are near and dear to his heart, and it is amazing! What a wonderful collection and story that this young man has. He started learning about slam poetry in the 7th grade, fell in love with it, and is now an emerging voice as a young person to rally others around the causes he cares about most.

I love this book! I would recommend it to all of my poet friends. I would recommend it to all of my parent friends who want to inspire their children. I would recommend it to all of my teacher friends with students of all ages. This book is really that good. Go get a copy and be inspired by this young person with such a powerful voice and immense talent.

I received this eBook free of charge from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I did not receive any fiscal compensation from either company for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Limelight features a variety of verses to share from a talented voice. This collection, with all its word play and lyrical quality, would be center stage for me in a course on poetics.

this poetry collection/little non-fiction book contains not only writing advices and poetry documentation, but most important some amazing poems.
Solli Raphael is with no doubt one of the most talented poet of his generation, at only 13. The poems are impressive, they're very good, diverse and full of hope. (maybe too much for me) It was very interesting seeing him experiment with various kind of poetry, both traditional and modern, and everything in between.
Obviously, i wasn't really the target audience for the non-fiction part, wich would however benefit hugely to young reader. This book should be studied/read in school, i think it would be a very fun and good way to get young teen interested in poetry.
Would recommand for younger readers, and people who needs some innocent hope in their life.

Solli Raphael is a champion slam poet from Australia. Within this book we get to not only read his poetry that focuses a great deal on important social and environmental issues, but also advice surrounding, poetry, slam competitions, writing, and performing in front of an audience. Solli's advice and poems could easily serve as great mentors to teens looking to write their own poems or to learn more about Slam Poetry. I highly recommend checking out his slam poetry on Youtube, especially as a way to introduce this cool book to young people.

Outstanding book by a 13 year old slam poetry genius! At such a young age he is not ashamed to broach tough subjects that effect us all. A little lesson in the development of such poetry and admiration for his talent make this a worthwhile book.

I found myself charmed by this book. I was only expecting a poetry collection by a very young slam poet, but got something even better in my reading.
First, I'll briefly address the poetry-- it's pretty solid, particularly for a writer so young and inexperienced, and I'm sure it is even better when performed at a slam rather than just read on the page. But the main thing I want to address in my review isn't the poetry, but rather the first major section in which he explains the process of writing poetry. I found it simpler, more direct, and easier to grasp than many other texts on the subject, and I think it will definitely help some other budding poets learn the basics of their craft and get started at a much younger age.

"Calm your busy mind, / Because tomorrow awaits, / With only greatness."

eBook ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

Limelight by Solli Raphael is an excellent introduction to slam poetry -- especially slam poetry about social issues -- for middle school-aged kids. The book begins by explaining how to create a poem, what slam poetry is, and what Solli has done in his career thus far. I couldn't relate to a lot of the poems (as I typically do for slam poetry), but I think that was mostly due to the age difference. The illustrations and design choices in the book were absolutely beautiful, and Solli Raphael is incredibly talented for his age, and I'm interested to see where his career goes next.

Australian slam poet, Solli Raphael writes about his chosen passion with so much enthusiasm that I couldn't help but smile all the way through. Divided into two parts, Solli Raphael discusses poetry and his path to the Sydney Opera House stage( at twelve years of age) and his writing techniques and inspirations. The second section includes thirty- three of his poems, of various shapes and sizes and revolves around a variety of important social issues. Definitely a book that I would recommend to my students.




Expected Publication: Date: 27/08/19
Goodreads Review: 19/06/19