I don't read a lot of anthologies. I tend to be a single poets' collection kind of reader however I really enjoyed this. It was split into eight different themes which worked well. There was a mix of poets I'd read before and poets I hadn't. Each of the poets I'd read before I felt the best poem for this anthology was chosen and there were multiple poets who I'd never heard of before who I definitely want to read more from now I've discovered them. I read this collection in one sitting and while obviously with a poetry anthology not every poem was a hit, most of them were. I think this collection would be great for anyone starting to get into poetry as there is such a good variety or additionally I think it would be brilliant for it's target audience of teenage girls. I would absolutely buy it as a present for a teen girl in my life.

I bought this in a bookstore and devoured it in several sittings, sharing a few choice poems with my 10-year-old daughter and then slipping it on the bookshelf of young adult literature outside of her room for when she’s ready to explore it. The collection is of affirming voices that editor Diana Whitney confesses to wanting to have had in her formative years (when she wrote bad poetry). Arranged by emotional experiences, she encourages readers to use the categories as suggestions, not prescriptions. Each section is prefaced with some words of wisdom and highlights from the chapter to come.

In “Seeking,” transgender poet kayleb rae candrilli both admires their body and wishes for it to change shares the coming to oneself through surgery, Sahar Romani writes of coming out, and Elizabeth Spires wishes Google held all the answers. Filed under “Loneliness” Erin Batiste shares increasingly invasive inquisitions, presumably from peers, that tear a young woman’s identity apart and Elizabeth Acevedo worries about the first day of school.

The section titled “Attitude” features Lucille Clifton, Amanda Gorman, and Maya Angelou. Within “Rage,” Whitney encourages for anger to lead to action: “Let the poet’s furor give you courage.” And Dominique Christina has a brilliant stream of consciousness take down for the dude on Twitter who disparaged his girlfriend for having the audacity to get her period while having sex. “Longing” involves desire and yearning, romantic and platonic, for people, places and things. Marie Howe writes of a first encounter of a girl with another girl; Sharon Olds longs to warn her parents from one another before they even meet at college in the 1930s. Under “Shame,” British Indian poet Nikita Gill writes in Wolf and Woman “Some days / I am more wolf / than woman / and I am still learning / how to stop apologizing / for my wild.” Other poets write about government assistance, eating disorders, gossip, trying to be liked, assault. In “Sadness” JP Howard addresses what to say to a friend with suicidal ideation. “Belonging” concludes the collection with poems by Naomi Shahib Nye, Mary Oliver, and Joy Harjo.

This is a beautifully designed volume, with vibrant colors and illustration. The text sometimes flips to horizontal, literally forcing the reader to consider another point of view. While not all the poems are perfect for my pre-teen, it is a perfectly well-rounded collection and I know she will pick and choose from them as she needs these words like beacons in the wilderness of adolescence.

you don't have to be everything is a physically goregous book. It is inlaid with coloured illustrations that contrast with the thoughtful, and often painful, poetry and prose in the collection. Seperated into categories of emotions & states of mind, the collection presents the poems within the construct of females living within modern society. Because of this, it is a collection that follows a vast range of themes, each explored by various authors & poets.

This is a great bedside collection; one that you can pick up and find something relevant to your life in a moment. While marketed as a young adult publication, it is a collection accesible both to both older teenagers and adult women alike. Any woman coming to terms with their place in the world of modern society will find words that strike vividly. Overall, the collection will hold truth and beauty for both new readers of poetry, or avid readers seeking a modern poetic approach to feminism.

I rarely like a poetry book, but this one got me hard. There are poems for every taste and style. I’m sure that, if you’re nit a poetry lover like me, you’ll find at least one poem one this book you’ll love (but I can guarantee there will be more than one). I really wish I had this book when I was younger, but I’m really glad I got to ready it now!

I wish I could have read this honest, coming-of-age collection of poetry - the spilled hearts of both classic and contemporary poets - when I was an angst-filled teenager, flopped face down on my bed after school. It’s an ode to the timeless question of growing up. It’s all grappling with alien feelings as we try to figure out who we are, marvelling at changes and choices in awe, and just gritty enough that you know it’s real. I love that the poems cleverly revolve, and are organized around emotion, like all teen girls. And the bright, optimistic, illustrations overflowing with rainbows and fun design balance the darkness with the perfect amount of light.

This amazing compilation of poems by 68 poets offers girls an easily understood message that they are indeed enough, even when they are surrounded by words that impede their self confidence. These poets give them the reassurance and the courage to be themselves. The list of poets is impressive including Maya Angelou, Mary Oliver and Amanda Gormanh, as well as many more racially diverse, culturally diverse and LGBTQ poets.
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The book is organized into eight themes such as seeking, attitude, rage and loneliness. The back matter includes a little bit about each poet and illustrator.
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Uplifting illustrations, full of color and beauty and created by three diverse artists are sprinkled among the poems. I recommend the paperback edition so you can fully appreciate their beauty.
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This collection of poems would be one to use in a classroom, as you share a poem each day in celebration of poetry month or would make a memorable gift for daughters and granddaughters. In this time, when our daughters are inundated with voices telling them they should be more or different, they will find comfort on every page. It’s available now!

This reminds me very much of an Amanda Lovelace or a Rupi Kaur work for teens in that I can flip through it, enjoy the artwork, and find something new every time.

I would like to thank netgalley and Diana Whitney for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange of an honest review. You don’t have to be everything is a collection of poetry put together to empower women. The book is divided into sections, some of these sections include loneliness, attitude, rage and more. I like how with the sections you can flip to any part of the book and read poetry for any mood. I also enjoyed how all the poetry was in different styles and formats. My only complaint with this was that some of the poetry was vertical while other poetry was horizontal. Some of the poetry I enjoyed more then others. The variation of poetry was amazing. Lastly, I loved the artwork and how unique each piece of artwork and poetry was. I recommend this collection of poetry to anyone who enjoys poetry or discovering different poets and pieces of poetry.

3.5 stars
I loved how this poetry book was separated into categories of feelings. While I loved that there was a bunch of authors in this book, it was also hard to relate to a lot of the poems because the writing styles were so different. Still if you love poetry I would recommend reading this book!

This is a book that I will be buying for my two daughters. It is incredible incredible group of authentic voices and powerful poetry, end it is essential for girls to have this kind of say in the world. I wish something this powerful had been available when I was a kid, because of the strength that I could have taken away from it. I grew up in the 70s, when girls were still struggling to be seen as capable, let alone as equals. One of my friends was the first girl ever to play in our city little league. Had this book been around, maybe I would have felt strong and a short enough to have tried out with her. What a powerful, powerful book. There are a few poems I would not share with my sixth graders, because the themes are more appropriate to high school. However, there is still plenty here that can be used with younger people. this book is about 50 years overdue… Or longer.

For the most part I enjoyed the poetry, and seeing poems from different people. It was nice to see trans writers and bipoc writers and poems about loving being fat.
But I found growing up the poem a bit too “not like other girls” and the feminism of periods one too bioessentialist (equating periods to WOMEN) these didn’t fit the rest of the book because the book is celebrating the differences in all these different people and women but not all women have periods whether they are trans or not and having a poem with a feel of looking down on other women for conforming didn’t sit right. The illustrations were beautiful I really liked: on anger, the the discomfort of being in the same room as the boy you like, but they say I will not make it, when the fat girl gets skinny, what you mourn, the rider.
Will be posting a NetGalley round up to my blog

I wanted to say a big thank you to NetGalley and Workman Publishing Company for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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First of all, I wanted to put some trigger warnings in place. Throughout there are mentions of racism, eating disorders, suicidal ideation and rape. If any of these are a potential trigger for you, please be cautious in deciding whether or not this book is right for you.

I was honestly blown away by this book of poems from the off, the illustrations throughout are so warm and beautiful, they draw you into the book almost immediately. These poems are such a beautiful and wonderful way to uplift and empower young women.

The collection involves some well know and well accredited poets. The messages really hit home, you have to be yourself in all scenarios you face in this unreliable world. It can be exhausting but you don’t have to, and shouldn’t have to, fit into a certain mould to think yourself worthy. You are worthy, strong and resilient and you deserve everything you want in this world.

It felt like a breathe of fresh air reading this inclusive and diverse art of poets. It’s such an important addition, particularly for individuals who come from more marginalised positions who don’t necessarily feel heard by the usual, cis, white, able-bodied, heterosexual poets that dominate the genre. It’s so immersive and inclusive to everyone, no matter their background, gender, abilities, race, sexual orientation etc. It enables them to finally feel heard, seen and accepted for whom they are, which we need more of in the world.

Some of my personal favourite poems from this book include: Growing up by Melody Lee, Questions Asked to Me When I Was Ten by S. Erin Batiste (this was a raw and heartbreaking poem about systemic racism), The Period Poem by Dominique Christina (an important poem to allow young women and girls to not feel ashamed of their body), and, Self Portrait as Mango by Tarfia Faizzullha. There are more, but I won’t bore you any further. These are just a few of the poems that I really connected with and hit me hard with their power.

The only issue I can really put towards this book is that I didn’t quite understand or, at least, couldn’t relate to some of the poems. However, that is obviously to be expected, it’s unlikely every poem will invoke a powerful emotion within you.

Overall, I found this to be a beautiful piece of literature that I’m so glad I got to read and absorb.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.8/5 (rounded up to 4)

I really enjoyed reading this book. Each poetry was unique powerful and mesmerizing. I felt that this book is one of those books that one should read not because they want to, but because they need to. This book tells us that we, each one of us, don't have to be everything they want us to be, we just have to be something that we would like to be. This book makes us believe in ourselves. I would like to recommend this book to each and everyone who wants to believe in themselves.

This is a stunning compilation of poetry for young women everywhere, trying to find their way in the world. This will be a book that many women are going to relate to and find some support within. The illustrations between the poems were also absolutely divine to admire with each turn of the page and I was especially fulfilled with the amount of diversity and representation that had been woven in to the poems, created by the many others who had gotten involved in this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of You Don’t Have to be Everything in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, this collection was not for me. I feel as though I have read the same collection time and time again. I believe that for many individuals this will work, but I feel as though I needed more. One aspect that I did really like was the representation in this collection. I will recommend this to others who are looking for this type of poetry.

3,5/5

Thank you Workman Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

It's always difficult to review books written by multiple authors. One story is usually better than the other.
Overall I really enjoyed the poetry collection. These stories were very personal and I appreciated how openly they wrote about their struggles. I'm sure people can relate to some of these stories!
The idea behind this book, I think, is that you read the chapters that fit your mood. If you are sad you read the stories about sadness and so on. It's such a good idea, because sometimes when you're going through a certain emotion, you want to be able to relate to someone who is/was also going through it.
You can pick this book back up whenever you need it.
My favorite thing was the illustrations included in this collection. They were so beautiful and added to the stories. I had to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of these colorful illustrations before continuing with the next story.
I also really liked to see the LGBTQ+ representation.

CW: mention of depression, rape, eating disorders and fatphobia (I hope I didn't forget any)

This is a great compilation for young women, teenagers, or anyone trying to find their place in the world and who they want to be. I would absolutely recommend this to any young woman interested in poetry.

A Beautiful collection of poems that made me feel empowered, and comforted.
In this day in age it's easy to feel pressured to meet all the expectations that are thrown at us, this is the type of book that you tab up so that when you need it you can flip to the poem you need.

Poem books are usually not the first choice that I would pick up, but thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I had an opportunity to read this one.

A collection of poems written by inspiring poets. Extraordinary, inspiring, uplifting and empowering poems. Definitely bonus points for the wonderful artworks throughout the book.

You really don't have to be perfect nor everything, and it is something that everyone should keep in mind but most certainly if you are a young adult, while on your way of self-exploring journey. I hope this book can help someone, who feels lost and needs some uplifting in their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of You Don't Have To Be Everything!

"Some days/I am more wolf/Than woman/And I am still learning/How to stop apologizing/For my wild."

Thus reads Wolf and Woman, a poem by Nikita Gill found in the poetry anthology You Don't Have To Be Everything. Edited by Diana Whitney, it seeks to remind girls of all ages that they are enough just as they are. Contributing poets include classics like Mary Oliver and Maya Angelou and runs the gamut to new poets that will certainly be added to the list of classics like Margaret Atwood and Elizabeth Acavedo. With so many diverse voices, diverse art will surely follow. The only problem is not all poems are created equal. I enjoyed this book, but I did not love it because some poems did not hit home with me, but what does not resonate with me will resonate with another. If I had a pre-adolescent daughter, I'd be putting this book in her hands. Poetry, like art, is subjective; but the message of the strength of a woman shines through crystal clear.