Miss Emily, by Burleigh Mutén, illustrated by Matt Phelan, 134 pp, RL 3

Burleigh Mutén , children's book author, member of the Emily Dickinson International Society and volunteer at the Dickinson Homestead , seems perfectly poised to bring us Miss Emily , a verse novel that weaves historical, biographical and poetic threads throughout the story of a nighttime adventure among friends. Add to this the wonderful illustrations of Matt Phelan and you have a beautiful, exciting novel that straddles the worlds of poetry, history and biography. To set the story and give context to the appearance of the recluse, Emily Dickinson, Mutén begins Miss Emily with an introduction and a list of the main characters and their stage names. The star of the show, MacGregor Jenkins, is the son of the pastor, brother of Sally and neighbor of the Dickinsons - both Emily, residing in her childhood home, known as the Homestead, and Ned and Mattie Dickinson, children of Emily's brother, Austin, residents of the Evergreens, a home built next door to the Hom