Widick’s book of poetry champions life’s small joys.

One of a trilogy, this poetry collection plainly announces its intentions to serve as “a gentle reminder that we don’t have to look far for things that warm our soul. Joy, the author suggests, can be found “in everyday things.” The poems contained within this book illuminate life’s simplest pleasures, including enjoying a cup of coffee alongside a copy of Rumi’s poetry just as the sun rises (“Sweet Sips”). The beauty of animals grazing on gentle hills is noted in the poem “Antelope,” (“Big-picture scope / Grazing on the amazing / Unbinding leaps / Top of the hillside / Along the waterside”) as is the satisfaction yielded by a sturdy drinking vessel “saved from [a] Cuba trip” in “Solid as a Rock Tumbler.” Other poems, like “Success,” are slightly broader in scope, using clipped lines to reframe success as a state defined by warmth, generosity, and “tenderness” rather than by achievement. The visual elements of the collection lend character and warmth to the author’s words—each poem is rendered in intricate, willowy script, accompanied by illustrator Taylor-Pestell’s line art depicting such subjects as astronauts, animals, and a woman serenely watering a tree that springs from the clouds. The poetry itself is fairly sparse and simple. It can register as familiar life advice, more focused on jaunty rhyme than content (“Chase and Bear Hug / Your Dreams in the Express Lane / at Your Own Pace / Your Sweet Way in a Worldly Vast Array”). For readers inclined toward the simple pleasures the book promotes, the optimism and ornate illustrations these pages contain offer their own appeal. The passion that the collaborating writer and artist demonstrate is infectious, lending an upbeat charm to the work overall.

Easy-reading verses, replete with pithy truths and charming illustrations.

Widick’s (Gluten Free Soul Pilot, 2017, etc.) latest poetry collection highlights the magic in the mundane.

One of the key themes of this collection is that moments of wonder and miraculousness are hidden in the everyday. The author focuses on such details with energy and aplomb in her strongest pieces. One of the best is “destiny,” which tells of the simple joys of a summer evening outside one’s house: “In your backyard / Take a brain break / Free floating on the Alucia, / A vanguard / You don’t have to go far / Starry skies, mind tricks, pink sand / Jazzy sounds.” The author wonderfully shows how quickly little things like starry skies and jazz can give way to moments of rapture. Here and elsewhere, Widick writes in short bursts, but she pulls off the neat trick of maintaining a smooth flow even when her lines are brief. Less effective are the volume’s occasional monorhymes, particularly in the opening poem “collage”: “Words from many places / Reaching out and touching bases / Greetings, messages with traces / Of love filled warm embraces / Poems with smiling faces / What we are is Lucky Aces.” The unrelenting singsong manner here feels a bit too precious, and it may distract readers from the poet’s evident skill. But this small weakness is more than offset by the volume’s simple, effective design, directed by Kristen Alden, who works in a palette of black and white with poem titles that run vertically up the side of each page. This layout is arresting and has the happy effect of putting Widick’s titles and verses into a closer and more productive conversation than they might otherwise have.

Mostly fun and energetic poems that also have a striking appearance.

Blogger and former nurse Widick and creative consultant Alden offer a debut self-help book with recipes for readers who want to go gluten-free.

Although celiac disease is now a well-known phenomenon, there was a time, not long ago, when many people suffering from gluten intolerance were misdiagnosed. Widick should know; it was an agonizing 15 years before she found out what ailed her. The focus of this book is to dispel readers’ fears of changing their diet—whether they have celiac disease or not—and it aims to make the transition to healthier choices as smooth and easy as possible. This isn’t, however, a one-size-fits-all approach; rather, the book celebrates individual needs and tastes: “Wellness is a dynamic, individual, ever-changing, fluctuating process. We should aim to strive for a personal harmony that feels most authentic to us.” Everything in the book is designed to get readers thinking about steps that they can immediately take on a journey to better health. To facilitate this process, the authors suggest journaling ideas and offer mental exercises to foster inspiration. Because any life-changing decision requires a plan, the authors model their strategies after classic aviation principles. As such, readers are urged to create an individual “flight plan” by progressing through metaphorically titled chapters, including “Flight Route,” “Timeline,” and “Fuel Calculation,” among others. Overall, this collaboration brings a fresh approach to the gluten-free movement. Throughout the book, the prose style is engaging, not preachy, and Widick intersperses the text with her own poems. Alden, meanwhile, brings her eye for design to the colorful photo illustrations, which add a welcoming element to the recipes, such as a “strawberry spring mix salad with flaked crab.” An image of a plate of “artichoke hearts with bacon parm crisp,” for example, is mouthwatering. The “shrimp tacos with chili-lime mayo,” meanwhile, appear to be ideal for a summer dinner party or a satisfying weeknight meal.

An upbeat, approachable culinary guide.