Little Wild

Full of rich allusions and themes, Canadian author Curtis LeBlanc’s collection of poems explores stereotypes around masculinity and provocatively examines issues related to addiction, violence, societal struggles, as well as generational and ethical conflicts in the context of a working-class, small-town setting. Suitable for mature secondary students, the contemporary poems in “Little Wild” may present opportunities for rich and reflective discussions of social themes. In the senior classroom, individual poems or the entire collection may be used to enrich units of study and to invite powerful discussions, critical reading, and discussions around perspective, especially around themes of self-awareness, identity, and honesty.