Twelve short stories in verse by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the highs and lows of love – romantic, platonic, familial, and self-love. Love can be many things – all-consuming, fleeting, vengeful, selfless, toxic, uplifting, and always, a core part of the teen experience that leaves an indelible mark. This enchanting, genre-crossing anthology delivers something for every reader with unique characters, global settings, and a dazzling mixture of myth, historical, speculative, and contemporary fiction. With the turn of a page, get swept away by unexpected love blooming between two princes from enemy Mesoamerican nations in the 15th century, who'd rather make music rather than war; cheer for a timid bearded lady who was shunned by her family and runs away to find belonging and safety at the circus during the 1800s experience the heartbreak of saying goodbye to a beloved pet; breathlessly watch a myth unfold as a siren bound to the water falls in love with a winged forest spirit, their love seemingly impossible from the start. Root for a girl who emerges from grief and battles with chronic pain to discover how to love herself and life again. Love is complicated, and this anthology embraces the messiness and the joy of all kinds of love. Contributors include: Alexandra Alessandri - David Bowles - Melanie Crowder - Margarita Engle - Eric Gansworth - Robin Gow - Mariama J. Lockington - Laura Ruby - Padma Venkatraman - Jasmine Warga - Charles Waters - Kip Wilson Praise for All the Love Under the Vast Sky : “In an appealing and innovative collection , Wilson…brings together a dozen authors…, each creating a different short story in verse around the overarching theme of love …The poets each bring their unique storytelling style —with stories ranging from fantasy to contemporary and historical fiction . Poetic language builds each story [and] each entry stands strongly on its own , while the collection creates a compelling picture of the many dimensions of love .”— The Horn Book Magazine “In this collection of stories by 12 powerhouse authors , a variety of teen experiences are explored and captured in a neat novel-in-verse format . Great for readers interested in bite-size bits of love and an admiration for the many ways it transpires.”— Booklist “[T]his sweeping collection of short stories in verse is wonderfully varied and unique …[It] explores … manifestations of love …platonically between friends, in the form of communication struggles and successes with parents, love for animals, romantic connections, and, importantly, love for oneself. Each author’s interpretation of the concept of love is creative and well crafted . An all star list of poets including David Bowles, Margarita Engle, and Padma Venkatraman tackle the subject in forms that are flowing and expansive , short and staccato , and everything in between . Quick, big hearted , and well curated , this is an anthology of stories about love , but not love stories.”— School Library Journal “ A celebration of love through 12 unique stories in verse. Beloved and award-winning young adult authors explore different forms of love across time and a variety of places. The evocative writing in different verse forms connects the narratives in this timely , relatable collection with a diverse cast of characters. The variety of themes and points of view offers something for every reader . Love wins in this enjoyable, well-executed anthology .”— Kirkus KIP WILSON is the critically acclaimed author of the YA verse novels White Rose , The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin , and One Last Shot . Awards for her books include the Malka Penn Award and the Julia Ward Howe Award, and her books have been named a Massachusetts Book Honor title, an Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalist, and a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist. Kip holds a PhD in German literature and is an enthusiastic high school library worker. Kaleidoscope By Alexandra Alessandri Bursting to Be Free A new day awakens wide and bright and bursting with the promise of change. It’s the first day of my first job, and like a seed that’s been buried for too long, I’m bursting to be free. I fly out of Mami’s car, heart spread wide and smile stretched thin while worry wiggles below my breastbone:                 what if I’m buried                 once more? Mami Worries Too Before we left the house, Mami paced rivers on the rug because maybe  she shouldn’t have said yes. It’s too soon. She worries about my readiness and steadiness after all these years of slowing down so I could heal. You’re not ready. She worries about the taxes and tolls a new job will claim on my body, and whether it’s worth it at all. Maybe next year. She worries I haven’t healed from that day, from the accident that left me shattered and empty. Remember your fibromyalgia. As if I could forget. When I can’t sta