Review: Poem book "Pillow Thoughts” inspires students

by Savannah C.

Many students with a strong presence on TikTok have most likely come across the poem book Pillow Thoughts, as they scroll through videos, and may have even felt an urge to check it out for themselves. Pillow Thoughts is a collection of poems that include love, being heartbroken, and healing whilst allowing readers to dig deeper into raw feelings. Author Courtney Peppernell has several successful poetry books and even multiple different parts to the first book released, but Pillow Thoughts is by far her best.

In my opinion, Pillow Thoughts is first and foremost a blatantly honest poem book which divides up emotions everyone will eventually have to embrace in life and makes them feel relatable. A poem about love written in the section If you are in love says, “And if the moon could talk, I wonder if he would tell the night just how lovely she is With all those stars shining bright. The way this poem is used is almost like the writer is comparing real life emotions in a poetic aspect towards inanimate objects that don’t feel emotions.

Secondly, Pillow Thoughts separates all feelings into different chapters; it allows readers to dig deeper and become more in touch with their personal thoughts. Each chapter is sectioned into 10 different parts. Each section can be found by, If you are dreaming of someone, If you are in love, If you are heartbroken, If you are lonely, If you are sad, If you are missing someone, If you need encouragement, If you are soul searching, If you need a reason to stay, and a section titled These are for you. Each chapter explores all the emotions your heart may face and help we may need on our own journey through life.

Lastly, the book allows you to think about how you may feel during different experiences, and going through young adulthood and into becoming an adult. One of the most popular poems used in the book Pillow Thoughts is “You’re still here, you know; under all the messy things, under the stress, the anxiety, the sadness, you're still you. Come up for some air; there are bright skies up here. You have to pull yourself up; I know you feel like you can’t, but you can. I believe in you, more than you know.” This poem can really guide and push readers as a form of encouragement to realize how strong they are and how there is always hope for everyone's future.

Abbie R., a junior at Airport High School who has also read the poetry book stated, “I loved the way each chapter portrays each emotion and illustrates an emotional response for me as a reader.”

When asked why she believed Pillow Thoughts was a good book to read, Navaya N., a junior at Airport High School stated, “I think Pillow Thoughts was a very inspirational read, it made me feel both happy and sad. The book has helped me understand my feelings a lot more. Overall, it was a great read.” It is evident that through these students' opinions, having read the book has helped them become more in touch with expressing their feelings.

A review written by someone with the username withsomejam on withsomejam.com said it best when stating that, “Having now read not only all the Pillow Thoughts books, but also a number of Peppernell’s other works, I definitely get the strong sense of healing through her poetry.” The overall consensus of this review agrees that this poetry book did a great job of portraying all emotions that people in our society face.

Another review written by TheQuirkyBookNerd stated, “I found this collection to be absolutely beautiful.” The review agrees that the Poem Book was internally and externally moving for readers.

Overall, I would give Pillow Thoughts a 10/10 review. My final recommendation would be that every young adult should read this book and experience the emotional journey for themselves. Readers can go to local bookstores like Barnes and Noble, Target, as well as Public Libraries and online reading sites.