I’m back after a week at the beach. It was awesome and I was able to do a lot of reading. Hopefully, you have been doing the same. This week I’m going to share the genre of novel in verse with you. Some of you might be thinking, what is that? Verse? Does that mean poetry?
Novel in Verse
Note: We've linked each title to its Amazon page so you may read other's reviews. These books are also available at the public libraries and great local bookstores such as Blue Willow Bookshop and Katy Budget Books.
This genre is pretty easy to define. It is narrative poetry in novel length. Other words, it is a novel length story told through poetry.
Novels in verse promote fluency. The poems that make up the story are short and are easy for our brains to adapt to. It is fast paced and allows readers to have a sense of completion since it doesn’t take as long to read. Here are a few of my current recommendations:
CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander
This is an award-winning book that I have a hard time keeping on the library shelves. The author uses poetry to tell the realistic story of twin brothers who play basketball. These brothers don’t always get along and are both coping with the pains of growing up. Some of these pains are normal and some come as a total shock. The poetry takes on the feel of being on the basketball court. It is a slam-dunk for sure!
HOUSE ARREST by K.A. Holt
Timothy is a teen who is under house arrest for a year after he was caught stealing. Which means he can only leave the house to go to school. Part of his punishment is also to keep a journal. In the journal, he documents his fears and frustrations. He also has to
have weekly meetings with a probation officer and a therapist. The readers learn that Timothy is very determined and will suffer consequences in order to help his family.
PAPER HEARTS by Meg Wiviott
This novel in verse is based on the true story of two girls in Auschwitz during the Holocaust. Gifts are forbidden however one of the girls stole and traded different items in order to get supplies to make a birthday card for her friend. The bond these two friends have help them to survive this horrible place.
SHAKESPEARE BATS CLEANUP by Ronald Koertge
A fourteen-year teen that loves baseball ends up with mononucleosis and copes with his situation by keeping a journal. The journal helps him deal with school, friends, a girlfriend and the recent death of his mother. In the journal he tries his hand at poetry and finds out that he enjoys it as much as baseball.
I’d like to challenge you to read a novel in verse; however, if you choose not to accept the challenge that’s okay. I just hope you are flipping the pages of a book you like. Last week at the beach, I feel in love with a book and couldn’t wait to share it with you.
MS. BIXBY’S LAST DAY by John David Anderson
This realistic story grabbed me right away. The story is told through the voices of different sixth grade boys. They explain how there are sometimes those good teachers and Ms. Bixby is for sure one of them. These boys are devastated when they learn their favorite teacher will miss the last month of school in order to deal
with her recent diagnosis of cancer. They go out of their way in order to make her last day of school very memorable.
For now, go read! I’ll be back next week to share the genres of paranormal and steampunk fiction.
Novel in Verse
Note: We've linked each title to its Amazon page so you may read other's reviews. These books are also available at the public libraries and great local bookstores such as Blue Willow Bookshop and Katy Budget Books.
This genre is pretty easy to define. It is narrative poetry in novel length. Other words, it is a novel length story told through poetry.
Novels in verse promote fluency. The poems that make up the story are short and are easy for our brains to adapt to. It is fast paced and allows readers to have a sense of completion since it doesn’t take as long to read. Here are a few of my current recommendations:
CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander
This is an award-winning book that I have a hard time keeping on the library shelves. The author uses poetry to tell the realistic story of twin brothers who play basketball. These brothers don’t always get along and are both coping with the pains of growing up. Some of these pains are normal and some come as a total shock. The poetry takes on the feel of being on the basketball court. It is a slam-dunk for sure!
HOUSE ARREST by K.A. Holt
Timothy is a teen who is under house arrest for a year after he was caught stealing. Which means he can only leave the house to go to school. Part of his punishment is also to keep a journal. In the journal, he documents his fears and frustrations. He also has to
have weekly meetings with a probation officer and a therapist. The readers learn that Timothy is very determined and will suffer consequences in order to help his family.
PAPER HEARTS by Meg Wiviott
This novel in verse is based on the true story of two girls in Auschwitz during the Holocaust. Gifts are forbidden however one of the girls stole and traded different items in order to get supplies to make a birthday card for her friend. The bond these two friends have help them to survive this horrible place.
SHAKESPEARE BATS CLEANUP by Ronald Koertge
A fourteen-year teen that loves baseball ends up with mononucleosis and copes with his situation by keeping a journal. The journal helps him deal with school, friends, a girlfriend and the recent death of his mother. In the journal he tries his hand at poetry and finds out that he enjoys it as much as baseball.
I’d like to challenge you to read a novel in verse; however, if you choose not to accept the challenge that’s okay. I just hope you are flipping the pages of a book you like. Last week at the beach, I feel in love with a book and couldn’t wait to share it with you.
MS. BIXBY’S LAST DAY by John David Anderson
This realistic story grabbed me right away. The story is told through the voices of different sixth grade boys. They explain how there are sometimes those good teachers and Ms. Bixby is for sure one of them. These boys are devastated when they learn their favorite teacher will miss the last month of school in order to deal
with her recent diagnosis of cancer. They go out of their way in order to make her last day of school very memorable.
For now, go read! I’ll be back next week to share the genres of paranormal and steampunk fiction.