A poem is a poem is a poem, except when it's a novel in verse!

 The average person on the street is probably not aware that April is National Poetry Month.  Let's be honest, the average person on the street (or anywhere for that matter) probably does not really care that April is National Poetry Month.  I am not going to lie; poetry is not usually my first choice of reading material (except for Shel Silverstein, whom I will never tire or outgrow reading).

I don't know how other people feel, but poetry always makes me feel obtuse. Seriously, I cannot be the only that has horrific nightmares of analyzing Wordsworth in high school (if you are a huge Wordsworth fan I apologize). 

Poetry does not have to be difficult or picked apart line by line, though. It can be silly and fun.

For this post I want to write specifically about a form of poetry that I have come to appreciate since becoming a youth library. 

If you are familiar at all with juvenile or young adult fiction you may have noticed that novels written in verse have become more and more common.  For those who have no idea what I am talking about, a novel in verse is exactly what it sounds like; a novel length story told through poetry rather than prose. Unfortunately, even when these books are beautifully written and get rave reviews, they are slow to check out.

In my experience boys especially seem to dismiss novels in verse because they have this mistaken belief that poetry is not a "boy" thing. Well, obviously this is complete nonsense, but I think that just the word poetry calls to mind sappy love sonnets written in Shakespearean English that is impossible to decipher. Of course, men and women can be poets and poems and novels in verse can be about any subject from and music to history and current events.

I have also seen parents deter their children from checking out a novel in verse because it is "not a real chapter book." Don't get me wrong, I totally understand wanting your child challenged when it comes to reading and all of that empty white space in a novel in verse makes it look "too easy". Also, novels in verse tend to have low AR levels and points because they tend to be shorter and have unusual sentence structure compared to traditional chapter books. I am not going to get into AR (Accelerated Reader) right now other than to say that these numbers are only meant to be a GUIDING TOOL and (in my opinion) should never be used to discourage a kid from picking up a book.

So, I have explained why novels in verse don't always get the love that they deserve, now let me tell why you should try one. First and foremost, many are just fantastic stories with amazing characters, settings, etc. (even though they are not written in traditional prose). Secondly, all that white space on the page (which makes some parents say no) is a huge bonus for reluctant and/or less confident readers. Even if you are an avid reader, sometimes you want a book that is just not going to be a huge time commitment. Especially, if you are a student with homework, and after school job, lessons, or practices. Finally, we all get into reading ruts. I have seen kids who will read nothing but Goosebumps and teens who won't touch a book unless there is a attractive werewolf or vampire smoldering on the cover. I myself prefer science fiction or fantasy. Trying something new isn't always easy, but you may discover something incredible and at least with a novel in verse it won't take as long to  read.

Let me hop down from my soapbox now and share a few novels in verse that I have particularly enjoyed. 

For middle grade readers I highly recommend Love That Dog by Sharon Creech (even though they will probably end up wallowing in a puddle of tears). The poem is told in free verse by a boy named Jack who does not want to write a poem for his teacher, Mrs. Stretchberry, "because boys don't write poetry. Girls do." Gee, I have never heard that sentiment before. Anyways, as you may be able to guess, Jack learns that poetry is not just for girls and it ends up being a wonderful medium for expressing his feelings. The back of the book contains several well-known poems that Mrs. Stretchberry introduces to the class as well as a sneak peek of Hate That Cat, the sequel to Love That Dog. Even struggling readers will be able to finish these sweet stories in less than a day, but they are sure to think about them much longer.

 

Karen Hesse is another juvenile/young adult author who has written several novels in verse including the 1998 Newbery Medal winner, Out of the Dust. The novel is set in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. I know what you are thinking. History and poetry, together? No way! However, Out of the Dust is a spectacular novel and a great way for kids to learn about the Depression and the Dust Bowl. Rather than just listing dates and other dry facts like a text book, Out of the Dust, is about people, and their emotions and experiences. I cannot imagine a reader not being moved by Billie Jo's tragic, yet ultimately hopeful story

The Crossover is one of my absolutely favorite novels in verse, which really surprises me since I do not even like basketball. Twelve year old twins, Josh and Jordan excel at basketball, but life off the court is not as easy. Sports fanatics will appreciate the basketball theme, but The Crossover is so much more than a basketball book. It is a story about growing up, choices, change, and consequences. Even my daughter, who normally only reads fantasy, loved The Crossover.

Kwame Alexander has also written three books related The Crossover: Booked, Rebound, and The Playbook. In addition to his juvenile fiction novels, Alexander has written two novels in verse for Teens,  Solo and Swing which are equally awesome. Alexander's books are such a multisensory reading experience. In The Crossover you feel and hear the basketball bouncing and I felt like I was sitting next to Blade listening to him play the guitar in Solo.      
         

Speaking of Novels in verse for teens, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds is PHENOMENAL!!!!!! Have I mentioned before that I think that Jason Reynolds is just a fantastic author, activist, inspiration, role model, and all around human being? I really cannot say any of those things enough, but back to Long Way Down. Will is a inner city teen determined to avenge the murder of his older brother. With a gun in his waste band, Will boards the elevator in his apartment building ready to find his brother's killer. Instead of going straight to the lobby, though, the car stops at every floor and a new passenger gets in the elevator. Each of these passengers is someone from Will's past that was a victim of gun violence. Are they ghosts or just figments of Will's imagination and will they be able to convince of the cyclical futility of vengeance and violence? Long Way Down is an incredibly powerful story made more so by it's unique format! It was also recently released as a beautiful graphic novel, but I confess to preferring the original version.

Jason Reynolds has also published another novel in verse that is almost more of a letter. It was first performed live at the Kennedy Center at the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. monument (how awesome is that)! For Every One is just that; something that everyone, young or old, brown, black, or white, should read and I am so happy that it was published in book form. The poem is all about the importance of dreams, and not just big dreams like being a rock star or an award winning author. Your dream may be to become a parent or a teacher (or a librarian) and those dreams are just as beautiful and significant. Honestly, I plan on buying copies for all of the graduates that I know because I cannot imagine more inspiring words to carry them through the next stage of their lives. You may also recognize the distinctive striped cover of For Every One as the new official American Library Association for National Poetry Month.  

Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo was such a compelling story that I ended up reading it in one sitting. That's one of the great things about novels in verse, though. They are easy to read all at once. I loved how sassy and strong the protagonist, Xiomara, was and I also appreciated being introduced to the Dominican Culture which I had no previous knowledge of.   Through Poet X Acevedo stresses the importance of creative writing and specifically poetry as an outlet for kids who do not feel heard or seen and want to express themselves. You should definitely watch a video of Acevedo performing slam poetry and I sincerely that she inspires young people to give poetry a try.

Ok, one more book and than I will stop. Bull by David Elliot is definitely unique. I have heard it described as Hamilton meets Greek mythology (and if that doesn't make you curious I don't know what will). This ingenious retelling of the myth of Asterion, the minotaur, is hilarious, tender, and  heartrending.  The story is told in verse (of course) with each of the characters being given their own individual poetic form.  It makes my head spin to imagine how difficult it must have been for Elliott to write the story in seven different meters but the effect is extraordinary. When you read Bull you can clearly hear the sarcastic wit of Poseidon and the desperation and loneliness of Asterion.

I know that I rambled for quite a while in this post, but if you have stuck with me I hope that your encouraged to give a novel in a verse a whirl. Here are a few more outstanding selections if you discover that you enjoy them.