April is National Poetry Month and it's a great time to celebrate with teen verse novels. Verse novels are narrative poetry with chapters told in stanzas. It can be freeform writing, journal entries, or music lyrics. Think of it as a poetry slam on page. Verse novels are a great introduction to poetry for all readers.
Seventeen-year-old Pernell is back in summer school for the third time in a row. He has ADHD and he's often misunderstood by his English teacher. This summer he hopes to graduate high school and to become the Cypher King-the winner and leader of the lunchroom's impromptu rap circles. King of the Neuro Verse explores neurodiversity & mental health, while celebrating creativity & self-expression.
In 17th century Rome, Carmela Tofana longs to work as a part of La Tofana, her mother's apothecary. At La Tofana, Carmela's mother and her two assistants are known for making their potent remedies for their customers. One potion contains a dark, dangerous, and secretive ingredient that kills abusive husbands. Everything Is Poison is the historical verse novel that will leave you speechless.
If you're a fan of Elizabeth Acevedo's The Poet X and Carolina Ixta's Shut Up, This Is Serious, you're in for a special treat! Estela, Undrowning is a verse novel about 17-year-old Estela dealing with racial tensions and family trauma. Her family's looming eviction and her being in second place to a non-Latine student in a Latine poetry contest forces her to find her voice.
Told in verse, Love, Sivvy: A Novel Inspired By The Life, Letters, And Diaries Of Young Sylvia Plath, chronicles her high school and college years. Through her letters, she talks about her mental health, traditional gender roles, and her developing talent as a writer.
'What's in a name?' William Shakespeare's iconic line is the question 17-year-old Truth often asks herself in Truth Is. Overwhelmed by a failing relationship with her best friend and her her rocky relationship with her mother, Truth finds solace in writing and performing. She desires to leave her hometown but an expected pregnancy by her ex-boyfriend and her failing grades leaves her questioning herself and her future. But she's determined to move forward by getting an abortion and gain the support of her poetry slam team.
Do any of these fresh verse novels speak to you? Let's talk about it in the comments!
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