I love novels in free verse! Here are a few of my favorites. Do you have a recommendation for me?
10 Novels in Free Verse
April is National Poetry Month, and my favorite form of poetry is a novel in free verse. Today for Top Ten Tuesday (freebie) hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, I’m sharing my favorite Middle Grade (MG) and Young Adult (YA) Novels in Free Verse. These are novels that adults will enjoy!
I think a novel in free verse appeals especially to reluctant MG and YA readers. They are usually quick reads and seem more personal and accessible. Some of these selections are more poetic than others.
Do you have a favorite novel in free verse?
Have you ever read a novel in free verse?
A Poet’s Glossary defines books in verse as “A novel in poetry. A hybrid form, the verse novel filters the devices of fiction through the medium of poetry.”
***Titles in this post are links to my reviews or Amazon affiliate links.
Love That Dog (MG) by Sharon Creech
MG Contemporary Fiction. Heartfelt. A Boy and his dog. Teaching poetry. Review is linked in title.
If you’re a teacher, use this as an intro to poetry! You’re welcome!
Paper Hearts (YA) by Meg Wiviott
YA Historical Fiction. On my lifetime favorites list. Simply beautiful. Review is linked in title.
Inside Out and Back Again (MG) by Thanhha Lai
MG Historical Fiction. Refugee and Immigrant story. Brief review is linked in title…scroll down page.
Brown Girl Dreaming (MG) by Jaqueline Woodson
MG Nonfiction. Childhood Memoir. Diverse Read. Review is linked in title.
Out of the Dust (MG/YA) by Karen Hesse
Mature MG and YA Historical Fiction. Newbery Award. Dust Bowl. My very brief Goodreads review.
Finding Wonders (MG) by Jeannine Atkins
MG Fictionalized (childhood) Biographies. Science. My Goodreads review.
For Everyone (YA) by Jason Reynolds
Inspirational and motivational free verse. (graduation gift idea)
Other Words For Home (MG) by Jasmine Warga
MG Historical Fiction. Middle East. Refugee, Immigrant. Diverse Read. My Goodreads review.
(a poignant story but not as poetic as the other titles here.)
Starfish (MG/YA) by Lisa Fipps
Content Consideration: obeisity and bullying.
On one hand, this is a difficult read (a great deal of extreme bullying that I can’t believe a school would ignore) and a bit over the top (why would a father who is a psychiatrist allow his own wife and other children to bully his daughter?), but on the other hand, it’s a deep look into what a person with a weight challenge faces, and we gain awareness and empathy. It changed me. Not reviewed.
Heartbeat (MG/YA) by Sharon Creech
Twelve-year-old Annie ponders life. Not reviewed.
QOTD:
Are you tempted to read a novel in free verse?
Do you have a recommendation for me?
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Fab list Carol! I struggle with books without punctuation so I dread to think how I’d get on with free verse! 😂
Try one! Paper Hearts is one of my favs!
I haven’t read any of these. It sounds very clever to write a novel in free verse!
Try one! Paper Hearts might be my fav!
Books written this way are so interesting.
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
Novels in verse can be a very special reading experience!
What a brilliantly creative topic. This isn’t a format I have any experience with. I think the nearest I got to it is The Long Take by Robin Robertson which is written in a combination of prose and free verse. It won the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction in 2019.
Thanks for the rec Cathy! Some on my list are more poetic than others. 😉
Great topic, Carol. I am enjoying all the various topics being used today. I have read three of these, but I am intrigued by a couple of the other ones.
Novels in verse are a quick and fun way to meet a reading goal!
Now there’s a topic I never, ever thought of! Very creative! I barely understand poetry, but did enjoy the first half of the Luciad –a historical poem that is book sized. I should read the second half
Thanks Lisa! I’m not a poetry reader but I love free verse!
I don’t think I’ve read a novel in verse, but I have heard that Black Flamingo and Clap When You Land are both excellent.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/the-ds-have-it-ten-titles-starting-with-d/
Clap When You Land is on my long list! It’s good!
Great list! I loved Starfish and have a few others on my TBR. I have Paper Hearts on my TBR for this month. It sounds like a powerful read. 🙂
Paper Hearts is one of my favs! Enjoy! The actual heart they made is at a museum in Canada. I have a picture and the link to it in my review.
I like a good free verse novel. The majority of the ones I’ve read have been MG and YA. They work well for me when I want a fast read and I’m surprised at how so many of them are actually very engrossing and moving, even in that more minimal format. Of the ones you listed, I’ve read four of them. BROWN GIRL DREAMING is an especially great read.
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Im happy to hear we share the love for stories in free verse!