Did you know that novels in verse have super powers?
- These stories, told in lyrical narratives, are immersive.
- They appeal to young readers looking for shorter books.
- The visual qualities of the text on the page often evoke the meaning of the words.
- Many novels in verse have won literary awards.
Using blank space, line breaks, shapes and inventive forms, authors give readers x-ray vision straight into the hearts and minds of their characters.
Now, more than ever, is a good time to empathize with immigrant characters.
Novels in verse have a super power. Author use of blank space, line breaks, shapes and inventive forms give readers x-ray vision straight into the heart and mind of their characters.
Check out these recent stories about young immigrants who are faced with typical middle school challenges such as crushes, friendship, fitting in, and bullying while trying to belong in a country where they are not always made to feel welcome. The main characters in these novels also face the difficulties (and joys) of living between two cultures. The lens of lyrical language allows readers to understand and empathize with an immigrant character.
Call Me Adnan by Reem Faruqui
Ping pong is Adnan’s passion. After many exciting matches, he and his family go to Florida for his championship where a tragedy occurs. This story portrays how one boy’s loving Pakistani Muslim family deals with grief.
When Clouds Touch Us by Thanhha Lai
In this sequel to the award winning Inside Out and Back Again, Vietnamese-American Ha and her family are moving again – from Texas to Alabama. Ha is determined to make money to help her family out. She shows resilience and humor as she tries to make new friends and is confronted with prejudice.
Aniana del Mar Jumps In by Jaminne Mendez
Dominican American Aniana is at home in the water, but her mother, whose brother drowned during a hurricane, forbids her to be a part of the swim team. Ani sneaks off to swim practices, with the help of her dad, until she is prevented by her stiff swollen joints. Mendez’s poems describe Ani’s journey with her chronic illness and the growing understanding of her family.
I Am Kavi by Thushanthi Ponweera
Kavi worked hard for the scholarship that takes her out of her poverty stricken village and into a fancy school in the city. It’s 1998 and this young Sri Lankan girl is affected by the country’s Civil War. She’s also at war within herself trying to fit in at her school, decide between right and wrong and discover where she belongs.
Isabel in Bloom by Mae Respico
Moving from the Philippines to California isn’t easy for Isabel. She has to make new friends in a new country and she has to get to know her mother all over again since they have lived separately for years. Her grandmother and her green thumb come to the rescue. The special garden project creates builds a community where she belongs.
Kareem in Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi.
The story of how Kareem, a football-loving Syrian American stuck between two cultures, is riveting and poetic. This boy is desperate to make the team and new friends. When the QB makes a proposition, Kareem has to decide between right and wrong. His family problems revolve around trying to get his very ill grandfather out of Syria during the 2017 Muslim Ban.
You also won’t want to miss these award winning novels in verse, written prior to 2023.
Red White and Whole by Rajani La Rocca
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhhan Lai
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga.
Jen Kraar grew up chasing lizards in India, making up stories about the residents of the spirit houses in Thailand, and riding retired racehorses in Singapore. Jen explores themes of finding home in the middle grade novels and picture books she writes. As a manager at Pittsburgh’s beloved City of Asylum Bookstore, she builds a diverse collection of books and talks about kid lit with customers young and old.
