Tag: mg novel in verse

book cover of Other Words for Home
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Other Words for Home

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Other Words For Home (Balzer + Bray, 2019) by Jasmine Warga is a Newbery Honor book and a New York Times bestseller. It’s written in verse and is a story of bravery. I wish everyone could read it to help their understanding of refugees and immigrants.

Jude and her mother have to leave Syria because of the violence and come to America to live with Uncle Mazin in Cincinnati. It’s so hard to leave behind Baba and her older brother. She quickly learns that her English isn’t good as she thought. As her brother told her, she must “be brave.” At first she dreads her ESL class until she learns the others there understand how difficult it is to find the right words. But her cousin doesn’t want to associate with her at school. Finding a few friends helps Jude have the courage to follow her dreams and she tries out for the school play. Will being in the spotlight make her life better or worse? And what about the dangers her brother is in?

Jasmine has written another middle grade novel called The Shape of Thunder and has published three young adult novels. Read more about her here.

Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Rhyme Schemer

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

rhyme schemeRhyme Schemer (Chronicle, 2014) by K.A. Holt is a novel written in verse that will appeal to kids looking for a quick and interesting read. It is also an Amazon Best Book for Kids and Teens, and a Bank Street Best Book of the Year.
Kevin is in seventh grade and he keeps getting in trouble and sent to the principal–sometimes he deserves it, but other times not. He writes in a notebook about his classmates and teachers, and his real trouble starts when his notebook is lost and another student finds it. Now only is Kevin being blackmailed but he’s also being called Poetry Boy. As he says, however, “I’m not a poet.”
Even though the main character, Kevin, is a troublemaker, I found myself sympathizing with him.
I love how author Kari Anne Holt introduces herself in a short poem on the main page of her website. It’s also interesting seeing the variety of books she writes. Plus on her website for this book there’s a Common Core Discussion Guide.

Posted in Award Winners, MG Novels, So Many Good Books

May B.

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

may-b-3001.jpgMG Adventure in Verse

May B. (Schwartz and Wade, 2012) by Caroline Starr Rose is written in sparse verse which is perfect for showing the lack of choice that May has when her parents tell her she has to live with another family, and the solitariness of the prairie and a soddy fifteen miles away from anyone. May’s parents tell her it will just be till Christmas. But, of course, it means an end to her schooling. May’s life takes a turn for the worse when she’s left all alone in the soddy and no way to communicate with anyone.
Growing up, Caroline Starr Rose fell in love with the Little House books. When she became a teacher, Caroline wondered what life must have been like for children who found school challenging. She set the story in Western Kansas and gave her main character what we now know of as dyslexia. Read more at her website, not only about this book and all it’s recognition, but about Caroline and her other books.