It's April and that means it's poetry month. What better way to celebrate than by reading a couple of verse novels. Time to reread Love That Dog. Or, maybe try a new one. Here are six verse novels for kids or teens published in the past six months.
Six new verse novels:
When we learn ancient history in school, we tend to learn very little. We get a few broad strokes on the "most important" civilizations, their contributions, and what came after them. This book is far more complete than anything I (at least) learned in grade school. Not only does it include exploration of a broad range of civilizations, many of which are often completely ignored by text books, but it looks both at the contributions and likely causes of their eventual collapse. If you have even a passing interest in history, this is a solid read.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
What are you currently reading?
Glitter Gets Everywhere by Yvette Clark - After her mother's death from cancer, Kitty and her family move from London to New York.
What did you recently finish reading?
A Day at the Beach by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge - A collection of loosely connected vignettes of the experiences of kids at a beach.
What do you think you'll read next?
The Pecan Sheller by Lupe Ruiz-Flores
Who doesn't love a rabbit? If your kid is a bunny enthusiast, this is a solid introduction to rabbit biology. It is a fairly complete encyclopedia including taxonomy, breeds, diet, and a comparison to hares and other lagomorphs. The illustrations are charming and included on every page (though in some cases photos may have been clearer).
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Author: Daisy May Johnson
Genre: adventure
Age range: middle grade
Similar book: The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon
Summary (provided by publisher): Edie Berger is a prankster, the daughter of activists, and a revolutionary in her own right. Paris is Edie’s home and her favorite place in the world. But when her parents decide to travel the globe fighting for good causes, Edie is left in the care of Odette, her strict grandmother—and, ultimately, shipped off to boarding school in England.
A school trip finds Edie back in the streets of Paris, exploring with her friends and forced to confront the grandmother who sent her away. But is there more to Odette than Edie realizes? Featuring madcap adventures, pastries, macarons, an intrepid army of first-years, a secret underground network of nuns, a truly excellent art heist, and lots of bravery, this is a story about loving with your whole heart and standing up for what you believe in.
What I liked: For all of its rather ridiculous details, this book manages to stay fairly grounded. The messaging is wide ranging. It not only stresses the importance of staying true to yourself but also encourages understanding and empathy. The characters all have at least a little complexity to their motivations and even our hero makes poor choices from time to time. It is both fun and heart-felt.
What I didn't like: I don't typically care much for an intrusive narrator in children's fiction. If not handled correctly it can become a way of talking down to the reader. Johnson handles the narration well, keeping it accessible. There are a number of footnotes in each chapter. While these notes are primarily amusing some readers will find them more irritating.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
What are you currently reading?
The Girl and the Robot by Oz Rodriquez - Mimi's been trying to fix everything since her Papi was deported. Then she finds a robot that seems to have crashed down from space.
What did you recently finish reading?
Drew LeClair Gets a Clue by Katryn Bury - A cyberbully at school is the perfect distraction when Drew's mother leaves - for good this time.
What do you think you'll read next?
Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker by Heidi Heilig
I love a good informative graphic novel and this book fits that definition to a t. We are introduced to Grimpy, a dumbo octopus, who explains features common to cephalopods, telling the reader all about what makes each species amazing. These, though, are not features of Dumbo Octopi. So there is some plot here as Grimpy begins to feen like it isn't special and we get the expected messaging about how our differences are important and everyone has something to contribute. More importantly, Lambelet does not shy away from using correct scientific terms. Each word is explained in an easy to understand way. The result is a book that is both visually compelling and deeply informative.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
