Children's Book Suggestions | Novels in Verse 2025

April is Poetry Month, which is a great month to promote novels in verse! With short lines of text and lots of white space, these books are a great choice for all readers, including striving readers and kids with dyslexia.

For even more poetry, view last year's Novels in Verse list online, browse the online catalog for more novels in verse, or check out the 811 section in Children's Nonfiction.

Updated March 14, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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The one and only family
Applegate, Katherine
Paper Book
An instant #1 New York Times and indie bestseller! For more than a decade, readers have been enchanted by the modern classic The One and Only Ivan, a Newbery Award winner and a #1 New York Times bestseller, and by its bestselling sequels, The One and Only Bob and The One and Only Ruby....

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Reasons to look at the night sky
Daniel, Danielle
Paper Book
Luna has always loved the night sky. She's an eleven-year-old who knows everything there is to know about space, and dreams of one day becoming an astronaut. The first step in her plan to get there is to ace the space unit in her science class and secure a spot in NASA's summer space camp. But when...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The song of orphan's garden
Hewitt, Nicole M.
Paper Book
Combining the gentleness of Miyazaki, the wintry wonderland of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the whimsicality of Newbery winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Nicole M. Hewitt's debut middle-grade novel, The Song of Orphan's Garden, is an enchanting fantasy tale...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Invisible Isabel
Pla, Sally J.

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Black star
Alexander, Kwame
Paper Book
A Coretta Scott King Honor Book The thrilling second book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Door of No Return trilogy stars Kofi's granddaughter, Charley, who's set on becoming the first female pitcher to play professional ball but who...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Lion of the sky
Hemnani, Ritu
Paper Book
An evocative historical novel in verse about a boy and his family who are forced to flee their home and become refugees after the British Partition of India. Perfect for fans of Other Words for Home.  Twelve-year-old Raj is happiest flying kites with his best friend,...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Deer run home : a novel in verse
LeZotte, Ann Clare
Paper Book
Effie is Deaf, and no one in her family speaks sign language, her language. This moving story of survival and found family, inspired by a true court case, is perfect for fans of Wonder and Out of My Mind. * "Quietly extraordinary." --Kirkus Reviews,...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Isabel in bloom
Respicio, Mae
Paper Book
A middle-school girl discovers a connection between her home in the Philippines and her new home in the U.S. through a special garden in "this sweet and heartfelt novel that explores how bumpy beginnings can offer chances for new growth" (The New York Times) A National Council...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Ultraviolet
Salazar, Aida
Paper Book
A PURA BELPRÉ AWARD HONOR BOOK Sometimes life explodes in technicolor. In the spirit of Judy Blume, award-winning author Aida Salazar tells it like it is about puberty, hormones, and first love in this hilarious, heartwarming, and highly relatable coming-of-age...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Louder than hunger
Schu, John
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book "Every so often a book comes along that is so brave and necessary, it extends a lifeline when it's needed most. This is one of those books." --Katherine Applegate, author of the Newbery Medal-winning,...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Deep water
Sumner, Jamie
Paper Book
"Readers will feel every wave of Tully's emotions as she risks everything to try to get her mom's attention. A powerful novel in verse." --Lisa Fipps, author of Printz Honor book Starfish A middle grade novel in verse that "packs a powerful punch" (Kirkus Reviews...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Murray out of water
Tracy, Taylor
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead, Natalie Lloyd, and Jasmine Warga, this beautiful novel in verse explores one girl's struggle to regain her magic after a hurricane forces her to move away from her beloved ocean that, she believes, has given her special powers. Bighearted...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)


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