April is almost over, but it’s still National Poetry Month! Every April, National Poetry Month celebrates awareness and appreciation of this amazing art form. Check out these novels for teens written in verse (using poetry to tell a story) to celebrate National Poetry Month.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo Xiomara lives in Harlem and loves to write poetry as often as possible. Unfortunately, her religious mother, distant father, genius brother, and teenage struggles are overwhelming. After discovering slam poetry, Xiomara finally lets her voice be heard.
Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L. Browne Skyy and Lay Li were best friends but grow apart after rumors fly and their friendship turns toxic. Skyy struggles at first, but ultimately moves past the fear of being alone and determines her worth through basketball, swimming, and accepting herself.
The Boy Lost in the Maze by Joseph Coelho In this intertwining story, Theo searches for the father who left him as a child while the Greek mythologic hero, Theseus, searches for a way out of the legendary labyrinth. As you read, choose which path these two characters will take to reach the end of their journeys.
Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes Mr. Ward’s English classroom becomes a safe space for high school students to build a community through writing and performing their own poems that highlight their diverse voices and points of view.
Me (Moth) by Amber McBride Moth is grieving the loss of most of her family after an accident and feels adrift and alone. Then she meets Sani and the two go on a life-changing road trip. They rediscover their love of singing and dancing while putting the ghosts of their past to rest.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds After Will’s brother Shawn is murdered, Will decides to take revenge on the killers. During the one-minute elevator ride down, Will is visited by multiple ghosts of his past and must decide between avenging his brother or becoming another victim.
What If? by Anna Russell The only thing that helps quiet the demands of Josh’s brain making him constantly count is drumming. After learning he has OCD, Josh leans on his family and friends for support as he develops his own rhythm and confidence to live the life he wants.
Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar When Elio meets Camelia, he falls for her fast and his world becomes brightly colored. When a betrayal occurs, Elio must sort through his conflicting feelings of anger, loss, love, and forgiveness to decide on the type of man he wants to grow up to be.
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam Amal is an artist and poet whose life changes one night when he is convicted of a crime he did not commit. Unfairly locked away in prison, Amal must keep hold of what matters to him as he finds a way to tell his story and reach freedom.
You can use your DKPL library card to check out physical copies of the poetry books found on the National Poetry Month book display and on the bookshelves in the Teen Lounge area. Several of the poetry books can also be downloaded to your phone, tablet, or computer as e-books or audiobooks. Stop by the Teen Room with any questions or contact the Teen Services Staff at 815-756-9568 (ext. 2450) or by email at [email protected].