Tate Library: Books for Middle School Readers: Novel in Verse

Middle school readers vary tremendously in their interests and reading levels, and what books will appeal to what kids can be quite personal. To help, we've indicated books that are particularly challenging in reading level and/or topic (**) or are particularly accessible (*). These are just rough suggestions and the actual experience of readers will differ. We hope this long and diverse list will be helpful, and we welcome your input!

Laurie Hornik, MS English Department Chair Lhornik@ecfs.org

Many of these titles are available at the Tate Library. Check the library catalog or the eBook/Audiobook Sora App.

Tate Library Catalog
Explore the Catalog
eBook\Audiobook SORA App
The Tate Library is a member of the Hudson Valley Library Association eBook Consortium. Choose "Fieldston - Tate Library" when asked to select your school. All Fieldston students, faculty and staff have access to the consortium with their ECFS email and password. ECFS members can check out 3 consortium titles at a time and place up to 3 holds at a time. Items check out for 14 days.

* Grimes, Nikki

Words with Wings
In this novel in verse, Gabby is a dreamer who, with the help of her teacher, learns that she might just be a writer too. The author has written several books in verse and is the winner of the Coretta Scott Kind Award

Acevedo, Elizabeth

The Poet X
In this novel in verse, Afro-Latina Xiomara doesn't feel like she has a voice in her Harlem neighborhood...until she discovers slam poetry. This book won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpre Award. Two other great reads by this author are...
Clap When You Land
In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.

** Reynolds, Jason

Long Way Down
This novel in verse takes place during an elevator ride. 15-year-old Will is on is way to avenge his big brother's shooting death when he encounters other stories of the cycle of violence and the difficult choices people make. See also Reynolds' many novels (not in verse) including the Track series.

* Frost, Helen

Diamond Willow
This novel in verse, told through unusual diamond-shaped poems with hidden messages, tells the story of 12-yearr-old Willow and her first solo-run with her sled dogs in the Alaskan wilderness. Frost has written many other novels in verse as well.