Kimmy Carson is not Scared by C. H. Williams. Recognized with: Children’s Book Council’s Hot Off the Press list. Themes include: Disability: QT heart School Ballet Skateboarding Control Halloween

Middle Grade verse novels 2025. Titles include: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

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#PoetryMonth Day 10
Kimmy Carson is not Scared

"If Kimmy is frightened... her heart might stop. Because of her heart condition, Kimmy resigns herself to low-risk activities like chess...But she's nearly 13, and dying to go to the school Halloween horror maze with her friends."

#VerseNovel

It's All or Nothing Vale by Andrea Beatriz Arango. Recognized with ★ Kirkus ★ School Library Journal ★ Booklist, A BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR NOMINEE 2027 Oklahoma Sequoyah Children’s Book Award SELECTION 2025 Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books. Themes include: Sports: Fencing Disability Chronic Pain Puerto Rican-American Hispanic/Latino Friendship Family LGBTQ

Middle Grade Verse Novels 2025. Titles include: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

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#PoetryMonth Day 9
It's all or Nothing Vale

"No one knows hard work and dedication like Valentina Camacho. And Vale’s thing is fencing. She’s the top athlete at her fencing gym. Or she was . . . until the accident."

#NovelInVerse #NIV #VerseNovel #Disability #ChronicPain #Fencing #KidLit

If Elephants Could Talk by Ranjeeta Raam. Themes include: Nature Activism Animal Rights Death/Grief/Loss Resilience Disability: Selective Mutism Bharatanatyam Dance

2025 Middle Grade verse novels. Titles include: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

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#PoetryMonth Day 8
My dear critique partner Ranjeeta's #MG #NIV published last year. And let me tell you, this #VerseNovel dances on the page! Meenakshee has not spoken since the loss of her mother. But she is desperate to advocate for abused elephants. Accompanied with beautiful illustrations.

Once Upon Tomorrow by Karen Comer - Books <b>Three girls. Three fates. Three interwoven stories. Spanning a hundred years from the present to the future, three girls on the cusp of life search for truth and connection amid family dysfunction,...

Heads up April 28 release of #YA #VerseNovel ONCE UPON TOMORROW by KarenComer @yalsa.bsky.social @librariesconnected.bsky.social @schoolreadinglist.bsky.social @lapubliclibrary.bsky.social @qplnyc.bsky.social @bklynlibrary.bsky.social @summitlibraries.bsky.social www.hachette.com.au/karen-comer/...

Green Promises by Jeannine Atkins. Recognized with NCTE Notable Verse Novel List ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List Selectio Capital Choices Noteworthy Books Nominee (DC). Themes include: History Women’s History Black History STEAM Women in Science Discovery Geology Entomology Botany Women in STEM The Smithsonian

Middle Grade Novels in Verse 2025. Titles include: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

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#PoetryMonth Day 6
GREEN PROMISES by @jeannineatkins.bsky.social was one of my favorite historical #verseNovel reads last year. I love learning about #WomenInSTEM. And she brought out the lives of 3 women I had never heard of. I learned so much reading this book. And I love learning.

#KidLit

Glitch Girl by Rainie Oet. Recognized with: An American Library Association (ALA) 2026 Rainbow Book List (Top Ten Title) Best Children’s Fiction (2025), Transfeminine Review’s Readers Choice Awards Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Awards (PADIBA) Commended Book (2026) Themes include: Neurodiversity: ADHD School Friendship Gaming LGBTQ Jewish

Middle Grade verse novels 2025. Titles include: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

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#KidLit #VerseNovel #PoetryMonth
I meant to share this as a double feature yesterday. But Easter Shenanigans prevented me. A gaming, crushes, identity focused middle grade verse novel. I haven't yet read this one. But if you have, jump in and tell us about it!

The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose. Recognized with star reviews in ★ Kirkus ★ BookPage ★ Booklist and A Junior Library Guild Selection An NCTE 2026 Notable Children’s Verse Novels Selection A Book Page Best Books of 2025 Middle Grade List Selection A 2025 Newton Free Library Top Shelf Read A 2026 Green Earth Book Award Long List Selection New Mexico’s Land of Enchantment Book Award nominee (2026-2027). Themes include: Coming-of-age Survival STEM Nature Disasters

2025 Middle Grade Novels-in-Verse. Titles include: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

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Day 5 #PoetryMonth
#KidLit #VerseNovel The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose
Twelve-year-old Opal is deathly afraid of fire. When Gran goes missing, Opal is the only one to spot a tell-tale spiral of smoke moving up the mountainside. She’ll have to be braver than she’s ever been...

Away by Megan E. Freeman. Recognized with: Instant New York Times Bestseller ​| National Indie Bestseller | Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2025 | Amazon Best Book of 2025 | Barnes & Noble Children's Book Award Shortlist | Golden Kite Award Finalist | Reading the West Longlist | TOME Society Junior Book Award Winner | KNEA Reading Circle Choice for 2025 Themes include: Speculative Dystopian Action/Adventure Survival Multi-POV Mixed-Media

2025 Middle grade novels-in-verse. Titles include: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

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Day 4 of #PoetryMonth
Away is the awesome dystopian middle grade verse novel companion to Alone. Set during the same time period. But following the friends who've been wrenched from their homes, rather than the girl accidentally left behind.
#VerseNovel #KidLit

All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson. Recognized with: ★ Kirkus ★ School Library Journal ★ Shelf Awareness Winner of the Newbery Medal | A New York Times bestseller | A USA Today bestseller | A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year | A Kirkus Best Book of the Year | A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year | A Chicago Public Library Best Kids' Book of the Year | A PEN America's Best Children's Books | An NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book | A Horn Book Fanfare Selection Book | A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book | Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book. Themes include: Death/Grief/Loss Friendship Coming-of-Age Black Voices

Middle Grade Novel-in-Verse 2025 titles: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

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Day 3 of #NationalPoetryMonth
This #VerseNovel All the Blues in the Sky won the Newbery.
A great title to check out this month!

As SLJ says "Turpin gloriously embodies Watson’s truth: “In the midst of sadness and grief, there can be joy and goodness.”" @bloomsburybooksus.bsky.social

a man covering his face with his hands and the words fingers crossed ALT: a man covering his face with his hands and the words fingers crossed

#Amwriting the ending of my #VerseNovel right now. One minute I'm crying the next minute I'm giddy with hopeful resolve—all the feels falling in step with my character coming into her own.

I hope my readers will feel it too!

#PoetryMonth #NationalPoetryMonth #WriterSky #KidLit #WritingCommunity

LOVE a good #VerseNovel! Looking forward to this.

Aarzu All Around by Marzieh Abbas. Recognized with ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List Selection A Junior Library Guild Selection Themes include: Sports: cricket Girls Sports Feminism School Disability Rep. Muslim Faith

Middle Grade Verse Novels 2025 Titles include: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

Poetry Month Day 2! @marziehabbas.bsky.social's compelling story of girl trying to balance finding funding for her sister's medical treatment, with the girl's cricket team she wants to be part of, despite her Uncle's belief that cricket should be left to the boys.
#PoetryMonth #VerseNovel #KidLit

A Sea of Lemon Trees by Maria Dolores Aguila: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez. Recognized with: John Newbery Honor Book | Pura Belpré Honor Book | Jane Addams Children's Book Award Winner | Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction Winner | NCTE Charlotte Huck Children's Book Award Winner | 2025 National Book Award Longlist Title | New York Times Best Book of 2025 | New York Public Library Best Book of 2025 | Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2025 | Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature Best Books of 2025 Starred reviews in: ★ Kirkus ★ School Library Journal ★ Publisher’s Weekly ★ Shelf Awareness Themes of: Historical Hispanic/Latino Court Case School Family Friendship

35 Middle Grade verse novels: 13 Ways to Say Goodbye A Sea of Lemon Trees Aarzu All Around (Aarzu Raza Extra No More!) Its All or Nothing, Vale All the Blues in the Sky Away Glitch Girl Green Promises Hannah Backwards If Elephants Could Talk Kimmy Carson is Not Scared Lilac and the Switch Back (Lilac Lost and Found) Little Bones Little Bones Neshama Octopus Moon (formerly Mermaids and Other Signs of Life) Oh Give me a Home Please Pay Attention Radiant Safe Harbor Spark The Burning Season (Formerly: Fire Finder) The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez The First Year The Girl in the Wall The House at the Edge of the World The Oasis The Only Branch on the Family Tree The Poetry of Car Mechanics The Midas Trees The Song of Orphan's Garden The Trouble with Heroes Trapped: The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale Zarina Divided

For #PoetryMonth I am posting about at least one middle grade verse novel every day. There are 35 I am aware of. So some days will get 2 posts! It's the perfect month to read a verse novel!

#KidLit #MiddleGrade #VerseNovel

This carefully layered novel in verse and prose, about misunderstood hearts and so much more, took all of my heart to write (twice). Thank you SLJ!!
@steelworksliterary.bsky.social #kidlit #middlegrade #versenovel #teachers #librarians #Edusky #environmentaljustice @steamteambooks.bsky.social

My new verse novel Walking Wheel with orange cover and white lettering is held in the arm of an oversized concrete lizard riding in an old rust colored Model T Ford (I think) with lavender interior. A black steering wheel is in the background center left, and a high paned window is up in the right corner. This is public art by Solomon Bassoff/Faducci, and the photo was taken in his studio in North San Juan, CA.

My pre-orders are landing today, some perhaps not on Planet Earth! It is so fun. Pub date is still 4/7. #booksky #walkingwheel #novelinverse #versenovel #historicalfiction #pioneersexandalsochildbirth #tenderfunnyeroticsurprising #redhenpress #getoneforyourselfandoneforyourlibrary

My copy of 'I Am Ray's Imaginary Friend' has landed. I look forward to diving in to the reading. Thank you Brian Moses, renowned UK poet, for this fresh new Verse Novel. Intriguing themes to ponder. #versenovel #brianmoses

Alone I am on my own…childhood is over

Alone

"I am on my own…childhood is over"

Sale: $9.99 to $2.99

by Megan E. Freeman
Rating: 4.6/5 (2,055 Reviews)

#Alone #MeganEFreeman #Survival #MiddleGrade #Dystopian #VerseNovel #Books #Reading #BookSky

Completing Mr. Schu's sentences (and reading his book, The Gift of Story) made me think deeply about the way I work. And I am so very grateful for that, because that changed my lens and how I focus it on all of my projects.
#kidlit #poetry #writingcommunity #versenovel #fiction

Can these two out-of-sync hearts ever find a common rhythm?
#kidlit #middlegrade #fiction #versenovel

Two new #versenovels Manjeet Mann's ROAR and Eilish Fisher's THE WATERS AND THE WILD
Heads up #VerseNovel enthusiasts inc @bklynlibrary.bsky.social @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social @librariesconnected.bsky.social @schoolreadinglist.bsky.social
@lapubliclibrary.bsky.social @qplnyc.bsky.social

Just finished reading this excellent #Thriller #YA #versenovel by @sarahcrossan.bsky.social and it’s a must read.
Heads up #VerseNovel enthusiasts inc.@qplnyc.bsky.social @librariesconnected.bsky.social @lapubliclibrary.bsky.social @bklynlibrary.bsky.social @summitlibraries.bsky.social

Heads up #VerseNovel enthusiasts! Fantastic AUSTRALIAN #VerseNovels in the CBCA Notables for Older Readers
THE FOAL IN THE WIRE by @robbiecoburn.bsky.social & DRIFT by Pip Harry plus CBCA Notables for Younger Readers Little Bones by Sandy Bigna & SONG OF A THOUSAND SEAS by Zana Fraillon.

Verse Novel ‘All That Chandni Knows’ Examines Ambition, Family Secrets - IndiaWest News Verse Novel ‘All That Chandni Knows’ Examines Ambition, Family Secrets.

Verse Novel ‘All That Chandni Knows’ Examines Ambition, Family Secrets

Full Story: indiawest.com/verse-novel-...

#AllThatChandniKnows #KhushbooPatel #VerseNovel #AmbitionAndSecrets #MiddleGradeBooks #ComingOfAgeStory #FamilyAndFriendship #BookThemes

Front and back book cover for my new novel in verse set in 1875. Front is on right with gold and brown background design and a graphic in brown and clay of two men carrying some kind of harvest. WALKING WHEEL text in white at the top, and MOLLY FISK in white at the bottom. Back cover has a description of the book and two blurbs, plus Red Hen Press's insignia and the white rectangular what-is-it-called that you scan to purchase a book.

It's been 15 years since my last collection. Walking Wheel drops April 7th. #booksky #amwriting #amreading #historicalfiction #versenovel #loveandhardwork

Heads up #VerseNovel enthusiasts, I recommend this gripping #fantasy #VerseNovel S(KIN) by Ibi Zoboi @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social @librariesconnected.bsky.social @schoolreadinglist.bsky.social @lapubliclibrary.bsky.social @qplnyc.bsky.social @bklynlibrary.bsky.social @summitlibraries.bsky.social

Pip Harry's DRIFT a terrific Australian #YA #VerseNovel for school & public libraries. Shortlisted 2026 indie book award. Heads up @librariesconnected.bsky.social @schoolreadinglist.bsky.social @lapubliclibrary.bsky.social @qplnyc.bsky.social @bklynlibrary.bsky.social @summitlibraries.bsky.social

Looking forward to forthcoming #Thriller #VerseNovel by @sarahcrossan.bsky.social Pre-order Simon & Schuster Chn's UK Feb 24, 2026 release.Heads up #VerseNovel enthusiasts @librariesconnected.bsky.social @lapubliclibrary.bsky.social @yalsa.bsky.social @doucette515.bsky.social @rurooie.bsky.social

Heads up #VerseNovel enthusiasts for these memorable books by @marziehabbas.bsky.social @reemfaruqi.bsky.social @margaritaengle.bsky.social Maria Delores Águila, Colby Cedar Smith & Caroline Starr Rose. @lapubliclibrary.bsky.social @librariesconnected.bsky.social @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social

Heads up #VerseNovel enthusiasts! Congratulations @marziehabbas.bsky.social on AARZU ALL AROUND your terrific #MG #VerseNovel about 12 y.o. Aarzu’s dream of making the girls cricket team @rurooie.bsky.social @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social @worldkidlit.bsky.social @doucette515.bsky.social

Look at You, and Look at This a WIP hybrid work about faith, shame, romance, gender dysphoria, LSD, and a gunfight.

Hey you should read/listen to my weird hybrid folk punk concept album/verse-novel about religion, marriage, trans stuff, lsd, and killing a man in the desert. It's a work in progress and I need serious feedback theladygrace.substack.com/p/look-at-yo... #poetry #versenovel #creative #creativewriting