Free Verse
Crossover by Kwame Alexander
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Mar.06, 2015, under Free Verse, Real life, Sam's Reviews, Sports
Who would like this book? People who like basketball and/or love words would like this book. It’s a book for 5th grade and up.
The goods on this book: The words in this novel-in-verse move and flow with whatever action is happening at the time. It might be when Josh, 13, is making seriously great plays on the basketball court. He’s so good, especially with his crossover, that he earns the name “Filthy McNasty.” He’s tight with his twin brother, Jordan, who is also great at basketball. Not surprisingly, their dad had been a professional player when he was younger, until an injury and a refusal to have surgery ended his career. Some significant changes in Josh’s family complicate his life, and following these events and the change in Josh makes for very worthwhile reading. Add in the vibrant poetry and word play, and you’re in for a rich experience!
The details: 237 pages; 2014 Review by Samrarian
What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.14, 2014, under Free Verse, Real life, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Erin J.
Who would like this book? In my opinion, I think that most girls would enjoy this book. But, I think some guys will as well. This book is great for people who like romance, mature content, and life time events.
The goods on this book: This book is about a freshman boy in highschool named Robin. He is known as the lame loser boy that everyone picks on. The boy that doesn’t have any friends or a girlfriend. But, that ALL changes when Sophie, the most popular girl in the school had wanted to go out with him, and even chose him over her friends. When people starting knowing that they were going out, everything was downhill and they were all terrible to both of them. Robin and Sophie try to not let all the bullies and all the popular kids get to them, and by the end some people start supporting their love. Oh, and remember when Robin didn’t have friends? When he got a scholarship to go to Harvard for some art classes he met a group of people that were very kind, happy, and didn’t pick on him. His whole life turned into something great.
The details: 291 pages; 2007 Review by Erin J.
I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.15, 2013, under Free Verse, Grief, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Isabel R.
Who would like this book? This book should be good for ages 12 and up.
The goods on this book: The book is about a girl named Ava. Her boyfriend has died, and his dead soul haunts her. The book goes back in time a lot to when he was not dead, which is cool. Ava is very sad and depressed through the whole book. The thing I loved the best about this book is that it is writen like a poem.
The details: 226 pages; 2008 Review by Isabel R.
What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jun.03, 2013, under Free Verse, Real life, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Miranda R.
Who would like this book? My older sister, who is 16, would love this book. She used to read to me and all the books were like this one.
The goods on this book: Sophie is looking for love. She is tired of having her heart broken over and over again. She was dating this guy named Dylan, and she was in love with him. But then she started to fall out of love with him. There’s this guy named Robin Murphy, and he’s the most ugly guy she has ever met but for some reason she has these fantasies about him. Anyway, she breaks up with Dylan and meets this guy on the Internet. Sophie keeps going from guy to guy trying to find the right guy, but they all just keep treating her worse and worse… Will she wake up one day and see that she deserves better?? I thought this book was great. I loved that it was novel in verse.
The details: 259 pp. 2001 Review by Miranda R.
What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Sep.18, 2012, under Bullying, Free Verse, Real life, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Kyleigh
Who would like this book? Girls, 7th grade and up.
Why? The setting of this book is in high school and Robin’s house. The characters are Sophie, Robin, Rachel, Gracie, and Dylan. Sophie is Robin’s girlfriend. Robin is the main character, the biggest “dork” at school and a great artist. Rachel and Gracie are Sophie’s old friends. Dylan is Sophie’s ex-boyfriend. The conflict is that everyone at their school is making fun of them. I can’t say more without giving away the rest of the story more to come.
The details: 291 pp. 2007 Review by Kyleigh
What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonja Sones
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Sep.14, 2012, under Free Verse, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Kyleigh
Who would like this book? 7th graders and up, mostly female.
Why?
This book is mainly romance. It’s set in a high school. It’s about this girl Sophie and her first, second, and third love. The characters are Sophie, Dylan, Gracie, Chaz, Rachel, Murphy, and Robin. Dylan is Sophie’s first boyfriend; Gracie and Rachel are Sophie’s best friends. Chaz is her second love who she meets online. Murphy is the school’s biggest “dork” and the students use “Murphy” as an insult. Lastly, Robin is her third love. Ok, so I have left out a MAJOR detail. Read the book and find out what. I really liked this book and think others will, too.
The details: 259 pp. 2001 Review by Kyleigh
What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Mar.13, 2012, under Free Verse, Real life, Romance, Student Reviews
Review by Haley E.
Who would like this book? Girls in eighth grade would like this book; there is some mature content, but not a lot.
Why? What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones is a very good book. The main character is Sophie, the book is from her point of view, and it’s all poems. Sophie is tall and has dark hair. There are also other characters like Rachel, Grace, Dillon, Chaz, Murphy/Robin, and Sophie’s parents. At the beginning of the book Sophie is dating Dillon; he’s a surfer with curly blond hair, and he is shorter than Sophie. Her boyfriend by the end of the book is Murphy. His real name is Robin, but people at school have called him Murphy. Sophie decides that she is going to call him Robin instead of Murphy. Robin is not popular and is kind of a nerd. Sophie describes him as having a crooked nose and curly light brown hair. She met him, actually MET him, over winter break and was too embarrassed to tell her friends who she was really dating. Robin finds that she is embarrassed about dating him, and understands if she wants to break up with him. Do Sophie and Robin call it quits, or does their love last? Read the book to find out!
The details: 259 pp. 2001 Review by Haley E.
Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Sep.14, 2011, under Free Verse, Historical Fiction, Horror, Student Reviews
Who would like this book? People who like intense horror and drama.
Why? It’s a horror book with hanging people and hanging a person controlled by the devil. It is also scary, violent and suspenseful in some parts. It’s a great drama because a girl gets jealous and wary when her husband seems to be attracted to one of her best friends. So, if you are up for the challenge, and if you like books with violence, horror, girl drama, and a pinch of mystery, read Wicked Girls. This book is based upon the true story of the Salem Witch Trials in the 1600s.
The details: 408 p. 2010 Review by Madison T.
All the Broken Pieces by Ann Burg
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jul.16, 2011, under Battle of the Books 2011-2012, Free Verse, Grief, Historical Fiction, Real life, Sam's Reviews, War
Who would like this book? Readers interested in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, first-person stories of the struggles of an immigrant, and/or stories written in free verse.
Why? Matt Pin has had more that his share of grief in his 12 years of living. It’s 1977, and he is adjusting to his new home with a loving American couple and a new little brother. Matt is haunted by the searing memories of his war-torn life in Vietnam. His Vietnamese mother, abandoned by his American soldier father, desperately worked for him to be airlifted out of Vietnam after the war in 1975. Feeling abandoned by his mother and plagued with guilt over abandoning her and his badly injured little brother, Matt cannot imagine that his new parents really love him. With their encouragement, he excels as the pitcher on his middle school baseball team but is faced with a bully who calls him “frogface” and accuses him with “My brother died / Because of you.” Matt’s struggles and the people and events that plague him and help him slowly unfold through his first-person narrative presented in spare, simple free verse. The different threads of his story come together in a powerful, understated climax that is moving, believable, and worthy of discussion. This book is an excellent way to learn about the human toll of war and specific aspects of the Vietnam War and its aftermath.
This book is a 2011-2012 Battle of the Books selection.
The details: 224 p. 2009 Review by Samrarian
Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Apr.13, 2011, under Adventure, Free Verse, Student Reviews, YRCA
Who would like this book? People with a taste of adventure with a bit of rhyme would really like this book.
Why? These people would like this book because it has a very creative plot. Katrina Katrill, a girl about the age of eleven or twelve, meets up with a monster like creature named Morty. Long story short, they end up on the moon. This is written in rhyme, so it has creative words rhyming with each other to make the story more interesting.
The details: 281 p. 2008 Review by Ariana B.
