Reading a novel in verse is a great way to celebrate National Poetry Month. Though I don’t need a reason to read novels in verse. I love them. Oftentimes, it’s a love or hate relationship people have for these poetic novels. Booked by Kwame Alexander will be a love for everyone… adults, girls and most importantly adolescent males. The online catalog describes Booked as “Twelve-year-old Nick loves soccer and hates books; but soon learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully and tries to impress the girl of his dreams.”
Reading this novel is like going down a rabbit hole. You find yourself learning new words that you want to memorize and bring out in conversation: yobbery, limerance, onomatophobia, sweven and irascent. Then, there are the book recommendations provided in the poems: Out of the Dust, Locomotion, Peace, Locomotion and All the Broken Pieces. As a lover, of novels in verse I was surprised I haven’t read All the Broken Pieces. Then, I saw the publication date. . . 2009. ML was three. I wasn’t reading many books over the standard 32 pages picture books at that time.
I’m off to read All the Broken Pieces; but first let me assure you Booked is on my Mock Newbery 2017. Alexander’s The Crossover won the Newbery in 2015. Booked is just as worthy of a medal. These books need a jazzier genre name. Novel in Verse doesn’t cut it. Rapping Read is a better term!