In celebration of National Poetry Month, and because I am a poetry lover myself, I wanted to share some YA fiction titles in which a major character reads and/or writes poetry. If you are reading this blog entry, then you probably enjoy poetry too. And if you are like me – who has not kept the promise she made to herself some time ago to read a poem every day – you could do with some inspiration.
So take a look at the list below, pick out a couple novels to read and let the presence of poetry move you to read or write some verse yourself!
The Sweet Revenge of Celia Door by Karen Finneyfrock
Author Karen Finneyfrock is herself a poet. Celia, the protagonist of this novel, dreams of becoming one. She also dreams of revenge on classmate Sandy for what she did to Celia in eighth grade, an act which is not revealed until late in the novel. As Celia writes: “That’s the day the trouble started. / The trouble that nearly ruined my life. / The trouble that turned me Dark. / The trouble that begs me for revenge.†Rejected by her classmates, Celia finds comfort in writing poetry. She even turns her mom’s notes into haiku. An unexpected friendship with Drake, a boy who has just transferred to Celia’s high school, eventually opens Celia up to a new way of seeing the world and a more hopeful approach to life.
Continue reading Get Inspired: YA Novels with Characters Who Read or Write Poetry
