Five Treasures to be Found in Novels in Verse

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By Marci Whitehurst Novels in verse are a hybrid form of storytelling. Novels in verse combine a complete narrative with the structure of poetry, bringing depth and richness to the beauty of stories.  Here are five treasures you’ll find in a novel in verse:  POETRY!  This treasure is obvious on every page of a novel in verse. Each page is a poem. The majority are free verse poems, meaning these poems don’t follow a particular meter, form, or rhythm. The poems can stand alone, but when each page of poetry is read from beginning to end, it weaves a full narrative to make a complete story. Check out this example from our own Rebecca J. Gomez’s forthcoming novel in verse:  Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published We call this car, Sandra’s white clunky car, a marshmallow with wheels. It’s riddled with dings and dents, and the rear driver’s side window is stuck stubbornly up and the tear in the vinyl seat pinches if you sit just wrong while wearing shorts
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Summer Challenge Week One: Tasty Treats!

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Welcome to week 1 of the Read, Discuss, Do! Summer Challenge! This week's challenge is fun and delicious! What better way to celebrate the beginning of summer than with some great books and tasty treats? We challenge you to read and discuss one or more books that feature some kind of tasty treat, and share a tasty treat together. You can grab popsicles out of the freezer, bake some cookies, head to a doughnut shop--it's up to you! The point is to enjoy reading and connecting with your kids by combining books with summer fun (and treats).

Some recommended reads:

Dozens of Doughnuts by Carrie Finison, illustrated by Brianne Farley. Featured treat: DOUGHNUTS! This is a fun and charming story about friendship and sharing.

When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L. B. Deenihan, illustrated by Lorraine Rocha. Featured treat: LEMONADE! This is a sweet and funny story about a little girl who receives an unwanted birthday gift, but learns to appreciate it. This book includes a simple recipe for homemade lemonade.

Oh Look, a Cake! by J.C. McKee. Featured treat: CAKE! Who doesn't love cake, right? Some people find it irresistible (like the characters in this book). This story is funny and silly and has a surprise ending. 

For more recommended reads, check out this list of picture books that include recipes. 

Some discussion ideas:

  • Talk about the story. What is your favorite part? Did you like how it ended? How might you have written the story differently?
  • What treat is featured in the story? Is that something you've tried before? Did you like it or not?
  • What is your favorite "tasty treat" to enjoy during the summer?
Some ideas for things to do.
We would love to know how you took on this week's challenge. You can share in the comments here or by using #RDDSummerChallenge on social media. Have fun with books and tasty treats this week!

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And now, announcing the winner of the giveaway: Michelle! Check your email for information on how to claim your prize. Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who signed up and entered the giveaway. We will have another BIGGER giveaway at the end of the summer!

Comments

Trine Grillo said…
This first post of the challenge turned out great!
June 3, 2022 at 8:59 AM
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