Five Treasures to be Found in Novels in Verse

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

Summer Challenge Week Ten: Dog Days!

 

It's the final week of the Read, Discuss, Do! Summer Challenge, and we are wrapping things up by celebrating dogs! What better way to enjoy the "dog days of summer"? Besides spending lots of time at the pool, of course. We hope this week's theme inspires you to read a few books about some of our favorite furry friends. Whether you have a dog in your family or not, there are plenty of ways to celebrate dogs!

Ideas for books to read:

  • Hello, Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferarri, illustrated by Patrice Barton. A heartwarming story about a dog who insists on following his girl to school.
  • Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings. A fun book in which a dog writers letters hoping to convince someone to adopt him.
  • Bark Park! by Trudy Krisher, illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes. Especially good for the younger readers, this book is full of fun doggy antics.
  • A Stone for Sascha by Aaron Becker. A poignant, wordless picture book about dealing with the loss of a pet.

Ideas for things to discuss:

  • What was your favorite part of the book?
  • Was this story happy or sad? 
  • Do you like dogs? Why or why not?
  • What do you think is the best thing about dogs?
  • If you have a pet dog, talk about what makes your dog special.
  • If you don't have a pet dog, talk about what it might be like to have one. What would you name your dog? Where would your dog sleep?

Ideas for things to do:

  • If you have a dog in your family, go on a special walk or visit a dog park. 
  • Read to a dog! Check out our post, Ten Tips for Reading with Pets for some helpful tips.
  • Make treats for your dog or a friend's dog. You can find a recipe at this post.
  • Visit a dog shelter. Consider making a donation to help out.
  • Make some dog-themed art, such as a drawing, painting, or a collage.
  • Would you like to adopt a dog or puppy? Make a list of they types of dogs that would fit well in your family. Be sure to do some research! Here is a good place to start: 9 Great Dog Breeds for First-Time Owners

Comments

Brown Amy said…
The Read, Discuss, Do! Summer Challenge is coming to a close this week, and we're honouring dogs to do it! What better way to take advantage of the summer's "dog days"? Of course, there's also tonnes of time at the pool. Our goal is to encourage you to read a few books at PetCareRx about some of our favourite furry friends as a result of this week's subject. There are many ways to honour dogs, whether or not you have a dog at home.