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

10 Interactive Books for Wiggly Readers


Do you have a wiggly little reader? Are you looking for a book to share for an active story time? Sure, you could engage them with one of these simple story time activities. Or you can choose a book which has an activity built right in to the story! Kids don't necessarily have to sit still or keep their hands to themselves in order to get the most out of those few minutes spent reading together, especially with interactive books! This list of picture books and board books are meant to get young readers interacting with not just the stories, but the books themselves. Sometimes by touching the pages, or dancing, or yelling, or making funny faces! So, get reading, get moving, and have a wiggly, giggly story time!


1. Hey Bruce! by Ryan T. Higgins is truly special. Kids will love tapping Bruce to wake him up, rocking the book to get him back to sleep, playing a melody on the piano keys…and many more creative interactions along the way. And of course the wonderful funny illustrations and Bruce reactions that we have all come to adore in this series fill each page.

2. Find Fergus by Mike Boldt is a book you and your children will enjoy reading over and over. Fergus is a delightful bear that you play hide and seek with on each page spread. There is one fold-out page towards the end of the book that is more complicated. Fergus gives you a list to look for on the end cap. I loved this book!

3. The Button Book by Sally Nicholls and Bethan Woollvin has different colored buttons that the child presses that invokes noises, actions, songs, and surprises. Lots of interactive fun! (My favorite is the hug button!)

4. Stomp, Wiggle, Clap, and Tap: My First Book of Dance by Rachel Burk and illustrated by Alyssa De Asis. This button has sweet poetic verses that invite you to enjoy imaginative active fun with your child.


5. Don’t Push the Button!  by Bill Cotter. On every page it tells you “Don’t Push the Button” with a big red button pictured. Of course when you do, on the next page shows something like the monster changing colors, getting polka dots, etc. Sure to make your child giggle spontaneously!


6. This Book Just Ate My Dog by Richard Byrne. This funny book invites the reader to actively participate in saving the day, er, I mean dog.

7. Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson is a dreamy book, perfect for bedtime, that engages young readers by involving them in moving the story forward with a variety of actions.


8. I Thought I Saw an Elephant by Lydia Nichols, a cute and colorful slider book in which the reader participates in a game of “slide and seek” to find the elephant. Look for the other books in the I Thought I Saw board book series.


9. Open Very Carefully - A Book with Bite by Nicola O’Byrne and Nick Bromley. A humorous book in which the reader helps get rid of the crocodile that has invaded the book.


10. Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas. This book is great for wiggly little ones because it gets them moving during story time, and will probably make them laugh too!

Comments

Julia said…
I will have to keep these in mind for when my wiggly little man is a little older! Right now I can just hold him and make him listen to story time haha
Rebecca Gomez said…
Reading to your child when he or she is otherwised engaged (in the tub, playing quietly with blocks) is another good strategy!