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Poetry and Novels in Verse
Whether it's traditional poetry or a lyrical narrative, these books are perfect for those wanting a poetic read. 
The Leaving Room by Amber McBride
The Leaving Room
by Amber McBride

**NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST!** Intimate and astonishing.--Jason Reynolds, New York Times Bestselling Author For fans of You've Reached Sam and If I Stay, a hauntingly beautiful young adult novel-in-verse about a girl in between life and death, by National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride.
A second chance on earth by Juan Vidal
A second chance on earth
by Juan Vidal

When 16-year-old Marcos travels to Cartagena, Colombia, to scatter his late father's ashes, he strikes up a friendship with Camilo, a boy his age who works as a local taxi driver and shares Marcos' love for the novel ''One Hundred Years of Solitude". (Young Adult– Grade 9+)
A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe by Mahogany L. Browne
A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe
by Mahogany L. Browne

LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD - A powerful, genre-bending mosaic of fiction and poetry that celebrates the humanity, grace, and resilience of teenage New Yorkers riding out the pandemic--from the award-winning author of Chlorine Sky A gorgeous, tender testament to the generation of young people who shouldered the pandemic.--New York Times bestselling author Brendan Kiely ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Publishers Weekly, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, School Library Journal We found out what true longing looked like. Longing for crushes to crush back the week after next. Longing for hugs. Longing for connection. As New York goes into lockdown and neighborhoods begin to feel the brunt of the pandemic, the city's teens persevere with love and hope amidst all the fear and loss: Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his new reality. Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive quarantine. Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents. Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive. Mahogany L. Browne's unforgettable, interconnected short stories and poems remind us to breathe as these New York City teens discover their will to survive, their determination to dream, and their joy.
The lightning circle by Vikki VanSickle
The lightning circle
by Vikki VanSickle

After having her heart broken, seventeen-year-old Nora Nichols decides to escape her hometown and take a summer job as an arts and crafts counsellor at an all-girls' camp in the mountains of West Virginia. There, she meets girls and women from all walks of life with their own heartaches and triumphs. Immersed in this new camp experience, trying to form bonds with her fellow counselors while learning to be a trusted adviser for her campers, Nora distracts herself from her feelings, even during the intimate conversations around the nightly campfires. But when a letter from home comes bearing unexpected news, Nora finds inner strength in her devastation with the healing power of female friendship. Presented as Nora's camp journal, including Nora's sketches of camp life, scraps of letters, and spare poems, The Lightning Circle is an intimate coming-of-age portrait.
Everything Is Poison by Joy McCullough
Everything Is Poison
by Joy McCullough

This historical novel in prose and verse tells the story of a deadly secret hiding in plain sight and of the womenwho risk everything to provide care for those with nowhere else to turn, perfect for fans of Blood Water Paint and The Lost Apothecary. Early Seventeenth-Century RomeFor as long as she can remember, Carmela Tofana has desperately wanted one thing: to be allowed behind the counter of her mother's apothecary in Campo Marzio, Rome. When she turns sixteen, she's finally allowed into the inner sanctum: the workroom where her mother, Giulia Tofana, and two assistants craft renowned remedies for their customers. But for every sweet-smelling flower extract in the workroom, there's another potion requiring darker ingredients. And then there's Aqua Tofana, the apothecary's remedy of last resort for husbands who are just as deadly as any disease. In all Carmela's years of wishing to follow in her mother's footsteps, she never realized one tiny vial could be the death of them all. One the Chicago Public Library's Best Books of the Year
Knucklehead: Poems by Tony Keith Jr
Knucklehead: Poems
by Tony Keith Jr

While society often assigns the label 'knucklehead' to kids with attitude problems, this . . . poetry collection by spoken word poet and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. subverts that narrow way of thinking and empathizes with young people who are misunderstood and unheard. There are poems about the power of language to transcend the racist and homophobic constructs of a society prejudging Black boys. There are poems that serve as a salve for a world that inflicts hurt, poems that offer a beacon of hope for the curious and questioning, and poems that transform the way people love Black gay boys and men. This is a journey of self-discovery through history, family, friendship, and falling in love.--
The house no one sees by Adina King
The house no one sees
by Adina King

After a text from her estranged mother rips her away from a night with friends, Penelope Ross is forced into a kaleidoscope of memories and must confront her mother's opioid addiction, in a novel in verse and prose.
Bright red fruit by Safia Elhillo
Bright red fruit
by Safia Elhillo

Samira is determined to have a perfect summer filled with fun parties, exploring DC, and growing as a poet--until a scandalous rumor has her grounded and unable to leave her house. When Samira turns to a poetry forum for solace, she catches the eye of an older, charismatic poet named Horus. For the first time, Samira feels wanted. But soon she's keeping a bigger secret than ever before--one that that could prove her reputation and jeopardize her place in her community.
When we ride : a novel by Rex Ogle
When we ride : a novel
by Rex Ogle

Diego Benevides works hard. His single mother encourages him to stay focused on school, on getting into college, on getting out of their crumbling neighborhood. That's why she gave him her car. Diego's best friend, Lawson, needs a ride--because Lawson is dealing. As long as Diego's not carrying, not selling, it's cool. It's just weed. But when Lawson starts carrying powder and pills and worse, their friendship is tested and their lives are threatened. As the lines between dealer and driver blur, everything Diego has worked for is jeopardized, and he faces a deadly reckoning with the choices he and his best friend have made. Award-winning memoirist and poet Rex Ogle's searing first novel-in-verse is an unforgettable story of the power and price of loyalty.

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