Best Novels in Verse Books for 5th Grade

Novels in verse tell a full story in short poems, which makes them quick to read yet rich to talk about. For fifth graders, they can be a welcoming bridge between poetry and longer fiction. This page features The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, a Newbery Medal winner about twin brothers and basketball, and Kareem Between, a National Book Award winner about a Syrian American boy starting middle school. Other picks include historical stories honored by the Scott O'Dell Award and a story of two Native kids finding their way in a city neighborhood.