Best Novels in Verse Books for 6th Grade

In a novel in verse, white space and line breaks do part of the storytelling, and sixth graders often find the form both fast-moving and emotionally direct. These award-winning books cover sports, family, history and identity. A Sea of Lemon Trees, a Newbery and Pura Belpré honor book, draws on the Mexican corrido tradition, while All He Knew by Helen Frost follows a deaf boy in 1930s America and won the Scott O'Dell Award. The Crossover and Kareem Between round out a strong shelf for readers who like stories with a strong voice.