{"id":84832,"date":"2024-10-30T16:43:36","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T20:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/?p=84832"},"modified":"2025-01-14T20:09:07","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T00:09:07","slug":"verse-novels-for-7th-graders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/verse-novels-for-7th-graders\/","title":{"rendered":"Incredible Verse Novels for 7th Graders"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Verse novels can be hit or miss for some young readers. Many find the format highly accessible and easy to digest, while others are thrown off by the difference from standard prose. If your 7th graders enjoy novels in verse, they will love these recommendations! You’ll find engaging stories tackling serious, interesting topics that appeal to a more mature audience.<\/p>\n\n\n

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15 Brilliant Verse Novels for 7th Graders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of my favorite verse novels to recommend to 7th graders: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Unsinkable Cayenne<\/h2><\/div>
By Jessica Vitalis<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: October 29, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Cayenne\u2019s hippie parents (Is hippie a bad word? I hope not!) finally decide to put down roots after years of living a nomadic life, she is thrilled. Unfortunately, it turns out adjusting to normal life (having neighbors when your parents are unconventional, attending public school for the first time, figuring out friendships, etc.) isn\u2019t so easy. As Cayenne navigates life in the 1980s, she learns plenty about self-esteem, grit, and finding your tribe. This is an absolutely engrossing historical verse novel set against the backdrop of the Titanic retrieval in the 1980s and provides an amazing window into a different kind of life for tweens. I hope lots of kids get a chance to read this one, even though it may not sound relatable at first glance. Heads up for a parent who smokes \u201cpot.\u201d <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Trouble with Heroes<\/h2><\/div>
By Kate Messner <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: April 29, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is an incredible (mostly) verse novel about a boy who vandalizes a gravestone of a 46er Adirondack woman and is tasked with hiking all 46 peaks as reparations. I read this one from start to finish in a single day, and I loved the multiple formats — written in posters, pictures, text messages, letters, recipes, and yes, verse. This one combines adventure, heart, mystery, suspense, and flashbacks beautifully. Finn’s ELA assignment is to write 20 poems of different kinds — acrostic, haiku, found poems, villanelle — making this a great book to teach poetry. It’s just really clever, has a strong kid appeal, and is full of emotional depth. A+<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Kareem Between<\/h2><\/div>
By Shifa Saltagi Safadi<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: September 10, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s 2016, and Kareem is a Syrian-American football fan who really wants to play on his school middle school team but flunks his tryouts. Then things go haywire when Kareem\u2019s mother has to go to Syria to get her parents to the US, and Trump\u2019s order bans flights from Syria and some other predominantly Muslim countries. This is a powerful coming-of-age story about standing up for what is right. It features a flawed protagonist who is sometimes hard to root for but always relatable. Written in punchy, brilliant verse, this book shines for highlighting a vital moment in US history and showcasing what it looks like to correct one\u2019s mistakes and find one\u2019s voice in a time of chaos.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Door of No Return<\/h2><\/div>
By Kwame Alexander<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: September 27, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first book in Kwame Alexander\u2019s latest series about the journey of a family from Africa to America is a Roots<\/em> retelling for the new generation. Kofi Offin lives in Upper Kwanta with his parents and siblings, warned regularly not to prowl the streets or go swimming (a pastime of his) at night. Caught up in his daily routines and preparing to contest against his cousin in a swimming match, Kofi\u2019s life suddenly takes a scary turn when he is abducted and sold as a slave. This book has an awfully SLOW start but picks up just around the halfway mark \u2014 I hope the verse format keeps readers going (I loved the audiobook). The second half of this book is gripping and compelling, and I haven\u2019t stopped thinking about it since. It\u2019s a brilliant and necessary ode to storytelling, a beautiful look at the history of many African Americans, and a truly heartwarming celebration of African culture.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Red, White and Whole<\/h2><\/div>
By Rajani LaRocca <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: February 2, 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The year is 1983, and 13-year-old Reha is caught between two cultures: her Indian family and community at home and the all-American experience at school and with her white \u201cschool best friend.\u201d But it\u2019s not all rosy. Her mother doesn\u2019t approve of Reha acting more American than Indian. She makes all of Reha\u2019s clothes herself and is upset when Reha says she would like to go to the school dance. Reha is understandably frustrated at her mother\u2019s lack of understanding, but she\u2019s about to have more problems. Her mom is diagnosed with leukemia, and Reha\u2019s life is turned upside down. Between school, family issues, and navigating her affection for a boy in her neighborhood, Reha has her plate full. This is a heartwarming and heartbreaking verse novel about mothers and daughters, the eighties, and straddling two cultures.
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Lion of the Sky<\/h2><\/div>
By Ritu Hemnani<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: May 7, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raj and Iqbal are two best friends, one Hindu and one Muslim, who lived in Singh just before India\u2019s partition. After the country\u2019s independence, Raj and his family are forced to flee, encountering many hardships along the way as they struggle to resettle in Bombay. Raj is not great at math and prefers to be in the kitchen (the place of the women, according to his father), much to his father\u2019s chagrin. But that love for food ends up saving them as his mom starts using food as a source of income. There\u2019s plenty of sibling strife as Raj feels far from his older brother and, at times, jealous of his little sister Maya, who goes missing during the partition. While The Night Diary<\/em> is more introspective, this book truly digs deep into what really happened to families during this time of grand migration and is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn about that time period. It is unflinching, beautifully written, and doesn\u2019t shy away from hard events. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I\u2019m from Here Too <\/h2><\/div>
By Kashmira SHeth<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: July 2, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This evocative, beautifully written verse novel is about Anoop, an eighth grader who’s nervous about the new year because he’ll have no classes with his bestie and defender, Jacob. Anoop is an Indian Sikh, and his religion is misunderstood by many, especially in the wearing of his patka (and eventual turban). Their temple recently got police protection after an attack on a nearby temple, so Anoop and his family are worried. This verse novel takes us through a year of worrying about being bullied, avoiding bullies, getting to know his family in India better, building his faith, and finding his tribe with forgiveness and wisdom from his Baba. It also touches briefly on the Indian Partition — an important part of world history. It’s not a new story by any means, but it wins with underexplored topics, gorgeous writing, and a relatable male character that comes to life vividly.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Mid-Air <\/h2><\/div>
By Alicia D Williams<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: April 23, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After his best friend dies in a hit-and-run, 13-year-old Isaiah feels lost, especially because his other best friend seems reluctant to spend time with him. Isaiah is a sensitive boy with a love for rock music and a serious green thumb but he worries his sensitivity and hobbies make him less manly. When he\u2019s involved in yet another tragic incident, his parents send him off to his aunt and uncle in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he comes to terms with his grief and gains a new level of self-acceptance. This is much different from Williams\u2019 debut; more gentle and lyrical in the verse format. Her writing expertly combines the adventurous tone of Isaiah and his friends\u2019 hijinks with the moving depiction of his grief and the hopefulness of his healing and recovery. Older middle schoolers who love verse novels and male friendship stories will enjoy this one.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Louder Than Hunger<\/h2><\/div>
By John Schu <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: March 19, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In John Schu\u2019s debut middle-grade verse novel, he pulls back the curtain to let readers into a fictionalized depiction of his struggle with an eating disorder and life in a facility fighting against the condition. This book is truly a gut punch and flies by so quickly for such a thick novel with a tough subject matter \u2014 a testament to Schu\u2019s great writing. Perfect for readers in grades 6+ looking for more body image books<\/a> and fans of Lerner\u2019s A Work in Progress<\/em>.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Closer to Nowhere<\/h2><\/div>
By Ellen Hopkins <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: October 6, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was my first Ellen Hopkins book, and I get the hype now. It grabbed me from page one with unmistakable character voices. Readers will follow Cal and Hannah, two cousins suddenly living under the same roof after a family tragedy. While Cal twists the truth and likes pranks, Hannah is serious and \u201chonest as the day is long.\u201d This is a heartwrenching and heartwarming book about family, grief, substance abuse, and empathy. Great for grades 6+ and especially grades 7 & 8.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Wave <\/h2><\/div>
By Diana Farid (Author), Kris Goto (Illustrator)<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: March 29, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thirteen-year-old Ava lives in 80s California and loves to catch a wave with her best friend, Phoenix, whom she\u2019s beginning to crush on. Her mom is a single mother and her dad lives in Iran with his new family and rarely contacts them. Amidst all the drama, Phoenix\u2019s lymphoma returns aggressively, and he doesn\u2019t want to pursue treatment anymore. Can Ava convince him to keep trying? Wave<\/em> by Diana Farid is a lyrical, captivating, and heartwrenching middle grade verse novel<\/a> about first crushes<\/a>, surfing, and the grief of losing a friend.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Rain Rising<\/h2><\/div>
By Courtne Comrie <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: September 27, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

13-year-old Rain is dealing with several issues. First, her best friend has been acting like a frenemy lately. Then, she\u2019s just so sad all the time and can\u2019t stop feeling negative about her body \u2014 thinking she\u2019s ugly and too big. Her single source of solace is her family. When the thoughts become too tough to handle, her mother and brother Xander, especially, bring light to her day, even without knowing her challenges. But when Xander gets beaten up in a racially motivated attack during a potential college visit, Rain feels the walls closing in on her. Can she and her family find their way back to normalcy? Rain Rising<\/em> is a powerful debut middle grade verse novel about mental health<\/a>, body image<\/a>, family, and healing. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Ultraviolet<\/h2><\/div>
By Aida Salazar<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: April 2, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elio is in love for the first time, and his dreams come true when Camelia, his crush, becomes his first girlfriend. His first relationship and an association of males teach him plenty about consent, patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and respect for women. Plenty happens in this book, written in lyrical, accessible verse that feels akin to Judy Blume but for boys, as Salazar writes candidly about Elio\u2019s morning erection, nocturnal emissions, and the way he feels down there when he\u2019s around Camelia. Still, the text remains appropriate for tweens and young teens looking for more information than they might be getting from their parents about vital sex ed. Good for grades 7+<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A Two-Placed Heart<\/h2><\/div>
By Doan Phuong Nguyen<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: September 24, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Realizing that her sister doesn’t feel as connected to their Vietnamese heritage as she does, Bom writes letters to her sharing their family’s journey from before Bom’s birth in Vietnam to their immigration to the US. Set in 1994, this book is gorgeously written and sparkles with the love in the sisterhood bond. It also highlights life in post-Vietnam War Vietnam while shining a light on the struggles of assimilating after immigration. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In the Beautiful Country<\/h2><\/div>
By Jane Kuo<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published: June 22, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living in 80s Taiwan with her mother, Ai Shi (Anna) eagerly anticipates living in the beautiful country (the US) where their father moved a few months ago. But she\u2019s in for a shock when they arrive at their cramped apartment. Her father was conned into buying a failing fast-food restaurant, and Anna\u2019s parents struggle to make ends meet. At school, she feels like an outsider since she can barely speak English. On top of that, her parents are dealing with some unkind customers who mistreat them because they\u2019re Asians. Can Anna find her way? This is a moving, poignant, and lyrical verse novel about immigration, identity, food and family.  Fans of LaMotte\u2019s Measuring Up<\/a><\/em>, Warga\u2019s Other Words for Home<\/a><\/em>, and Yang\u2019s Front Desk<\/a><\/em> will eat this up.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Join our Patreon community<\/a> to get the printable version of this li<\/b>st<\/strong>! You’ll also get access to other kid lit resources and perks, like our seasonal guides, book tasting menus, and book discussion guides, to inspire you. You can also buy the standalone printable<\/a> from our shop<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

More Verse Novel Lists<\/h2>\n\n\n\n