a guest post by Rebecca J. Gomez
The verse format is a literary close-up; it strips away the fluff that so often clogs up traditional prose in order to get down deep to the guts of the story. It goes beyond the telling—or even showing—of a story, and invites the reader to draw closer until he or she can (almost) experience the story right along with the main character.
That was my experience in reading OUT OF THE DUST. I felt emotionally invested in everything that happened to the main character, Billie Jo. As I was reading, her pain and loss and hope and healing became mine.
That book set the bar high for the verse novels that I’ve read since. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every verse novel that I’ve read, but there are only a few which match that deep, gutsy feel that I love about OUT OF THE DUST.
One such book is BECAUSE I AM FURNITURE by Thalia Chaltas. This book is vividly, often painfully, real. Everything the main character Anke experiences, from volleyball tryouts to an abusive father, is written in such a simple, powerful way that I couldn’t help but be moved by every line.
LOVE THAT DOG by Sharon Creech is another verse novel that reaches that high bar of expectation. You would have to be made of stone to not have empathy for the main character, Jack, and how he uses poetry to deal with the loss of his dog.
There are several other verse novels that I love, such as ALEUTIAN SPARROW and WITNESS by Karen Hesse; HEARTBEAT and HATE THAT CAT, by Sharon Creech; THE DAY BEFORE, by Lisa Schroeder; and SONG OF THE SPARROW, by Lisa Ann Sandell.
Read any of these books, and perhaps you will find yourself falling, just like me.
Rebecca J. Gomez spends most of her time around kids, whether at work at an elementary school library, or at home with her family. When she is not busy with children, she is most often writing something for them. Her most recent project is a young adult novel in verse. Keep up with her at her blog.
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Author Interview: Caroline Starr Rose :: Rebecca Gomez
I’ve read all of these except BECAUSE I AM FURNITURE. I also haven’t read yet THE WILD BOOK. A Kindle-ing I go… thanks, Caroline! I think OUT OF THE DUST is for verse novelists what LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE was for prose novelists, at least we of a certain age bracket. I hear it over and over again. And I agree!
Although WITNESS by Karen Hesse was one of the first verse novels I remember reading, OUT OF THE DUST was my favorite. And like Rebecca, I felt emotionally invested in the story.
OUT OF THE DUST is one of my favorite books of all time. I didn’t like LOVE THAT DOG very much … I actually preferred HATE THAT CAT. LOL! Maybe it’s because, deep down, I’m a cat person and I loved how he came to like cats by the end.
Great overview of some wonderful verse novels, Rebecca!
I am scared to read Out of the Dust b/c it sounds so depressing. Your review gives me courage to read it!
Thanks so much for hosting me, Caroline!
Irene, I hope you enjoy BECAUSE I AM FURNITURE. It was a hard read for me, but even harder to put down!
Linda, I find that the emotional investment is what really sells a book for me, even if it’s not in verse. That’s what I love about Karen Hesse and Sharon Creech; they are brilliant even in prose.
Amy, I love HATE THAT CAT too. Sometimes it’s hard to know why I really love a book. I guess I just related to the little boy in LOVE THAT DOG. Plus I managed to get my husband to read it and he finished it in one sitting, so that’s a BIG plus for me! 🙂
Mia, I think everyone should read a few depressing books in their lifetime. And most books that some would call “depressing,” in my experience, have those glimmers of hope that really make them shine. But the depressing parts have to make sense and not come out of nowhere just for the shock value. I think that is why OUT OF THE DUST and BECAUSE I AM FURNITURE resonate with me.