In these five books — four verse novels and one collection of verse short stories — recommended for middle- and/or high-school readers, poetry expresses what the characters are feeling and experiencing. See also our National Poetry Month coverage for April; the March/April 2024 Horn Book Magazine, with its centennial mini-theme of Poetry & Folklore; and the Poetry tag in the Guide/Reviews Database.

Onyx & Beyond
by Amber McBride
Middle School    Feiwel    224 pp.
10/24    9781250908780    $17.99
e-book ed.  9781250908773    $9.99

“I guess magic ran out / or the city burned too bright / or maybe, I guess the ancestors / in the sky had a different plan.” Onyx, who is Black, carries the weight of the world on his young shoulders. At twelve, he is coping with the loss of his grandmother and is now caring for his mother, who has early-onset dementia. Onyx lives each day fearful and anxious that he will be separated from his mom and feels he has to keep her illness a secret. It’s a lonely and difficult period for the boy; however, his mind is also in the clouds — more specifically, in the stars, as his fascination with space and flying offers him a place of respite and a possible solution to his dilemma. Before her passing, Onyx’s grandmother had encouraged his vivid imagination and his dreams of becoming an astronaut. Written in verse, this tender story is set in the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the subsequent uprisings, which leave an indelible impression upon the protagonist, adding to his unease and his need for safety. Onyx proves a resourceful, compassionate character whose village shows up for him and his mother and relieves him of the burdens that he has carried alone for too long. As Onyx’s departed grandmother shares with him in a dream: “Kids shouldn’t have to do what adults should be doing.” MONIQUE HARRIS

Eyes Open
by Lyn Miller-Lachmann
High School    Carolrhoda Lab    352 pp.
5/24    9798765610114    $19.99

In this verse novel, Sónia is living to the fullest as much as a fifteen-year-old girl can under the Salazar dictatorship in 1960s Portugal. She writes free-verse poetry, though the nuns at school deride it; loves her protester boyfriend, though he is imprisoned; and works in her family’s restaurant, until they lose everything for hiring a “banned musician who sang a banned song.” Sónia’s world grows bleaker and more volatile as friends abandon her and her parents treat her with hostility, blaming her for their misfortunes. As Sónia seeks respite in other friendships and relationships, she tries to determine how she wants to live: as a protester against injustice, or safely and comfortably. Miller-Lachmann’s free-verse poetry captures the exquisite and the harrowing, the potent longing in romantic moments as well as the physicality in brutal ones: beatings from Sónia’s father and from police, the blistering burn from a workplace injury. Both the verse format and the intensity of the protagonist’s lived experiences and choices make this story about the power of teenage resistance a page-turner. Back matter includes an author’s note with historical background, discussion questions, a glossary, and further reading. AMANDA R. TOLEDO

When the Mapou Sings
by Nadine Pinede
Middle School, High School    Candlewick    432 pp.
12/24    9781536235661    $19.99
e-book ed.  9781536240184    $19.99

In this historical verse novel, teenage Lucille comes of age against the uneasy backdrop of 1930s Haiti. The American colonizers have removed their troops, and political discussions among Haiti’s new leaders about the country’s future are turning incendiary. Lucille discovers she has the gift of hearing her deceased mother’s spirit in their mapou tree, and the only one who understands her gift is Fifina, Lucille’s best friend and first love. Fifina vanishes under terrible circumstances, which leads Lucille to a confrontation at the section chief’s house; she must then leave home. Now a servant in Madame Ovide’s house, Lucille is intrigued by conversations she hears about progress, but to quell Lucille’s growing relationship with her son, Oreste, Madame Ovide sends Lucille to another one of her homes, to help an eccentric American who has come to the island to do fieldwork in folklore: Zora Neale Hurston. Hurston’s presence angers some powerful Haitian politicians, and Lucille finds herself in a race to save Zora, Oreste, Fifina, and herself. The novel addresses issues of classism, colorism, misogyny, and activism with nuance. While the resolution is somewhat abrupt, the detailed, lyrical free verse makes for an impressive debut. EBONI NJOKU

All the Blues in the Sky
by Renée Watson
Middle School    Bloomsbury    208 pp.
2/25    9781547605897    $17.99
e-book ed.  9781547605903    $12.59

“I didn’t know / best friends could die.” From the very first line, Watson takes a deep dive into the intricacies of grief and healing. On her thirteenth birthday, Sage is looking forward to spending the day with her best friend; instead, she receives news that her friend has been killed by a drunk driver. Her parents and aunt provide Sage with as much support as possible, even as she observes that adults don’t always know how to discuss death with one another, much less with children. She attends an afterschool grief group, where she connects with Ebony and DD, who understand “how death comes suddenly and without warning.” She also finds herself drawing back from loved ones as her emotions vacillate among sadness, anger, and guilt. Her attempts to streamline those emotions prove pointless, while interactions with friends, family, potential crushes, and even her beloved math class (“where everything makes sense”) show Sage there are no linear or concrete solutions in life, including in healing. Watson makes the wise choice to avoid neat resolutions to Sage’s process. An author’s note detailing her own recent experiences with grief adds impact to the idea that “the sadness & anger & laughter / don’t wait their turn.” A poignant story for all and a valuable resource for those experiencing grief and loss. EBONI NJOKU

All the Love Under the Vast Sky
edited by Kip Wilson
High School    Paulsen/Penguin    304 pp.
1/25    9780593625279    $19.99
e-book ed.  9780593625286    $10.99

In an appealing and innovative collection, Wilson (One Last Shot, rev. 3/23) brings together a dozen authors (David Bowles, Margarita Engle, Eric Gansworth, Mariama J. Lockington, among others), each creating a different short story in verse around the overarching theme of love. The tales explore this theme from various perspectives: love that is new, controlling, forbidden, rejected, familial, spiritual, same sex, among friends, and for our pets. The poets each bring their unique storytelling style — some accessibly conversational, some more layered and narratively complex — with stories ranging from fantasy to contemporary and historical fiction. Poetic language builds each story: in the heartbreaking but hopeful “Kaleidoscope,” for instance, Alexandra Alessandri writes, “I can learn to find beauty in the ashes, / to choose joy in the hard places, / to make art from broken pieces.” Each entry stands strongly on its own, while the collection creates a compelling picture of the many dimensions of love. SYLVIA VARDELL

From the March 2025 issue of Notes from the Horn Book.