A verse novel tells a story through connected poems rather than prose, blending narrative with the rhythm and imagery of poetry.

Until a few years ago, the only verse novel most children had read was Cloud Busting by Malorie Blackman, which is rightly regarded as a classic.

Recently, many more have been published and they now have a higher profile than ever.

What makes verse novels special?

First, they look different on the page, with the text appearing far less intimidating.

There are fewer words and more white space.

For many children, the reduced amount of text makes reading feel possible: ‘At last, here’s a book I might be able to finish!’

Reading for pleasure expert Jon Biddle, who teaches at Moorlands Primary Academy (part of Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust) (Image: Jon Biddle)

Most verse novels are written in the first person, often from perspectives that are underrepresented in children’s literature.

They are also very powerful when read aloud, with the rhythm of the words making them ideal for performance.

About six months ago, Marie Zarro, English lead at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Droitwich, and I started to talk about what we could do to........

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