Verse Novels

Koertge, R.  (2003).  Shakespeare Bats Cleanup.  Somerville, MA:  Candlewick Press.  ISBN 0-7636-2116-1.

Koertge, R.  (2010).  Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs.  Somerville, MA:  Candlewick Press.  ISBN 978-0-7636-4435-2.

Verse Novels – an interesting mix of poetry and story.  Verse novels tell one cohesive story through a series of poems, often free verse, which

I love verse novels.  In my October 8, 2012 post, I reviewed several verse novels that I had recently read and loved.   http://corbynscorner.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-verse-novel.html   Now I have the pleasure to visit this form of writing again.

Ron Koertge as written a pair of novels in verse that are about Kevin Boland, a high school boy known affectionately as Shakespeare by his high school baseball team where he is an MVP first baseman.  When Kevin isn’t busy winning baseball games for his team, he’s writing in his notebook which he began when he spent an extended time at home recuperating from mono and read his dad’s poetry books.   Kevin enjoys experimenting with different types of poems, and he’s an expert (he knows more about poetry than I do, and I teach high school English!)  Reading his story through Koertge’s free verse, and then getting to read Kevin’s sonnets, and Sestinas, haikus and pastorals is a real treat.  The second book in particular plays up the expertise that Kevin is gaining from meeting hanging out with Amy, another budding poet who shares his interest in writing.  As they share work back and forth, Kevin realizes much about life and love.  And his poems are great reads.

I have to wonder if I love these books BECAUSE I am an English teacher who loves poetry.  Would students enjoy them as much?  My next book talk with my classes is about poetry, and I will be seeing if I can get students to read one of these books.  I believe that my secondary students will enjoy these books as well.  I will introduce Kevin by reading the second poem in Shakespeare Bats Cleanup, which tells about Kevin being sick.

                                    In Bed

            Being sick is like taking a trip, isn’t it?

            Going to another country, sort of.

            A country nobody wants to visit.

            A country names Fevertown.

            Or Virusburg.  Or Germ Corners.

            The border guards are blum-looking,

            with runny noses and pasty skin.  Their

            uniforms don’t fit and flap open in the

            back so you can see their big, ugly butts.

            Nobody wants to go there, but everybody

            Does, sooner or later.

            And some stay.

And then one that comes later when his friends Mark and Greg come by to visit.  At this point, Kevin and his girlfriend Goldie have broken up, and Kevin writes this haiku for her.  This is an excerpt from the poem "Haiku for Goldie":

            I know we broke up,

            but what’s that sweater doing

            in Mark’s blue book bag? 

Kevin’s story should appeal to many teenagers.  His mom has died, and his father is struggling to find his footing without her.  Kevin experiences girlfriends and breakups and sadness over losing his mother.  His life isn't perfect, but neither is it horrible.  He’s funny, and somewhat popular, and he’s a jock who likes poetry, which in his circle is perfectly okay. 

I read the second book first, and did not have any trouble keeping up with the storyline.  Then I went back and read the first one.  The stories were equally well-done.  However, as I mentioned earlier, Kevin’s poems are a step up in the second volume. 

Many of my students are familiar with verse novels because they have read Ellen Hopkins’s books.  They know that verse novels are “easy” because the text is less dense.  They enjoy feeling the sense of accomplishment when they finish one quickly.  I am hoping these two works by Koertge will be a welcome addition to their reading list.