6 verse novels for teens that can turn them into readers
Sarah Crossan is celebrated for her powerful verse novels for young adults, including One, Toffee, and Apple and Rain. Her newest book, Gone for Good, is a hugely propulsive and immersive 'missing girl' thriller.
With their short chapters, emotional immediacy, and compelling storytelling, verse novels can be a powerful gateway into reading for young people – especially those who feel intimidated by longer books. To celebrate the joy of poetry and verse as part of the National Year of Reading 2026, Sarah joins us to share six brilliant verse novels that can turn teens into readers.
"Poetry is our first language. We learn to speak through words that bounces and sings, which is why nursery rhymes are so effective. And though I’ve written for many age groups, in different forms, verse novels for teens is the place I return to again and again. I love the urgency of the form, how every page lands an emotional beat. And I know from speaking to teens that for so many, verse novels are the doorway into reading itself. Here are some of my favourite novels in verse." Sarah Crossan
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, with art by Danica Novgorodoff
A super-fast-paced novel about a fifteen-year-old boy who gets into a lift with a gun planning to avenge his brother's murder. As the lift descends, each floor opens to reveal a ghost connected to his past. A novel that can be read in an hour.
Gloves Off by Louisa Reid
The story of Lily, a teenager who is bullied at school and struggling with self-worth. Encouraged by her parents, she begins boxing and slowly gains strength and confidence. As she learns to fight in the ring, she also learns to stand up for herself. You can't go wrong with any of Reid's novels to be honest.
Solo by Gráinne O'Brien
Daisy is a talented young musician whose breakup with a popular boy at school leaves her questioning her identity and even her lifelong relationship with music. As illness and family pressures threaten to pull her apart, she must rediscover who she is. When a new girl starts at her school, it could be the key to survival. Or will it be just another difficult relationship for her to navigate? Solo is hoovering up awards.
Roar by Manjeet Mann
Rizu is a wealthy girl in Delhi whose life shatters when a jealous ex-friend accuses her of being a witch, triggering a modern-day witch hunt. Haunted by guilt and fuelled by rage, Rizu runs away and joins a group of vigilante women who fight back against misogyny and injustice. It's a dramatic and stirring story that took Mann four years to write.
Booked written by Kwame Alexander Nick and illustrated by Kwame Alexander
Booked is about a young footballer whose life is thrown off balance by family issues, school struggles, and the pain of divorce. He navigates friendships, first love, and bullying but through a growing love of words, discovers new ways to face everything life throws at him. A novel for younger teens who love sports.
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
This verse novel was the one that prompted me to try the form for myself and is the winner of the prestigious Newbery Medal. Billie Jo is a young girl growing up in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl. We follow as she navigates grief, guilt, and the unravelling of her family after a tragic accident which she believes she caused.
About Gone for Good by Sarah Crossan
Girl in Pieces meets One of Us is Lying, told in Sarah Crossan's inimitable and award-winning verse.
Connie Ryder is taken from her home in the dead of night and sent to Silver Lake Academy – a remote, high-security facility for 'troubled' teens. At Silver Lake, the vulnerable and the violent are locked in together under a brutal regime that aims to improve their behaviour. But when Connie learns she's been given the bed of a missing girl named Belle, she is drawn deep into a chilling web of secrets and lies…
A sensational, immersive and hugely propulsive 'missing girl' thriller, set against the backdrop of America's controversial Troubled Teen industry.
We're proud to support the National Year of Reading
If you're into it... read into it! In 2026, every adult, young person and child are invited to Go All In – to discover how reading can make the things you already love even richer.
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