How Poems Are Gathered (cont.)

Poem cycles with a story arc. These are not quite novels in verse. Moving Day is a good example of this. It’s not long enough to qualify as a novel in verse (I think it’s 23 poems), and it’s illustrated. There is a clear problem, and things resolve by the end of the book. The poems are definitely poetic, but they don’t necessarily stand on their own and make sense without their surrounding poems to provide context.

Non-illustrated collections for pre-teens/teens. These collections often have a loose story arc or chronological progression, but they are not heavy on conflict. These are a tough sell (of course, so are all poetry books). Swimming Upstream is a great example of this genre.

Teen collections. These poems for teens are individual poems, standing alone. Poems from Homeroom, Tough Boy Sonatas, and Faith & Doubt are examples of teen collections and anthologies.

Novels in verse. These are novels written in poetic form. The individual poems do not stand alone. There is a clear conflict and story arc, and a good resolution at the end. They are generally not illustrated. Hugging the Rock, Reaching for Sun, Song of the Sparrow, and A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl are examples.