Novels written in verse can make for great summer reading! Savor a verse here and there amidst the flurry of summer activities and before you know it, you’ve finished a novel and enjoyed a book of poetry.
Juanita Havill’s Grow (Peachtree, 2008) tells the story of Berneetha and Kate’s quest to create a community garden in a vacant lot. In this audio clip Juanita explains that only after writing over 40 poems did she realize she had written a novel.
Listen to Juanita Havill introduce Grow and perform her poem “People”
A favorite excerpt:
“There’s that crazy fat lady
who painted her house purple.
Ought to do something
about her.”
And I want to tell him
what he ought to do
is grab a shovel
or a rake
and help out
instead of criticizing.
Poetry Friday is hosted by Two Writing Teachers this week.
Posted by Danika Brubaker, MLS, Author and Publisher Liaison Librarian
Thanks for sharing this book, Danika, which is now on my to-be-read list. I enjoyed the audio link to the poem in Juanita’s own voice.