If you’re looking for books that evoke all the emotions, then you need to check out this list of poetry books that our judges loved, but which didn’t make the finalist lists. .
If you are saying to yourself but I don’t like poetry, then read on. No, seriously. We think Sarah, Sheri, and Matt can change your mind. History. Science. Humor. Biography. Diverse voices. Check. check. check. check. and check.
A LONG TIME COMING: A LYRICAL BIOGRAPHY OF RACE IN AMERICA FROM ONA JUDGE TO BARACK OBAMA
by Ray Anthony Shepard, R. Gregory Christie (illustrator)
Calkins Creek Books
Novel in Verse Nominee
“An incredibly well-done and powerful read. None of the people Shepard wrote about — Ona Judge, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King Jr., and Barack Obama — were new to me, but he managed to take their stories, weave them into powerful nonfiction in verse, and reveal their lives to me anew in a way that was so moving, I cried. Highly recommend.” ~ Sarah Miller
THE MUSEUM ON THE MOON: THE CURIOUS OBJECTS ON THE LUNAR SURFACE
by Irene Latham, Myriam Wares (illustrator)
Moonshower
Poetry Collection Nominee
“This is exactly what a science-based collection should be, engaging, beautifully written, and never didactic.” ~ Matt Esenwine
THE ORDER OF THINGS
by Kaija Langley
Nancy Paulsen Books
Novel in Verse Nominee
“I really loved this book and wish we could have sent it through. It was sad and sweet and beautifully written.” ~ Sheri Howard
VOICES OF THE PEOPLE
by Joseph Bruchac
Reycraft Books
Poetry Collection Nominee
“This is a brilliantly conceived, captivating tapestry of narratives that celebrate the cultural diversity and wisdom of Indigenous peoples, told through poems that capture the essence of individual lives. Bruchac — of Abenaki descent (though I am aware that that is currently up for debate) — brings to life a wide range of famous Indigenous leaders from The Peacemaker in 1000 A.D. to modern-day dancer Maria Tallchief and many others in between. This gorgeous book serves as an essential bridge between the voices of the past and voices of the present, preserving indispensable Native stories, perspectives, and history. Here Each poem is accompanied by work from a contemporary tribally enrolled artist — a beautiful and thought-provoking combination that makes this a must-have for any classroom or library, at home, school, or otherwise. ~ Sarah
A WHALE OF A TIME: FUNNY POEMS FOR EACH DAY OF THE YEAR
by Lou Peacock, Matt Hunt (illustrator)
Nosy Crow Books
Poetry Collection Author/Publisher Submission
“This is an excellent (and ambitious) collection of all sorts of styles, subjects, and voices. A prime example of the genre.” ~ Matt Esenwine
WHEN CLOUDS TOUCH US
by Thanhhà Lai
HarperCollins
Novel in Verse Nominee
“This is a book I wish all the panelists would have had an opportunity to read. Insightful, stirring, and masterfully poetic.” Matt Esenwine
