Who Reads Poetry for Fun?

1. What were your reactions to reading a novel written in verse, like Make Lemonade? What do you think about this style and format for novels generally? Is there something particular about younger readers that makes this choice on an author's part appropriate or appealing?

As a teen, I have to admit I didn't read any more poetry than was required. I love imagery and all, but I didn't like poetry and found it unnecessary because I had great novels that were written in real sentences. The breaks in sentences in poems always bothered me because I would pause at the end of each line, ruining the beauty of the sentence. I felt like each line was a cliff that I fall off of to get to the next one. Now, as an English major, I make it a point to study more poetry because it is one of my weaknesses. Make Lemonade was kind of ironic because it was the story of a girl who didn't understand metaphors and imagery (think astronaut), which are essential parts of most poetry, and is written in verse. Each section of the novel tells a part of the story that actually flowed despite what to me often seems like broken sentences. The chapters didn't exactly flow together like a conventional novel. It was more episodic than narrative, which might appeal to readers who, unlike me, don't like in between details.

Novels written in verse might be appropriate for young readers because it might be less intimidating than a book of poetry, per se. It is a good way to introduce young readers to poetry. It is also another genre for them to explore amongst other new genres they are exposed to as they move on from children's literature. I don't know, maybe some of them will look at a novel in verse and feel that they are reading at a very mature level, boosting their confidence in their reading.