TALKING OF THE NOVEL IN VERSE

In the last decade or so, there has been a steady growth in the novel in verse, written largely for a young adult audience. Increasingly, teachers, librarians and “literacy coaches” have began to recognize that the novel in verse is a peculiar genre that introduces questions of reading and comprehension and important questions about the reception to poetry among young readers.

In a comprehensive workshop and lecture, Kwame Dawes works closely with Lorna Dawes, a media specialist at a leading Columbia High School, to guide teachers and librarians in their exploration of this new genre. These hands on and interactive workshops have been conducted around the state of South Carolina with teachers and librarians.

The workshops include:

a) An overview of the evolution of the novel in verse in literature and the nature of its current incarnation

b) A detailed guide to various techniques that can be employed in using the novel in verse to teach Language Arts, Social Studies and sciences

c) A critical examination of some of the more recent and successful authors of novels in verse

d) A detailed review of how the novel-in-verse can serve as a fitting introduction to the study of poetry for students