I just finished reading a novel that was written totally in Haiku. It wasn't a topic that you would expect to lend itself to poetry, because it was about the Vietnam War. Death Coming Up the Hill is by Chris Crowe. It is written from the perspective of a young teenage boy during the 1960s. He is a junior in high school and his life has been affected by this controversial war. His parents are on both sides of the issue and it has divided them. His girlfriend's brother is MIA and her family is dealing with the grief of not knowing. Our protagonist is looking at his future and wondering if there is anything for him other than the draft. It was a very interesting book to read because you expect Haiku to divide things into little thoughts, but the book flowed as any other novel might. Death Coming Up the Hill brought an interesting story to a difficult time in our history.
Another book that takes advantage of poetic form is What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones. This book is about a teen girl as she tells her story and talks about her first, and more loves. It's about growing up and it's about a glimpse into the diary of a young girl.
The next book is not exactly poetry, but it is written in short vignettes. It is the book Sold by Patricia McCormick. Sold was a High School Choice Award book in 2008, but the story is just as relevant today. This book tells the story of a young girl living in Nepal who finds a way to help her very poor family to survive. Only survival for her family is a living nightmare for her.
The final book that I want to mention today is written in a very unique format. It is a love story that is told mostly in pictures. The text is there to help direct the reader, but it is used sparingly. It is the novel Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony. In some ways it is a Romeo and Juliet story. How much are our young lovers willing to give up to be together?
There is such a variety of literature to choose from. Finding something that you enjoy might just take opening the pages and trying something new.