When a verse novel falls into my hands, I know it’s going to be a good day. I love verse novels, especially when recommending them to young readers. They are powerful and potent, each word having more meaning than if buried in a long paragraph. I find that I enjoy delving straight into the story, with few descriptions of location and characters. You dive in and discover more throughout the short verse!
In Gone for Good, we first meet Belle who has had an eventful night away from her campsite. The story then moves quickly to Connie whose eventful night will begin a new chapter in her life.
Since losing her mother, Connie has been troubled and unable to process her anger and grief so she has been sent to Silver Lake Academy- not quite a prison but not a school either. It is from here that we learn Belle has gone missing several weeks earlier.
Their stories become intertwined as Connie is a “sayer”! She speaks her mind and searches for the truth but at Silver Lake, secrets are everywhere and no one is owning up to what actually happened the night Belle went missing.
Connie is a formidable character, not one to simply follow the rules though they may serve her well. She questions, challenges and fights for those around her. She also has a strong self belief, which in Silver Lake is just the ticket to save herself.
This is another phenomenal story from Sarah Crossan, who is widely known for creating verse novels that everyone needs to read. She has started a massive following of this style of text and has likely created thousands upon thousands of readers through introducing them to verse.
This is a top pick for me this year!
My Shelves Are Full 