Poetry for Middle School That Kids Can Relate To

Poetry Speaks Who I Am: Poems of Discovery, Inspiration, Independence, and Everything Else edited by Elise Paschen.  A collection of classic and contemporary poems that address topics of particular importance to teens: finding their place in the world, identifying what type of person they want to be, issues of race and gender, and more. Best for ages 12 and up and through high school.

Technically, It's Not My Fault: Concrete Poems by John Grandits. A concrete poem is a poem in which words form a shape that relates to the content of the poem. For example, in a poem about a cup of coffee, the words may lie in an arrangement that takes on the shape of a mug with steam rising from it. Concrete poems are particularly fun for kids. In Grandits' collection, an 11-year-old boy narrates poems which touch on topics like pizza, sisters, school, imaginative roller coasters, and all manner of humorous musings. Also check out his poems in the book, Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems, which are narrated from the perspective of a 15 year old high school girl.

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan. Bryan takes a historical estate document that details its slaves and their prices and turns it into a powerful book about the dreams of real people. He gives each unnamed slave a name, an age and vivid hopes and dreams. This is an extraordinarily powerful collection of poems and illustrations.

Shakespeare's Sonnets and Poems by William Shakespeare. Middle school students can certainly tackle Shakespeare's sonnets and an annotated version helps to make the language more accessible, because let's face it, even adults need help sometimes.

You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffery Boston Weatherford is a powerful historical verse novel about the Tuskegee Airman who became some of the most successful WWII pilots, despite the rampant racism they faced.

Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science by Jeannine Atkins. This lovely verse novel uses poetry to tell the story of Maria Merian, a 17th century naturalist, Mary Anning, a 19th century fossil hunter, and Maria Mitchell, a 19th century astronomer. The stories address the circumstance of their daily lives in a world which valued their achievements less than those of men, but they also focus on the young women's love of discovery.

A Maze Me: Poems for Girls by Naomi Shihab Nye. Although Nye wrote these poems for girls ages 12 and up, I don't think it would be outlandish of me to suggest that boys can read them, too. After all, if we want to raise good men we must make sure they are open to hearing the female experience. Nye covers all manner of topics: the relationship with one's mother, body image, crushes, community, and identity. Absolutely lovely.

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz. Your preteens and teens might not think they'll like a bunch of poems set in the year 1255, but challenge them, and when they read these poems they will surely come 'round! Schlitz wrote these poems (and some prose) to be performed, so be sure to listen as your children read them out loud.

Yes! We Are Latinos: Poems and Prose About the Latino Experience by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy is an anthology of free verse narratives about the wide diversity of Latino experiences. The poems share the fictional experiences of thirteen Latinos and Latinas across locations and important historical time periods.

Want more poetry goodness?

• Funny Poems for Kids
• Middle Grade Novels in Verse
• Children's Poets Your Kids Should Know