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Quick answer: If you loved Ellen Hopkins, read Ellen Hopkins's Crank, Glass and Impulse, then Elizabeth Acevedo's The Poet X, then Jason Reynolds's Long Way Down, and Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and Wintergirls and Melvin Burgess's Smack. All are raw verse novels about hard choices.
Ellen Hopkins writes verse novels about addiction, abuse and trauma. These picks share her honesty.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crank | Ellen Hopkins | Teen | addiction in verse |
| Glass | Ellen Hopkins | Teen | the sequel to Crank |
| Impulse | Ellen Hopkins | Teen | verse novel |
| The Poet X | Elizabeth Acevedo | 14+ | more Acevedo |
| Long Way Down | Jason Reynolds | Teen | verse novels |
| Speak | Laurie Halse Anderson | 13+ | readers who want a modern classic |
| Wintergirls | Laurie Halse Anderson | 15+ | older teens ready for heavy topics |
| Smack | Melvin Burgess | Teen | teens and heroin |
| Girl in Pieces | Kathleen Glasgow | 15+ | older teens |
| Thirteen Reasons Why | Jay Asher | Teen | issue-driven stories |
| Hate List | Jennifer Brown | Teen | aftermath of a shooting |
| Before I Die | Jenny Downham | Teen | bucket-list stories |
| Love Letters to the Dead | Ava Dellaira | 14+ | writing as healing |
| Tyler Johnson Was Here | Jay Coles | 14+ | readers who want a contemporary story |
| Fat Kid Rules the World | K.L. Going | Teen | music and friendship |
1. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
A girl falls into addiction. Raw and harrowing.
Best for: addiction in verse.
2. Glass by Ellen Hopkins
Kristina's addiction deepens. Intense and fast.
Best for: the sequel to Crank.
3. Impulse by Ellen Hopkins
Three teens in a treatment centre tell their stories. Raw and fast.
Best for: verse novel.
4. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Xiomara, a Dominican girl in Harlem, finds a voice through slam poetry. A verse novel and National Book Award winner.
Best for: more Acevedo.
5. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
A boy rides an elevator down seven floors on his way to avenge his brother's death. A novel in verse that is quick and gripping.
Best for: verse novels.
6. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Melinda stops talking after an assault at a summer party. A classic about trauma and speaking up.
Best for: readers who want a modern classic.
7. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Lia struggles with anorexia after the death of her friend Cassie. Haunting and heavy, with strong content notes.
Best for: older teens ready for heavy topics.
8. Smack by Melvin Burgess
Two runaways fall into addiction. Gritty and honest.
Best for: teens and heroin.
9. Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
Charlotte, a teen who self-harms, leaves a treatment center and tries to build a life. Intense and moving, with heavy content.
Best for: older teens.
10. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Clay receives tapes from a classmate who died, explaining why she ended her life. Controversial and hard to forget.
Best for: issue-driven stories.
11. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
A teen faces the fallout of her boyfriend's shooting. Hard and honest.
Best for: aftermath of a shooting.
12. Before I Die by Jenny Downham
A girl with terminal cancer makes a list of things to do. Honest and sad.
Best for: bucket-list stories.
13. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
Laurel writes letters to dead celebrities as she deals with her sister's death. Gentle and honest.
Best for: writing as healing.
14. Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
Marvin's twin brother disappears and is found dead after a police encounter. Moving and honest.
Best for: readers who want a contemporary story.
15. Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going
A heavy teen who nearly jumps in front of a train is rescued by a punk guitarist and joins his band. Raw and funny.
Best for: music and friendship.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Ellen Hopkins: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Ellen Hopkins. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For similar verse, read The Poet X or Long Way Down. For hard topics, try Speak. For harsh truths, pick Wintergirls.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ellen Hopkins?
An American author of verse novels.
What is her best-known book?
Crank.
What age is it for?
Older teens.
Which book here is best for music and friendship?
Try Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going, which suits readers looking for music and friendship.
Which book here is best for readers who want a contemporary story?
Try Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles, which suits readers looking for readers who want a contemporary story.
Which book here is best for writing as healing?
Try Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira, which suits readers looking for writing as healing.
Which book here is best for bucket-list stories?
Try Before I Die by Jenny Downham, which suits readers looking for bucket-list stories.
Which book here is best for aftermath of a shooting?
Try Hate List by Jennifer Brown, which suits readers looking for aftermath of a shooting.
Which book here is best for issue-driven stories?
Try Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, which suits readers looking for issue-driven stories.