Carver: A Life in Poems
by Marilyn Nelson
Verse novel · ages 10–14 · 680L (~3rd grade) · 103 pages · 2002
Why we'd hand it over
A Newbery honor masterpiece—Nelson's verse about Carver is luminous and accessible, quietly showing how a Black scientist built a life of consequence through teaching and care; kids encounter real historical racism without trauma, and genuine intellectual courage.