Because I Am Furniture, by Thalia Chaltas

Anke is completely invisible in her family, but in her family that is probably a good thing. To be noticed would make her a target for abuse, which he liberally dishes out to her brother and sister. Watching her family being destroyed, Anke wonders why she cannot find the strength to speak out. In the end, after gaining confidence through a volleyball team she has joined, she is able to confront her father and save her family.

Verse novels, as I have often observed, are either insightful and touching or superficial and trite. The plot of this one -- heavy and oppressive as it sounds -- certainly carries the promise of being moving. But the verse itself is so thinly written that it never really hits the target. As a result, this book never quite lived up to my expectations.