Last week I posted the query:
I will be teaching a YA Lit graduate school class this year that is only
(gulp) one month long. I want everyone to read the same 4 books along with
as many others as they can fit in. If you could only recommend 4 YA books,
what would they be? I am torn between using classics vs. the most recently
published. I'd like to also hit as many genres as possible - perhaps
historical, sci fi, fantasy, realistic. So many books, so little time...
I still have not been able to whittle the list down to 4, but I think I'm
getting closer thanks to all the help you have given me. Many of you
asked for a HIT, so here it is. Thank you again for all your help.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (realistic fiction): The Outsiders is classic
and timeless. It addresses stereotyping, separation by class, the teen
search for understanding. Students love this book because they can relate
to the realistic characters.
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (fantasy): This is the first book in
the Perseus Jackson series. I like this series because the modern-day main
character is a half-god; he's the son of Poseidon. It's a great book to
read in conjunction with mythology because the book makes innumerable
mythological references. Percy is in constant danger so there's lots of
action which makes the book extremely appealing to young men.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (historical fiction): Set during World War
II, this book gives students a glimpse of the tragedy from the perspective
of a Dutch girl who must act to save her Jewish best friend. I've taught in
two states and this book was required for sixth graders in both states.
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (fantasy): Every teacher in my building read,
discussed, and argued about this book. The main character falls in love
with a young man who turns out to be a vampire. These books (Twilight, New
Moon, and now Eclipse) are marginally less popular that Harry Potter (just
barely, though).
I was extremely tempted to put Harry Potter on the list, but couldn't
choose a specific book and figured anyone interested in young adult
literature would have read at least one of them by now.
……
I would definitely include Feed, by M.T. Anderson - great example of social
commentary combined with SF combined with a YA problem novel. Maybe think
about one of the novels in verse, too, like something by Sonya Sones or
Monster, by Walter Dean Myers. To round it off you might include a typical
YA girl book like something by Sarah Dessen or Gingerbread, by Rachel Cohn
- and contrasting with that Imani all Mine, by Connie Porter. The last book
I literally could not keep in my high school library.
…..
Crank by Ellen Hopkins; The Minister's Daughter by Julie Hearn; Twilight
by Myer; Airborn by Oppel is a good fantasy for those who don't like
dragons. :-) The Perfect Shot by Alphin; The Golden Compass by Pullman
(Just listened to it; truly the best audio book ever!!) Jude by
Morgonroth; Crackback by Coy; Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Cohn &
Lefithan; Firestorm by Klass; Knights of the Hill Country by Tharp and
anything by Picoult. I would recommend skipping the classics.
…..
Go Ask Alice
…..
Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials Trilogy: The Golden Compass, The Subtle
Knife , The Amber Spyglass for fantasy or Tolkien (there aren't any
better fantasy series, including Harry Potter)
Nancy Farmer's The Ear, The Eye and the Arm OR The House of the Scorpion
for science fiction
Garth Nix for fantasy, he has several series but his one based on the
days of the week are incredible
Historical Fantasy: Monica Furlongs' series: Wise Child, Juniper, Colman
Historical Fantasy: Tamora Pierce has several series with female knights
and magic, lots of gender equality issues brought up.
First Part Last by Angela Johnson for realistic fiction
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson for realistic fiction
Stargirl by Spinelli for realistic fiction
The Book Thief by Zusack for historical fiction
Percy Jackson and the Olympiads Series by Rick Riordan for historical
fiction
Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy for historical fiction
The Diary of Anne Frank (of course)
Also for science fiction: The Hungry City Chronicles by Philip Reeve,
Feed by M.T. Anderson
Classically: Go Ask Alice
Kurt Vonnegut's: Slaughterhouse-Five
Douglas Adams - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Angela Johnson or Go Ask Alice for realistic fiction?
Vonnegut or Zusack for historical fiction?
Tolkien or Pullman or Nix for fantasy?
Nancy Farmer or Ray Bradbury for science fiction?
…..
1. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2. The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
3. The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
4. Monster by Walter Dean Myers
…..
The Printz Award books are the first thing that pops into my mind. You can
find the lists for them at www.ala.org. It will also help "teach" the value
of the ALA lists--something every teacher needs to know. Go to www.ala.org;
choose Awards and Scholarships; choose Book and Media Awards; choose Printz
Award. The Printz Award is given to one book each year that is the best
literature for that year for teeenagers. There is one winner and up-to four
honor books.
…..
I would suggest...The Chocolate War by Cormier (classic), Twilight by Meyer
(popular).
…..
1) The Giver - Lois Lowry
2) Stuck in Neutral - Terry Trueman
3) The Wave - Todd Strasser
4) Speak - Laurie Halse Andersen
…..
House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer is a very well done science fiction.
…..
You Don't Know Me by David Klass
The Outsiders by SE Hinton
Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Define Normal by Julie Ann Peters
…..
I used "Speak" and "Out of the Dust" VERY successfully in lit circles. They
also greatly enjoyed "Stargirl" and "The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963."
…..
Feed by M.T. Anderson
Robert Cormier - any book
Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Out of the dust by Karen Hesse
…..
The Outsiders S.E. Hinton
Running Loose Chris Crutcher
Speak Laurie Halse Anderson
Boy Meets Boy David Levithan
Harris and Me Gary Paulsen
The Golden Compass Phillip Pullman
Out of the Dust Karen Hesse
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie David Lubar
The City of Ember Jeanne DuPrau
A Northern Light Jennifer Donnelly
…..
I would take a look at some of the newberys (more upper level ones)
especially Holes by Sachar. It might not be a true "YA" . You have a
difficult task to narrow it to 4 books. Possibly Catcher in the Rye because
it has endured. You should absolutely include a fantasy since it has
dominated YA literature, especially since HP.
…..
I would recommend "Looking for Alaska" by John Green. It's not only my
favorite, but it's also my cousin's favorite.
I also like "Feed" by M.T. Anderson if you are trying to fit in another genre.
For a good discussion topic, you might try making them all read "Gossip
Girl". Books like that are quite controversial and it would be good for
them to know what they are like so they can make informed decisions about them.
My all time classic YA book is "Jacob Have I Loved".
……
Keesha's House
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie (for new freshmen - GREAT readaloud!)
My Sister's Keeper
Anything by Walter Dean Myers
…..
Tough question: You should probably do at least one "classic" YA for
historical context and to compare and contrast. That would be either The
Outsiders or Catcher in the Rye both of which still seem to resonate with
kids today. Our seventh grade reads The Outsiders as a class and they love
that book.
You should probably read a graphic novel. This year's Printz winner is
excellent - American Born Chinese.
Stephenie Meyer's vampire books are hot, hot, hot the first is Twilight.
Orson Scott Card's Ender's Quartet is excellent, the first book is Ender's
Game. Boys love this book.
…..
American Born Chinese (Printz award) was truly awesome
and quite complex as well. I'd have to recommend that
right off the bat.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. This Sci-fi book is
quite intense and a big hit with GT students, or
students in general. At the least recommend it to your
students for outside reading. (There are other "Ender"
books but they aren't as good except for Ender's
Shadow.
Al Capone Does My Shirts. Rather unusual historical
novel that looks at autism as well as life during that
time for a young man who lives on Alcatraz Island with
his family.
Weedflower is another one - Japanese Interment camps
as well as Eyes of the Emperor. Weedflower is geared
more towards Middle School while Eyes of the Emperor
is for High School. Both deal with WWII and the
prejudice and internments of American Japanese.
…..
I forgot about graphic novels, and I love Out of the Dust, although I think
Monster is a good choice b/c it's urban and has an AA main character. Of
course, historical YA is good, too.
…..
I would say Looking for Alaska by John Green should be one of the books.
…..
SPEAK by Laurie Halse Andreson (great YA topics)
…..
I would recommend some contemporary and some classics that still resonate
today:
Farhenheit 451
Ender's Game
The Outsiders
To Kill a Mockingbird
AND newer ones:
Persepolis
The Giver
Holes
Speak
…..
have a high school book club and they lean toward sci-fi and fantasy for
their pleasure reading. High on their list are Stephanie Meyers' Twilight
(they can't wait for Eclipse, which is now out), Darren Shan's Cirque du
Freak series, and Scott Westerfield's Uglies trilogy.
For realistic, I love Trueman's Stuck in Neutral - a look at life inside
the mind of a boy who cannot communicate with the outside world. And First
Part Last by Angela Johnson is a quick read with much thought provoking
material that leads to great discussion.
….
The Uglies is my favorite newer sci fiction.
…..
Maus-graphic novel
a verse novel (maybe Out of the Dust)
Speak (award winner)
Eragon (fantasy)
The Trap (adventure)
…..
Scott Westerfeld either a title from the Midnighter series or Pretties or
Uglies-- I can't remember which comes first.
Stephanie Meyer Twilight
or James Patterson's Maximum Ride
or Atwater-Rhodes Hawksong-- these are all sci fi fantasy
Speak by Anderson or a Sarah Dessen title Dreamland, Truth about Forvever
or Just Listen
Gail Giles Shattering Glass
Alex Flinn Breathing Under Water or Fade to Black
Sonya Sones What My Mother Doesn't Know ( written as free verse)
Sports
Anything by Chris Crutcher especialy Whale Talk or Stotan
Carl Deuker High Heat or Painting the Black
Knights of Hill Country (author is Tharp I think new to us I just finished
reading)
Two other suggestions
The kids LOVE ( and some of the teachers here do too) Meg Cabots Mediator
series. These are really quick reads- I call them potato chip books-- once
you start them you have to keep reading them and you can pretty much do one
a day. They are never on the shelf.
The other book is the one I give kids particularly boy who say they never
read and hate to read. It is " Choosing UP Sides" by Ritter. Story of a boy
who is left handed back in the time at the turn of the century when his
father, a preacher, considers this "from the devil" The boy is forbidden to
use his left hand but discovers baseball ( also forbidden) It is historical
fiction, sports and a great story all in one book. The ending is a huge
surprise that no one ever see coming.
….
A Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen (historical)
The Giver by Lois Lowery (Sci-Fi)
…..
The Chocolate War by Cormier
…..
Great question.....like being stranded on a dessert island.
Well...JD Salinger's Catcher in the Rye is a classic, for older YA
Bridge to Teribithia will always be amoung the top on my list
The Giver by Jane Yolan - excellent choice
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons (OMG!)
or Ruby Hollar
I really loved Bell Prater's Boy by Ruth White
Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
…..
Beasties by Sleator
Anything by Nixon
Anything by Deuker
Sports anything by Lupica
All very popular with me and with my kiddos
You of course have the other standards like Hobbs, Paulsen, Naylor, etc.
New one titled Lush
…..
__________________________________________________________________________
Jamie Murphy Boston, Librarian
jamieb@dcn.davis.ca.us (home)
jboston@djusd.k12.ca.us (work)
Ralph Waldo Emerson Junior High School Frances E.W. Harper Junior
High School
2121 Calaveras Ave. 4000 Covell Blvd.
Davis, CA 95616 Davis, CA 95618
530-757-7430x157 530-757-5330x272
___________________________________________________________________________
"Strong school libraries increase student achievement."
- California School Library Association
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
* LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
* LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
* EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/
* LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
* LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home