Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 8/15/16

August 15, 2016 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Monday PM: Special Announcement!: All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely Wins the 2016 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award | Finalists: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Nevin, Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman, Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez, and Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Tuesday: What a Beautiful Morning by Arthur A. Levine

Wednesday: Picture Books 10 for 10: Ten Must-Have Picture Books for the Secondary Classroom

Thursday: The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner

Friday: Still a Work in Progress by Jo Knowles

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Pressure to Rhyme” by Tammi Sauer, Author of Mary Had a Little Glam

Last Week’s Journeys

Well, this week back has been… a week. The kids start on Monday, so I know that will remind me why I go through all of this stress, but right now it seems excessive. I preface with this because, well, I didn’t finish anything this week. I’ll share below what I am reading.

Ricki

I absolutely loved Kids of Appetite by David Arnold and look forward to writing the full review. As I said in a previous post, it is a bit like The Outsiders, but the crew is older. Also, it has some mystery to it. This one comes out in September, and I suspect we will be hearing about it a lot. I think it will be a favorite for readers.

I absolutely loved Knockout Games by G. Neri. I put it on my #mustreadin2016 list because I never got around to reading it. I never knew what the knockout games were until I read this book, and I feel like I was in the dark. Someone that I knew was a victim of the knockout game, and this made me want to learn more about it. G. Neri’s writing is very engaging—I felt physically ill when I listened to some of the sections. I listened to the audio, which I recommend, but I also think this would be great to read in print form, too.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

Now that I am back at school, I can listen to audiobooks on a regular basis now–yay! The first one I chose was Upside Down Magic: Sticks and Stones because I loved the first audiobook, and I’ve been waiting to listen to the second. I’m almost done, and I find it as thought-provoking yet funny as the first.

When I read The Cursed Child, I realized I hadn’t read a lot of Rowling’s other stories like Fantastic Beasts, Quidditch, and her Pottermore writing, so I decided I need to fix that. I only haven’t finished this because of time because if I had the time, I would have devoured this humorous Rowling text.

After I finish Fantastic Beasts and before I move onto Quidditch, I am going to read Bruce Hale’s newest in preparation for a future review. I love Hale’s work, so I am sure I’ll enjoy this one.

Ricki

I have been focusing some future research on Muslim/Islamic literature, and I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister by Amélie Sarn will be my fifth book that I read to prepare for the research. So far, I really enjoy it. It’s about two sisters living in France who share very different religious values. We learn from the very beginning that one of the sisters is dead. I’ll be finished with this one next week because it is short, and I am deeply engaged!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

top ten tuesday

Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday: Diverse Books I Wish More People Would Read to Build Understanding and Empathy

Wednesday: National Geographic’s 125 Wacky Roadside Attractions

Thursday: Selfies in the Wild by C.L. Murphy

Friday: The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas

Sunday: Author Guest Post

So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

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Still a Work in Progress by Jo Knowles

August 12, 2016 by Kellee

Still a Work in Progress
Author: Jo Knowles
Published August 2nd, 2016 by Candlewick Press

Summary: In a return to middle-grade fiction, master of perspectives Jo Knowles depicts a younger sibling struggling to maintain his everyday life while coping with his sister’s secret struggle.

Noah is just trying to make it through seventh grade. The girls are confusing, the homework is boring, and even his friends are starting to bug him. Not to mention that his older sister, Emma, has been acting pretty strange, even though Noah thought she’d been doing better ever since the Thing They Don’t Talk About. The only place he really feels at peace is in art class, with a block of clay in his hands. As it becomes clear through Emma’s ever-stricter food rules and regulations that she’s not really doing better at all, the normal seventh-grade year Noah was hoping for begins to seem pretty unattainable. In an affecting and realistic novel with bright spots of humor, Jo Knowles captures the complexities of navigating middle school while feeling helpless in the face of a family crisis.

Review: What I am always amazed by when I read a book by Jo Knowles is her ability to tell the truth about our world, and this book once again fits this description. Jo has a way of making her characters ones that are so real that you can imagine them walking into a school and know exactly which kids they’d hang out with. Noah and his friends could definitely be middle school students at my school. Her stories always seem to include a bit of humor (see: hairless cat on the cover) while never taking away from the seriousness of the book’s topic. The emotions, specifically pain or sadness, she portrays through her characters radiates out of the pages, so the reader can feel it.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This is an important book to have available for students to read. Although the main story is about Noah fitting into middle school, it is also about dealing with pain and anger and sadness and still having to live. This book needs to be in classroom libraries and should be booktalked so students are aware of its brilliance.

Discussion Questions: What makes the art room such a special place for Noah?; Why does Noah and his family not talk about Emma’s problems? Did not talking about it end up being hurtful or helpful?; Noah’s school is a bit different than traditional schools. How does his school differ from yours?; What does the title mean in reference to Noah? Emma? Their family? Other characters?; How did Emma’s experience with Lord of the Flies spiral out of control?

Flagged Passages: “Community meetings happen once a week. Everyone in the school has to go, including the teachers. The Community Room used to be the music room, but our town had budget cuts and they cut the music program. The wars are painted green, and old couches donated by various families line the walls so that if we’re all sitting on them, we form a circle/square. The problem is that there are more students than seats on couches, so if you get to a Community Meeting late, you’re stuck sitting on a beanbag or on the floor in front of the couch sitters. The beanbags are mysteriously sticky and smell like dirty sheets. The floor is cold and kind of gross because it doesn’t get washed very much. In either case, you have to sit in front of the people on the couch which means you are close to their feet, which means, depending on who you end up in front of, you are probably going to have a miserable hours.” (p. 9-10)

“‘Sara is new to vaganism,’ Emma explains.

‘Is your family vegan, too?’ my mom asks.

‘No, just me. My parents are all stressed-out about it. They think I’m going to become anemic or something.’

Emma sighs dramatically, as if to say, So typical.

My mom clears her throat uncomfortably. ‘We were worried about Emma, too. But she’s very aware of her dietary needs. Right, Emma?’

‘Kind of hard not to be with you and Dad obsessing about everything I eat,’ Emma says sarcastically.

My mom doesn’t answer, just grips the steering wheel tighter. Sara shifts in her seat awkwardly, probably remember the time a few years ago that no one talks about. Even though she and Emma weren’t good friends then, everyone know about the Thing That Happened.” (p. 29-30)

Read This If You Loved: Perfect by Natasha Friend, Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova, Zack Delacruz by Jeff Anderson

Recommended For:

Picture Book Ten for Ten 2016: Ten Must-Have Picture Books for the Secondary Classroom

August 10, 2016 by Kellee

In place of our weekly Top Ten Tuesday, we are instead so excited to join Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek for their annual August 10th Picture Books 10 for 10 event. The event features educators, librarians, parents, and other picture book lovers sharing their favorite ten picture books. Today, we are going to share our favorite 10 picture books for use in our secondary classrooms.

Today’s Topic: Ten Must-Have Picture Books for the Secondary Classroom

Kellee

I wanted to share some picture books I used for the regular precept activity in my classroom with my middle schoolers. On my original post, I listed Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, Red by Michael Hall, The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds, and Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña; however, here are others that I added during the rest of the year or will add this upcoming year:

1. Normal Norman by Tara Lazar

When I reviewed this book, the first thing I thought of was using it for a precept because the theme of novel is so relevant to middle schoolers. They all want to be normal when really it is the extraordinary that should be striving for!

2. The Knowing Book by Rebecca Kai Dotlich

The Knowing Book is a book that makes the reader think about the world around them and think about their priorities, choices, identity, and nature.

3. Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate

I used Ivan this year in a different individualized picture book activity, but the conversations that came about during that activity made me realize that the book needs to be a whole-group read aloud so we can discuss empathy for all living things.

4. Ada Twist, Scientist and Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
and Iggy Peck, Architect (though I haven’t read it yet)

I love these texts that focus on going for your dreams, overcoming obstacles, and finding your passion. Beaty’s writing is rhythmic and imaginative, and Roberts’s illustrations are so detailed and beautiful.

5. Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles

Freedom Summer is such an accessible introduction to the Civil Rights Movement for students who are just learning about the civil unrest of the past and in the middle of racial tension currently. This book will start discussions and make students think. Luckily, Deborah Wiles helps us out a ton by sharing so many resources with us on her Pinterest board https://www.pinterest.com/debbiewiles/ and her website http://deborahwiles.com/site/resources-for-educators/.

Ricki

1. Red by Michael Hall

I use this picture book to talk about theme. I love reading this book to secondary students (or preservice teachers) and then asking them what they thought the book was “really” about. They are always surprised that their peers have different interpretations than they do. It’s a fabulous book with a beautiful message.

2. Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett (I linked to Kellee’s Review of the book)

This is one of my favorite activities to do with students of all ages (elementary school through college!). You can easily download the Birthday Bunny book from the internet. I like this idea, but I do the activity a bit differently. I put the students into groups of five and purchase five copies of The Poky Little Puppy. The story is fairly flat, and it is a classic. We talk about why this might be. Then, I let them go at it—they create their own versions (each group writes directly in the five books I purchased). Each group shares with the class, and they are stunned at what we come up with. This gives us opportunities to talk about all kinds of literary goodness. 🙂

3. Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka

My advisor, Wendy Glenn, introduced this book to me during our Methods class, and I still use it many years later (along with her activity!). She gave us a slip of paper with all of the words from this book but with the punctuation removed. We were instructed to find a partner and together, add punctuation and perform a skit for the class. It taught us the power of punctuation! I still use this activity with pre-service teachers and loved doing it with my high schoolers.

4. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (Portfolio Edition) by Chris Van Allsburg

I took this idea from Caitlin Hoffman, a teacher in my department who always had clever ideas. (I am not sure if this idea was her own, but it is a clever one.) I bought the portfolio edition of this book, but it can also be purchased in picture book form. I hang the pictures around my classroom and tell my students to tell the rest of the story. Each picture in this book begs to be elaborated into a story.

5. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

I love reading this book to my students to kick off banned books week. Most of them are stunned that it might even be banned because it is based on a true story. Following the reading and discussion, I put them into groups and give each group a different banned book, and we continue our conversation and sharing.

Which books do you think are a must-have for the classroom?

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Special Announcement!: All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely Wins the 2016 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award | Finalists: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Nevin, Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman, Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez, and Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

August 8, 2016 by Kellee

2016 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Winner & Finalists Announced

The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is pleased and proud to announce the 2016 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award for Young Adult Fiction finalists and winning title. Established in 2008 to honor the wishes of young adult author Amelia Elizabeth Walden, the award allows for the sum of $5,000 to be presented annually to the author of a young adult title selected by the ALAN Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Committee as demonstrating a positive approach to life, widespread teen appeal, and literary merit.

The 2016 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Winner is:

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
(Atheneum Books for Young Readers / Caitlyn Dlouhy Books)

The 2016 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award finalists are:

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
(Penguin Random House / Knopf Books for Young Readers)

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
(HarperCollins / HarperTeen)

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez
(Lerner / Carolrhoda Lab)

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

All Walden Award titles will be identified by an award sticker—gold for the winner and silver for the four finalists. The winning title and finalists will be honored at the 2016 ALAN Workshop on Monday, November 21st at 4:30pm in Atlanta, GA, and the authors will be invited to participate in a panel discussion.

The 2016 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee would like to thank: the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Foundation, the ALAN Executive Council, the ALAN Board of Directors, NCTE, and the many publishers who submitted titles for consideration.

The 2016 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee considered over 350 young adult titles throughout the process. The committee was comprised of eleven members representing the university, K-12 school, and library communities. They are:

Mark Letcher, Committee Chair
Assistant Professor of English Education
Lewis University, Romeoville, IL

Lois Stover, Past Committee Chair
Dean, School of Education and Human Services
Marymount University, Arlington, VA

Cathy Blackler
ELA Teacher
Santana Alternative High School, La Puente, CA

Nancy Johnson
Professor of Children’s/YA Literature and English/Language Arts Education
Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Sara Kajder
Assistant Professor of English Education
University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Joellen Maples
Associate Professor, Graduate Literacy Program
St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY

Lisa Morris-Wilkey
Librarian
Casa Grande Union High School, Casa Grande, AZ

Beth Scanlon
ELA Teacher, Literacy Coach
Cypress Creek High School, Orlando, FL

Jessica Lorentz Smith
Teacher-Librarian
Bend Senior High School, Bend, OR

Wendy Stephens
Library Media Specialist
Cullman High School, Cullman, AL

Lisa Scherff Warren
ELA Teacher
Cypress Lake High School, Fort Myers, FL

For more information on the award, please visit ALAN Online: The Official Site of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents http://www.alan-ya.org/awards/walden-award/

Congratulations to all of the authors, and thank you to the AEWA committee members for all of your hard work! As past chairs of the committee, we know the amount of love, time, and thought that has been put into this choice.

To learn more about the Walden Award, visit our cumulative list of posts about AEWA: My Time on the Walden Committee

Our review of All American Boys

Ricki’s review of All the Bright Places

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 8/8/16

August 8, 2016 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

CONGRATULATIONS,
MICHELE,
for winning a copy of Coyote Moon!!!

Last Week’s Posts

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Tuesday: Ten Books We’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed Us A Fully Loaded Gift Card

Wednesday: Student Survey: Are Classroom Libraries Beneficial?

Thursday: Pirasaurs Attack Tour!: Preview of Pirasuars by Josh Funk

Friday: Top Checked Out Books by Kellee’s Middle School Readers (2015-2016)

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: An interview by Anna Olswanger, the author of Greenhorn, with Tom Whitus, the director who adapted her book to film

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

As promised last week, I couldn’t resist reading the new Harry Potter book.

I didn’t know what to expect from The Cursed Child, but I hoped to be swept back into Harry’s world, and I was not disappointed. Although reading a screenplay is so different from reading a novel, by the end of the first Act, I was all in and couldn’t stop reading. I love that the play explores the character’s weaknesses and love and friendship. I love that the play is accessible for those who may not have read the other books. I love that I could go visit Hogwarts again. I love that Scorpius is such a wonderful person. I love that the story is still about goodness and strength and hope.

The Marvels by Brian Selznick was my Big Book of Summer (hosted by Sue at Book by Book). Brian Selznick is brilliant at what he does. He has perfected the ability to intertwine the magic of wordless picture books with prose. Each of Selznick’s books that have mixed wordless pictures with prose have been set up differently (Hugo Cabret used pictures to enhance the story, Wonderstruck told one story in words and one in pictures), and Marvels was no different. The first 400 pages of the book are a tragic story of a world famous family of actors starting in the 1700s. We are then transported to the 1990s and meet Joseph who has run away to try to find a place where he is accepted. About halfway through Joseph’s story you learn how the words and pictures connect, but it isn’t until the end until each story is concluded. Beautiful!

I love taking Trent to the library and letting him pick out his own books to bring home and read. These were his choices from the last time that we went. We’ve had them for a few weeks, and he has been browsing them and reading them to himself, but this week we sat down and read them all together. I love how engaged he gets with books (well, the ones he likes) now. He asks so many questions! In I’m Not Sleepy by Jonathan Allen he was trying to distinguish between the owls and the woodpecker then between the mom owl and the dad owl. In Hello, World! he said every translation of “Hello!” that I said. Emma by Paola Opal and One Sheep, Blue Sheep by Thom Whiley were a lot of counting and colors. And Time to Build by Kate Riggs took the longest because he was so interested in every tool it talked about as well as what a tree house was.

We also got some new books! Trent definitely is the happiest when playing with cars, trucks, or trains (or talking about them or reading about them), so we got some new books that he loves as much as I hoped he would. First were two train books. Trainbots Miranda Paul was introduced to me at ALA, and I knew he would love it. We read this at the ENT on Thursday. Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis was inspired by Chelsea Clinton. I not only love the story she told about it, but I also knew Trent would love to read it and make the train noises. We also got two truck books. How to Track a Truck by Jason Carter Eaton became an instant favorite. It is about tracking a truck to become your pet. It is so clever, and I love the illustrations by John Rocco. With Any Luck I’ll Drive a Truck by David Friend is a truck fans dream! These two books are must haves if you have (a) vehicle-obsessed kid(s) like mine.

Ricki

It’s a good thing you have Kellee this week! I spent the week transcribing my interviews for my dissertation. I am really excited that I am almost done with this stage. I’ve spent over 100 hours transcribing this summer, so my head is full of good information that I am excited to report about multicultural young adult literature. 🙂 I did make some progress on several of the books I am reading, but I didn’t finish any!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

It preplanning at school, so I am not sure how much I am going to get read, but I will start listening to audiobooks on the way to work again. I am not sure what one I am going to start with.

I do hope to at least finish Jedi Academy: A New Class by Jarrett J. Krosoczka because I’ve started it and am loving it so far (though it made me realize that I only read #1 of the original Jeffrey Brown series!). I just recently watched the newest Star Wars movie, so everything is fresh in my mind 🙂

Ricki

My GOODNESS this book (Knockout Games) is good. I started listening to it on audio. I am about 3/4 of the way through, and I am hooked. This is my first G. Neri book, and it won’t be my last.

I am savoring Kids of Appetite by David Arnold. It is such a fabulously written book. I am really looking forward to writing a full review.

Henry and I made it halfway through The Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo. I think I may have hit a roadblock with him because he wants more pictures. He promises me that we can read more tonight, but 2.5-year-olds aren’t exactly consistent. Cross your fingers for me.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Monday PM: Special Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Announcement!

Tuesday: What a Beautiful Morning by Arthur A. Levine

Wednesday: Picture Books 10 for 10: Ten Must-Have Picture Books for the Secondary Classroom

Thursday: The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner

Friday: Still a Work in Progress by Jo Knowles

Sunday: Author Guest Post

So, what are you reading?

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Author Guest Post!: An interview by Anna Olswanger, the author of Greenhorn, with Tom Whitus, the director who adapted her book to film

August 7, 2016 by Kellee

An interview by the author of Greenhorn with the director who adapted her book to film

In 2014 I co-produced an independent film adaptation of my middle grade novel Greenhorn, the story of a young Holocaust survivor who arrives at a Brooklyn yeshiva in the 1940s with only a small box that he won’t let out of his sight. The film, like the book, concerns bullying and disabilities and is based on a true story.

The film version of the book premiered in late 2014 at the Landmark NuArt Theatre in L.A. and at The Museum of Tolerance in New York. It was named the 2015 Audience Award Winner for Best Short Film Drama at the Morris and Mollye Fogelman International Jewish Film Festival in Memphis and subsequently aired on public television in Tennessee and Kentucky.

I’ve always wondered what caught the eye of the film’s director Tom Whitus, who wrote the screenplay. Tom is not Jewish and none of his family perished in the Holocaust, so what about the novel made him want to adapt it to film? The following is my short interview with Tom about Greenhorn:

Anna: What first struck you about the book?

Tom: The story is about friendship and loyalty—and standing up to bullies. These are all themes that are as important today as they were in 1946.

Anna: Why did you want to adapt the book to film?

Tom: As much as I respect the power of reading, I knew that the film would give us an opportunity to tell the story on a larger scale. And, since I felt it was important story to tell, I hoped the film would give us a chance to tell the story to a broader audience.

Anna: What did you see as the challenges to filming it?

Tom: The biggest challenge was going to 21st Century New York City to make a film set in 1946. Fortunately, much of New York has architecture of that period, so it was just a matter of framing out all the signs of a modern city. Casting was a challenge as well, finding the boys brought up in a modern world who could look and act like the yeshiva students of 1946. We found some very talented actors to bring those roles to life.

Anna: Are you satisfied with the end result?

Tom: Yes—with this caveat. Whenever I watch the film, I always come across a scene where I say, “I could have done that better.” Still, given our constraints, I think we made a very nice film.

Anna: What do you think the film achieves that the book couldn’t?

Tom: As I said before, I think it reaches a broader audience. There are people out there who will watch the film but might not ever take the time to read the book (though I honestly think you can read the book in less time than it takes to watch the film). That said, the film brings the characters to life.

Anna: Do you think the film is important?

Tom: This is a very important film for many reasons: It is imperative that we remember the Holocaust and the toll it took; we need to remember and mourn the victims of the Holocaust and celebrate those who survived to tell the story; friendship and loyalty can overcome small minded people; and finally, those who are different—those who stutter, those who suffer from tragedy—need to be accepted and loved, not shunned and made fun of.

Anna: Why do you think young people should see the film?

Tom: I think it will help them understand what others have gone through, and how friendship, loyalty and bravery can change the world.

Anna Olswanger is the author of Greenhorn and Shlemiel Crooks, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book and PJ Library Book. She has been a literary agent since 2005 and lives in the metro NYC area. Visit her online at www.olswanger.com. Greenhorn was published in 2012 by NewSouth Books in hardcover and ebook.

Karen Cushman, Newbery Medalist, called the novel “a tender, touching celebration of friendship, family, and faith.” David Adler, winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book for Nonfiction, called it “a heartwarming and heartrending story of friendship and tragedy.”

As an aid to teachers and librarians, the publisher NewSouth posted a Classroom Guide for the book on its website: http://www.newsouthbooks.com/greenhorn/greenhorn-classroom-guide.pdf

The guide has curriculum tie-ins to the Holocaust, Judaism, World War II, Heroes and Heroines, U.S. and New York History, World History, Historical Fiction, Friendship, Community, and Family.

TMW Media distributes the film version of Greenhorn and has posted a discussion guide for the film online at www.tmwmedia.com/newtmw/teachers_guides/L4812DVD.pdf.

You can view the film’s trailer at www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNo5tx3q_3c.

Greenhorn is an important film and book, so thank you to Anna and Tom for sharing it with us! Also, what a fascinating process to learn about!

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Top Checked Out Books by Kellee’s Middle School Readers 2015-2016

April 22, 2023August 5, 2016 by Kellee

Yearly, starting with 2012-2013 (and excluding 2013-2014), I have shared the most popular books in my classroom library:
2012-2013 Top Books for Struggling/Reluctant Middle School Readers
2014-2015 Top Checked Out Books by Kellee’s Middle School Readers

In 2012-2013, I taught an intensive reading class with students who had not been successful on the state reading test; however, last year and this year, I switched to teaching advanced reading, but my library is still available for the three intensive reading classes in my school. The books below are the top 15 graphic novels and the top 15 novels checked out from my classroom library.

The most read and loved books of 2015-2016 in my 6th-8th grade classroom library.
**I did combine some series into one if all of the books in the series were high volume check outs.**

Top 15 Checked Out Graphic and Illustrated Novels

15. Maximum Ride Manga #1 by James Patterson

14. Nnewts by Doug TenNapel

13. Cleopatra in Space series by Mike Maihack

12. Sidekicks by Dan Santat

11. El Deafo by Cece Bell

Review of El Deafo

10. Bad Island by Doug TenNapel

9. Sunny Side Up by Jenni L. Holm

Review of Sunny Side Up

8. Explorer series edited by Kazu Kibuishi

Teaching Guide for Explorer 1 & 2

7. Cardboard by Doug TenNapel

6. Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel

5. Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan

4. Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Review of Drama

3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney

2. Smile and Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

1. Amulet (series) by Kazu Kibuishi
**By far the most popular book in my classroom since book #1 came out**

Graphic novels are very popular with ALL of my readers. I think there are many reasons why graphic novels are favorites: helps students visualize, fun to read as many of these students have only found reading to be a horrible chore, and colorful! Graphic novels are something I truly believe will help students love reading more and become better readers, and if you look at how much these students are reading and increasing in their reading ability, I think they back me up. (To see more research about the importance of graphic novels, check out my graphic novel teaching guide with Abrams.)

Top 15 Checked Out Novels

15. Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

14. Twerp by Mark Goldblatt

13. Tiara on the Terrace by Kristen Kittscher

Review of Tiara on the Terrace

12. Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

11. Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

10. I, Q by Roland Smith

9. Wake by Lisa McMann

8. Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

7. Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

6. The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan

5. The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

4. Stung series by Bethany Wiggins

3. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

2. Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz

1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

As you can tell, series are very popular. Students love to be able to keep reading about characters. And Rick Riordan is a middle school rock star! Number 4, 8, 12, and 14 were on our 2015-2016 state award list (Stung won our state award!), and number 5 is on next year’s list.

What books/series do you find to be most popular with your middle school readers?
Have you found success with the books I listed above?
Have you read any of the books I’ve listed? Did you enjoy them?

I hope this list of books helps point you in the direction of some texts that your readers will truly love!