Young Adult

A touching story about the cost of war on families over the course of the Civil War. I re-read this recently on an airplane where I sat next to a Marine returning home with the body of a fallen brother in Iraq, and I realized that some themes are timeless. Poignant and compelling for boys and girls (and their parents).

Bill Bryson is – without exception – one of my favorite writers. His travelogues are hilarious, and I was so psyched he wrote this book to allow me to discuss his work with high school students.

Here’s one for the girls. A thirteen-year-old girl dreads the afternoons she must spend with her grandmother until she becomes interested in the tales her grandmother reveals of her past. Give this book a chance, as it does not grab the reader right away. I promise you the story gets better with time…like a strong marriage.

One of the best immigrant stories I have ever read with my students. Na introduces us to Korean immigrant Young Ju and her family, and while there are the usual struggles that are apparent in many immigrant stories, what sets this book apart is how the narrative matures as Young Ju matures into a young woman. Beautiful writing.

I like to use this book when teaching students writing because it shows how Hans Christian Andersen took his many childhood experiences and used them to craft his beloved stories. Great for all ages.

What I like most about Caputo’s “History of the Vietnam War” is that it reveals different perspectives of Vietnam, from soldiers to student protestors. I would love candidates seeking office this November to watch students as they argue various sides of an issue without being disrespectful of one another.

This Newbery Award winner is a must-read for grade 4-6 teachers. Reminds us that children’s possibilities are endless.

How I've managed not to recommend an Avi book yet is beyond me, as I believe Avi is one of the greatest storytellers in America today (and he is great to listen to in person, if you ever get the chance). He is a master with historical fiction, and this story takes us to poor rural Colorado just before the Great Depression. An eighth grader needs to pass her exams if she is to move on to high school and fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher, and when her teacher leaves she takes on the role of preparing her classmates and herself for the exams. Token Avi as he portrays kids as able (if not more so) than adults. A great story about the importance of education.

Finally a vampire story that I can sink my teeth into (ugh – I cannot believe I wrote that sentence). This is the first vampire story I have read with students that gets them laughing, as it follows the misadventures of Cody Elliot, who flunked-out of one public high school only to enroll in a private school that he soon discovers is populated by student vampires. Especially great for boys who despise girls going ga-ga over the Twilight series.

You are going to fall in love with Colin Fischer, the teen sleuth with Asperger’s Syndrome who shines as the protagonist of this delightful story. Colin’s observations of high school are funny, insightful and fascinating, and I especially enjoyed Colin’s listings of many “Cliff Clavin-like” random facts.

Before I ever enjoyed books, my 7th grade reading teacher recommended I read this (another Newbery Award winner). I love this story, and I am even more excited about it now that I live near Catalina Island.

Talk about a wonderful book to discuss with students! Shawn McDaniel is a 14-year-old with severe cerebral palsy who cannot communicate his gift: he remembers everything he has ever heard (my wife also has this gift). Seriously, what I enjoyed most about this book was the relationship between Shawn and his father, who struggles with whether to euthanize his son.

Great for all ages, this fun, fast and insightful story will have you on the edge of your seat as you follow the characters along the roadmap to achieving success...like a Superhero!

One way to occupy students is to provide them with books like this one, filed with great brainteasers and riddles that will allow students to use the creativity they are restricted to use because of dull, mandated school standards.

A spectacular, true account of the author’s harrowing experiences as a ten-year-old daughter of a Japanese official in Korea. The story follows the family as they flee Korea for post-WWII ravaged Japan. The action is non-stop, and I’d love to see this book made into a television mini-series. While the story is spellbinding, my guess is that Watkins actually downplays the atrocities she had to endure. A book that belongs in every middle school classroom.