Young Adult

A classic war story, this “book of meditations” on the Vietnam War is a great catalyst for classroom discussions.

A couple of teachers asked me to start including more non-fiction titles for young adults, so I thought I’d throw in a cool look at Tony Hawk’s life in skateboarding. The book is put together in a very interesting format (meaning there are all sorts of asides, quizzes and funky photos and art) which should hold the interest of any student with ADD yearning to skate away from school.

I have been reading a lot of books about World War II lately, and an odd man at the bookstore insisted I read this book. Wish I could run into the fellow again, because this book is fantastic. A 15-year-old Jewish boy lies his way into the Air Force with dreams of becoming a hero. He soon regrets that decision, as he learns that there is nothing glorious about war. I know: there are plenty of stories like it, but I have never read such a story geared toward teenage boys. Recommend this one to reluctant middle school readers.

Paulsen doesn’t need my help, but I just cannot help myself – as he is one of my favorite authors for boys. Students love this story of a U.S. Marshal born into slavery who became the most successful lawman of the Wild West.

I confess that I picked up this book because I liked the title. It is not at all what I thought it was about, but it is still very funny. Let’s just say that a teacher gets what he deserves when he punishes a student for turning in an honest book report (something I always wished I had done in school).

I confess that I love taking teenie-bopper quizzes, as they provide me with some of my favorite interactive exercises to attract students’ attention. This book is filled with quizzes geared for teenage girls looking for what guys want. In reality a good teacher can adapt these quizzes for use as icebreakers with students.

Olander, a “world-famous monstrologist,” shares his insights with readers on a variety of “googly-eyed wart floppers, shadow-casters, toe-eaters and other creatures. A book to be enjoyed by all ages, that is particularly popular with fifth-grade boys.

The first book in the new Bloggrls series, Sadie’s story profiles a teenager whose life takes a dramatic turn when her parents divorce and she moves to a new school, Sadie maintains her sanity by keeping a blog. The book is entirely written in blog-style, which is what the teenagers I have used this book with found most appealing. I also like to point out to students who aspire to write their own books someday that all illustrations in this book were created by 15-year-old Karina LaPierre.

Really meant for fourth and fifth graders, Alvin Ho is entertaining to all ages, as he freaks out about everything. He is a shy second grader who becomes the loud superhero Firecracker Man at home. A quick, enjoyable read with fun illustrations from LeUyen Pham and one of the most entertaining glossaries I have ever encountered.

I just realized that I had never included Judy Moody on a previous list, and I figure with the film opening this month that now is a good time to get kids excited about the books. I love this edition, in particular, as it includes wonderful artwork by one of my favorite illustrators, Peter Reynolds.

Bridget Jones’s Diary for teens. Very funny.

Am I turning into a teenage girl? I must be, as I recently watched the movie Mean Girls and read this book, and I think that both are “totally awesome.” This book captures teen popularity contests perfectly and with uproarious effects.

Subtitled Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls, this collection (edited by Betsy Franco) includes over 30 compelling poems and stories accompanied by intense black-and-white photographs by Nina Nickles. A great way to inspire teenagers to share their own stories through poems and writing.

If you have never read anything by David Almond, you’re in for a treat. I’d rate him as one of my favorite storytellers for middleschoolers. Your students will be fascinated by this mysterious orphan adventure.

Better known for her prequel to this story, Year of Impossible Goodbyes, Sook-Nyul Choi demonstrates her captivating writing style again in this book that manages to engage readers with its characters and teach a bit of Korean history during the Korean War in the 1950s. Frankly, I will read anything that Sook-Nyul Choi writes, as she is a terrific, important author.