One at a time seems to be the current theme of my life... One child. One husband. One breath. One book. One activity. One injury. One happy life. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" (Ecc 3:1).
My favorite book as a teenager (and still is) is Jane Eyre. The Watson's Go to Birmingham, 1963 is my favorite book to teach to my 6th graders. It has humor mixed with complex issues - so teachable! Like Alyssa, my students also loved the Shadow Children Series. I have taught Among the Hidden. Its one of my favorites, too.
I loved and still love anything Lucy Maud Mongomery or Louisa May Alcott. I recently read March by Geraldine Brooks. She writes about the Little Women's absent father. Sooo good!
Fave school reading...Once and Future King and A Separate Peace
Fave play from highshcool to today...Romeo and Juliet.
If pre-teen years count, I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins.
I remember reading Christopher Pike mysteries and another mystery series about an all girl boarding school.
1. As a teenager, I liked reading Shakespeare's comedies. They made me feel smart, and legitimately enjoyed them.
2. As far as teaching goes...it depends on the students...when I worked at Joelton, my favorite was Slam by Walter Dean Myers. At Wright it has been The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. Who knows...it's always up for a change.
1. I loved (and still do) sci fi/fantasy books. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, The Once and Future King by T.H. White, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings series, and The Golden Compass series by Philip Pullman (I carried around the third book when it came out until it was torn to shreds, and cried at the end)
2. I really like teaching Walter Dean Meyers as well, but think my favorite unit is Anne Frank. I don't know why, there is just so much to teach there and I think the kids love the play aspect of it (the 8th grade lit book has a play interpretation)
Okay, I'm not sure if fifth grade counts as "adolescent," but I love to teach Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee. The kids also enjoyed Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath. The themes in both are similar, so it works to put the kids in groups and have both novels going at once.
As a teenager, I read everything, but I adored all of the Anne of Green Gables books by LM Montgomery and have never lost my fascination with To Kill a Mockingbird--which I was never "taught" in school.
Fifth definitely counts as adolescence in this day and age (10-26 years old)... How did you miss out on being "taught' To Kill a Mockingbird. I love, love, love that book!
1. Madeline L'Engle and Stephen King wrote my favorites: The Wrinkle in Time series and The Dark Tower.
2. Most of the novels in my school library, I don't love, but I do love these short stories: Harrison Bergeron, Dark they were and Golden-Eyed, and The Monsters are Due on Maple Street.
I've always loved reading any of the Classics...Grapes of Wrath, Where the Red Fern Grows and Gone With the Wind to name a few. I enjoyed reading variety growing up. But my favorite book to teach is the Bible.
I forgot to mention, my favorite read aloud is The Witches by Roald Dahl. My teacher read it to me in elementary school, and I have read it to 8th graders on Fridays after vocab tests and they LOVE it
That is another example of the power of the read aloud. My fourth grade teacher faithfully read Laura Ingalls Wilder's books to us each day after lunch. It was the highlight of my day. Later the television series brought those beloved characters to life.
1. I read WAY too much to only pick one, but I loved and still love a good series book because I become extremely attached to characters in books. I adored the dismally sad Laurene McDaniel books in 5th and 6th grade because they dealt with adult topics and I felt like I was reading adult books.
2. I love teaching novels. Period. Top book to teach would be Freak the Mighty this past year or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry because of student involvement.
I'd forgotten about the McDaniel books. I had a student who ONLY read those for an entire year. So glad when she finished them and we could branch out to other books.
1. I wasn't a big reader when I was a teenager (Sorry! Just being honest!), but I remember reading Copper Sun and liking it! 2. I don't teach Language Arts, but my students' language arts teacher loves to teach them Sarah Plain and Tall (fourth grade)
Class to trash...I loved it all. I was the kid under the covers with a pen light. I went on adventures with Tom and Huck, watched Atlanta burn with Scarlett, and tripped with the Valley of the Dolls chicks.
I especially enjoy The Skin I'm In and Holes for classroom consumption. I also have to give a shout-out to A Wrinkle in Time and Eragon.
I am a novice in the blogosphere, I like personal interaction. I was not a very good blogger last semester.
1. I didn't read much as a teenager. I could fake it with the best of 'em in English class though! I repeatedly read books when I was younger. Now that I think of it, I do remember being quite affected by A Separate Peace.
2. a) Fahrenheit 451 when teaching literacy devices in writing. Each chapter gave us another very obvious example of a device to add to the students' toolbox. b) The Pearl (which I hated the first time I read it) when teaching critical literacy. We studied the gender and cultural norms that stretched and collided across the story.
I could list several more, but what I am realizing is that I don't consider myself "teaching the book" so much as teaching some aspect of literacy and using a particular book or other text(s) to facilitate that study. What makes the text so powerful to me is its ability to engage us in learning the concept...The book becomes even better in the process!
By the way, grad students of mine last semester read YA books that they then shared on social media: http://developingwriters.org/teachread/ If you hold your mouse over #teachread in the menu on the side you can click on their final report of their experiences and recommendations, such as this one: http://developingwriters.org/teachread/the-perks-of-being-a-tweeter/
Oh...and I just saw someone's short story suggestions. So now I want to add a few more to my list... 2. c) Roald Dahl's absurd fiction pieces are amazing! "Royal Jelly" and "Man from the South." Woah! d) I love teaching with Sudden (for Flash) Fiction like "Snapshot, Harvey Cedars: 1948" by Paul Lisicky.
Thanks, Anna! I absolutely agree with the using the novel to teach an aspect of literacy by engaging in the novel... most of the people here also feel that way, I think!
I liked The Great Gatsby and The Canterbury Tales in high school. Before that (early adolescence), I liked most of the "teenager" Judy Blume books - Deenie, Tiger Eyes, Then Again Maybe I Won't, and of course, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Those books taught me a lot about growing up that I was afraid to ask anyone.
When I get the chance to teach reading, I love to teach the book The Duplicate by William Sleator. Most adolescents have wondered what would happen if they could make a copy of themselves - one to stay home and one to go to school. This book is a fun look at that.
1. In 6th grade, I adored Anne Frank and other diary formats. I became very intrigued with the Holocaust because of the novel.
2. I loved doing book talks and class discussion about The House on Mango Street, thanks to LaToya :) My students identified with this book in so many ways.
Students do enjoy finding elements in a novel that relate to their own experiences and relationships. Those text to self connections are powerful, and they are often lasting.
1) I loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as a teen. It's still one of my favorite books to date.
ReplyDelete2) As an adolescent, I really loved The Wizard of Oz, and when I was a little older, I really enjoyed the Alice Series.
Thanks, Sarah! I love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn!
DeleteSome of my favorite books to read were: Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, The Giver.
DeleteI haven't taught adolescents any books, but all of my students really enjoyed the Shadow Children series (first book is Among the Hidden) read alouds.
My favorite book as a teenager (and still is) is Jane Eyre.
DeleteThe Watson's Go to Birmingham, 1963 is my favorite book to teach to my 6th graders. It has humor mixed with complex issues - so teachable! Like Alyssa, my students also loved the Shadow Children Series. I have taught Among the Hidden. Its one of my favorites, too.
Thanks, Alyssa and Kathy. I'm glad you reminded me of the Shadow Children series :) I hadn't thought of it in awhile.
DeleteI loved and still love anything Lucy Maud Mongomery or Louisa May Alcott. I recently read March by Geraldine Brooks. She writes about the Little Women's absent father. Sooo good!
ReplyDeleteFave school reading...Once and Future King and A Separate Peace
Fave play from highshcool to today...Romeo and Juliet.
If pre-teen years count, I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins.
I remember reading Christopher Pike mysteries and another mystery series about an all girl boarding school.
:)
Thanks, sis! Was CP the reason you dressed in private school uniform for a period of time?
Delete1. As a teenager, I liked reading Shakespeare's comedies. They made me feel smart, and legitimately enjoyed them.
ReplyDelete2. As far as teaching goes...it depends on the students...when I worked at Joelton, my favorite was Slam by Walter Dean Myers. At Wright it has been The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. Who knows...it's always up for a change.
I love Walter Dean Myers...I bet he will be signing books at NCTE later this year:)
Delete1. I loved (and still do) sci fi/fantasy books. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, The Once and Future King by T.H. White, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings series, and The Golden Compass series by Philip Pullman (I carried around the third book when it came out until it was torn to shreds, and cried at the end)
ReplyDelete2. I really like teaching Walter Dean Meyers as well, but think my favorite unit is Anne Frank. I don't know why, there is just so much to teach there and I think the kids love the play aspect of it (the 8th grade lit book has a play interpretation)
I'm with you on most of these.... but alas, I could NOT get into Once and Future King. :)
DeleteMy favorite book as a teenager was Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. I've been trying to collect a class set to teach it---I still love the book.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed teaching Tuck Everlasting this year. The kids and I both loved it!
We should write a book grant to get you a set of those books!
DeleteOkay, I'm not sure if fifth grade counts as "adolescent," but I love to teach Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee. The kids also enjoyed Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath. The themes in both are similar, so it works to put the kids in groups and have both novels going at once.
ReplyDeleteAs a teenager, I read everything, but I adored all of the Anne of Green Gables books by LM Montgomery and have never lost my fascination with To Kill a Mockingbird--which I was never "taught" in school.
Fifth definitely counts as adolescence in this day and age (10-26 years old)... How did you miss out on being "taught' To Kill a Mockingbird. I love, love, love that book!
DeleteAs a teenager, I loved the Eugenia Price books about St Simon's Island and the Donna Parker series.
ReplyDeleteAs a child, I read the Bobbsey Twins.
Love the Bobbsey Twins can't wait to get KB into them and the Boxcar Children!
DeleteI read Price's books set in Savannah, love her!
Delete1. Madeline L'Engle and Stephen King wrote my favorites: The Wrinkle in Time series and The Dark Tower.
ReplyDelete2. Most of the novels in my school library, I don't love, but I do love these short stories: Harrison Bergeron, Dark they were and Golden-Eyed, and The Monsters are Due on Maple Street.
Thanks, Brandy! I will have to check out those short stories!
DeleteI've always loved reading any of the Classics...Grapes of Wrath, Where the Red Fern Grows and Gone With the Wind to name a few. I enjoyed reading variety growing up. But my favorite book to teach is the Bible.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I love Grapes of Wrath and Where the Red Fern Grows! That's a great connection:)
DeleteI forgot to mention, my favorite read aloud is The Witches by Roald Dahl. My teacher read it to me in elementary school, and I have read it to 8th graders on Fridays after vocab tests and they LOVE it
ReplyDeleteThat is another example of the power of the read aloud. My fourth grade teacher faithfully read Laura Ingalls Wilder's books to us each day after lunch. It was the highlight of my day. Later the television series brought those beloved characters to life.
Delete1) A Wrinkle in Time
ReplyDelete2) Sound the Jubilee
Thanks, Jon! I miss you already.
Delete1. I read WAY too much to only pick one, but I loved and still love a good series book because I become extremely attached to characters in books. I adored the dismally sad Laurene McDaniel books in 5th and 6th grade because they dealt with adult topics and I felt like I was reading adult books.
ReplyDelete2. I love teaching novels. Period. Top book to teach would be Freak the Mighty this past year or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry because of student involvement.
I'd forgotten about the McDaniel books. I had a student who ONLY read those for an entire year. So glad when she finished them and we could branch out to other books.
Delete1. I wasn't a big reader when I was a teenager (Sorry! Just being honest!), but I remember reading Copper Sun and liking it!
ReplyDelete2. I don't teach Language Arts, but my students' language arts teacher loves to teach them Sarah Plain and Tall (fourth grade)
Copper Sun is striking for teens... thanks for the reminder.
DeleteClass to trash...I loved it all. I was the kid under the covers with a pen light. I went on adventures with Tom and Huck, watched Atlanta burn with Scarlett, and tripped with the Valley of the Dolls chicks.
ReplyDeleteI especially enjoy The Skin I'm In and Holes for classroom consumption. I also have to give a shout-out to A Wrinkle in Time and Eragon.
I am a novice in the blogosphere, I like personal interaction. I was not a very good blogger last semester.
Did you read my "Apparently, I am a horrible blogger" on my home page? I feel your pain!
DeleteThanks for your honesty. Your comments allowed me to be unguarded about my blog less status.
Delete1. I didn't read much as a teenager. I could fake it with the best of 'em in English class though! I repeatedly read books when I was younger. Now that I think of it, I do remember being quite affected by A Separate Peace.
ReplyDelete2. a) Fahrenheit 451 when teaching literacy devices in writing. Each chapter gave us another very obvious example of a device to add to the students' toolbox.
b) The Pearl (which I hated the first time I read it) when teaching critical literacy. We studied the gender and cultural norms that stretched and collided across the story.
I could list several more, but what I am realizing is that I don't consider myself "teaching the book" so much as teaching some aspect of literacy and using a particular book or other text(s) to facilitate that study. What makes the text so powerful to me is its ability to engage us in learning the concept...The book becomes even better in the process!
By the way, grad students of mine last semester read YA books that they then shared on social media: http://developingwriters.org/teachread/ If you hold your mouse over #teachread in the menu on the side you can click on their final report of their experiences and recommendations, such as this one: http://developingwriters.org/teachread/the-perks-of-being-a-tweeter/
Oh...and I just saw someone's short story suggestions. So now I want to add a few more to my list...
ReplyDelete2. c) Roald Dahl's absurd fiction pieces are amazing! "Royal Jelly" and "Man from the South." Woah!
d) I love teaching with Sudden (for Flash) Fiction like "Snapshot, Harvey Cedars: 1948" by Paul Lisicky.
Thanks, Anna! I absolutely agree with the using the novel to teach an aspect of literacy by engaging in the novel... most of the people here also feel that way, I think!
DeleteThe books I remember most from my early teens were many by Judy Blume and Paula Danziger.
ReplyDeleteAs for students, I teach adults who are becoming teachers, and love using Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson as well as the Misfits by James Howe...
Love, love, love Judy Blume and LH Anderson! I miss you! Come visit.
DeletePosting for Kristin Howell:
ReplyDeleteI liked The Great Gatsby and The Canterbury Tales in high school. Before that (early adolescence), I liked most of the "teenager" Judy Blume books - Deenie, Tiger Eyes, Then Again Maybe I Won't, and of course, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Those books taught me a lot about growing up that I was afraid to ask anyone.
When I get the chance to teach reading, I love to teach the book The Duplicate by William Sleator. Most adolescents have wondered what would happen if they could make a copy of themselves - one to stay home and one to go to school. This book is a fun look at that.
All teachers need a duplicate. One could juggle paperwork and the other could expound on the mysteries of the universe.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Dreamhouse Kings series, The Hunger Games, The Running Dream, Between Shades of Grey, and Chasing Brooklyn. Sorry I can't pick just one.
ReplyDeleteOh and the Survival Kit. I really enjoyed that one.
DeleteThanks, McKenna! Great to have have you on here! I just finished Homeless Bird. Check it out!
DeletePosting for Anna M.
ReplyDeleteas a teen - Valley of the Dolls, to teach - Pictures of Hollis Woods
I was sad to hear of the death of sci-fi master, Ray Bradbury.
ReplyDelete1. In 6th grade, I adored Anne Frank and other diary formats. I became very intrigued with the Holocaust because of the novel.
ReplyDelete2. I loved doing book talks and class discussion about The House on Mango Street, thanks to LaToya :) My students identified with this book in so many ways.
Students do enjoy finding elements in a novel that relate to their own experiences and relationships. Those text to self connections are powerful, and they are often lasting.
DeleteWhat a great list! Many new books on my reading list. Thanks! As always, when you come across a great read,share it with others.
ReplyDelete