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Young Adult

Sticks and Stones

Sticks and Stones

By Beth Goobie 112 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Rumors are one of the toughest experiences for adolescents, and this book has always been popular with my students for grabbing their attention with its realistic portrayal of a girl who is falsely accused of being a slut. 
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The Last Mission

The Last Mission

By Harry Mazer 192 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

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. 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.
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Echoes of the White Giraffe

Echoes of the White Giraffe

By Sook Nyul Choi 144 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

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.
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The Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire of 1911

The Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire of 1911

By Gina De Angelis 128 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

A great nonfiction writer for young adults, DeAngelis does a superb job of supplying eyewitness accounts and descriptions of one of America’s greatest tragedies. I read this book to a fourth grade class and challenged students to figure out how we can avoid similar tragedies in the future. You may notice below that I include a novelization of the same event for my next pick.
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Fire!: The Beginnings of the Labor Movement

Fire!: The Beginnings of the Labor Movement

By Barbara Diamond Goldin 64 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

It was almost 100 years ago (March 25th, 1911) when one of the worst fire disasters in America’s history killed over a hundred female immigrant workers (many of them girls). This fictionalized account from the eyes of an 11-year-old Jewish girl working at the factory compliments the informational text above in humanizing for students an American tragedy.
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Blessings in Disguise

Blessings in Disguise

By ReShonda Tate Billingsley 192 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

ReShonda Tate Billingsley debuted only a couple of years ago, and already she has a loyal national following of adult readers. This is the second (and shorter) book in a young adult series she has aimed at teenage girls. I know the middle school girls who I work with absolutely love Tate Billingsley’s books, and I believe she is an author deserving of your attention. 
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Selected Poems

Selected Poems

By Edna St. Vincent Millay 344 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I love using poetry as a way to entice my students to read and write more (after all, poems are a lot shorter than books). Edna St. Vincent Millay is a wonderful poet to expose middle schoolers to, as she writes in a very accessible way that makes “classical” poetry less intimidating to students. 
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Baby

Baby

By Patricia Maclachlan 160 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

This Newbery winner is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read aloud to students of all ages…and this book must be read aloud. The language is poetic. 
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Crossing Jordan

Crossing Jordan

By Adrian Fogelin 140 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

A teacher told me she did not like this book because it was full of clichés and had a predictable upbeat ending. I guess those things are true, but I still found this book to be a very nice story about a friendship between a white girl and black girl in pre-Civil Rights Tallahassee. Give it a try and tell me what you think. My students have always really enjoyed this book.
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It's Not Easy Being Mean

It's Not Easy Being Mean

By Lisi Harrison 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

The “Clique” Series has become a hit, and I read this one just to stay in the loop. I have discussed these books with a number of middle schoolers (all girls, of course, as guys seem to only read books filled with testosterone or pterodactyls), and they all like the books for their believability. This one provides a good glimpse into Harrison’s style.
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Dark Sons

Dark Sons

By Nikki Grimes 208 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Ah, if only there were more authors like Nikki Grimes out there, I am convinced we would have nothing but passionate readers. She combines everything I am looking for in an author for middle schoolers: poetry, moral messages, hope, multicultural characters…the list goes on. This is her latest in a long line of books that get students thinking about race relations, their spiritual beliefs and their values. The kind of book that teaches the heart, as well as the mind.
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Snot Stew

Snot Stew

By Bill Wallace 96 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Could you come up with a better title to get boys interested in reading? The title is actually a play on words two kittens hear children use when arguing: “Is not!...Is too!” A simple story that is a great way to draw reluctant readers toward bookshelves.
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The Night I Flunked My Field Trip

The Night I Flunked My Field Trip

By Henry Winkler 160 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Treat yourself to any book in the Hank Zipzer, Underachiever series. Henry Winkler is a tireless literacy advocate (he was dyslexic as a child, and students love hearing about his rise to become “the Fonz” and a popular character actor), and these books (co-authored by Oliver) are a wonderful way to get a lot of reluctant and struggling readers interested in reading.
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The Fashion Disaster

The Fashion Disaster

By Carolyn Keene 96 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Let’s not leave the girls out. Since I am talking about series books, I have to include one of the most popular series of all time: Nancy Drew. I have a hunch that the upcoming movie is going to renew interest in the series, and I encourage parents and teachers to lasso that interest with plenty of great titles from the series.
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Adventurous Women: Eight True Stories About Women Who Made a Difference

Adventurous Women: Eight True Stories About Women Who Made a Difference

By Penny Colman 192 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I love this book. If you are a teacher trying to decide on books to buy for your classroom with your limited personal funds, this is the type of book I would recommend (along with anthologies). Boys and girls alike (but especially girls) will enjoy these brief biographies and hopefully be drawn to read more about these amazing women (I particularly enjoyed the essay on educator Mary McLeod Bethune).
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