I cannot make up my mind what age group to classify this book in, as it offers something for everyone and can be enjoyed by anyone. Wonderful cartoon characters with a wit that would leave any Simpsons fan howling, Pastis might be one of my favorite writers.
By Carla Killough McClafferty
144 pages
Young Adult
Danny Says
Six quick bios of modern business giants Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin, Larry Page and Jeff Bezos. Perfect quick reads for teens in waiting rooms with dreams of making millions.
Part of the wonderful Horrible Histories series, this book is particularly popular with boys who want to read about truly evil things. Deary is a wonderful teacher, as he dependably turns dry subjects into required reading.
What teenager does not feel like a misfit sooner or later? This intriguing story follows six teens that sneak out of a summer camp to save some doomed buffaloes. Powerful classroom discussions guaranteed!
I’ve had four different friends go on missionary trips to Guatemala in the past year, and I was excited to read this tale of life there. Your students will gain healthy perspective by looking into the realities of others their age in economically poorer regions of the world.
What wonders await the bored and curious? Four separate stories highlight how a magic library card changes the lives of disenfranchised youth. I LOVE books that promote the wonders of reading!
Teaching a lot of Latino students, I am always on the lookout for compelling stories for Latino teens. Saldaña’s short stories will make a great addition to your classroom library.
I was saddened to recently hear of Sutcliff’s passing, as she was a master of bringing alive Greek mythology in ways that students could easily comprehend and enjoy. She was a highly gifted storyteller.
Order multiple copies of this one (written in verse), as your girls will love this cautionary tale that all teenagers (and their parents and teachers) need to read.
When I was a teenager one of the few authors I devoured was Robert Louis Stevenson. Lawrence’s High Seas Trilogy captures the time period perfectly, and I have observed a number of reluctant readers who complained when they finished all three books in this series. These are keepers.
Some of the toughest people to find books for are my teenage skateboarders, so I revere this book as a passport to peaking their interest in reading. A truly great book to recommend for the summer vacation.
The first in The Kiesha’ra Series, this book is perfect for the fantasy lovers in your classroom – especially girls. God bless Atwater-Rhodes, as students become addicted to everything she publishes.
For truly lazy readers, make sure to check out one of Japanese director Kitano’s many wonderful films (I particularly enjoyed Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman). This book will provide anyone a glimpse of Kitano’s world, as it includes three short stories that are strong enough to pull even teens to watch a foreign film with subtitles!
I’m not someone who goes ga-ga for animals, but Bekoff’s touching story will stimulate wonderful discussions among your students about how important animals are…and our importance, as humans, in treating animals with compassion and respect.
Good books should transform readers, and that is what this book will do. Mister Pip is a wonderful – though not happy – coming-of-age story with a strong adolescent female protagonist.
