Title: Schooled
Author: Gordon Korman
Publisher/Imprint: Hyperion Paperbacks for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: Thirteen-year-old Capricorn Anderson, or Cap, and his grandmother Rain are the last two residents at Garland
Farms, a commune begun in the 1960s.
Rain home-schools Cap, and though Cap aces the required state exams, he knows nothing about the outside world of
television, text messaging, and middle school society.
When Rain falls out of a tree while picking apples, Cap is forced to stay with a foster family in the city
while his grandmother recovers. On his first day at middle school, Cap arrives in his usual manner—wearing tiedyed shirt, jeans, long hair, and corn-husk sandals. So when the principal asks Zach Powers—the most popular boy
in school and a football player—to take Cap to his locker, Zach realizes that this is just the person he’s been looking
for.
You see, the tradition at Claverage—known by the students as “C-Average”—Middle School has been to pick the
biggest nerd in school and get him elected class president, then spend the rest of the year laughing at him as he
fumbles through speeches and makes a fool of himself.
And so, Cap finds himself elected president, while Zach and the other popular students make up new ways
to torture Cap, such as introducing him to wedgies, scheduling meetings in non-existent rooms, and telling him the
president must learn the names of all 1,100 students. Unfortunately for Zach, Cap doesn’t seem to notice anyone is
messing with him. Then things really change. While driving his bus route one afternoon, the driver has a heart
attack. Cap jumps in the seat and drives the bus to the hospital as police cars chase, signaling Cap to pull over. When
they arrive at the emergency room, Cap is arrested in front of the frightened students; he becomes an instant hero.
As class president, Cap is charged with organizing the school dance. He keeps saying he’s never even been
to a dance, but when students offer their suggestions, Cap puts them in charge of the various tasks. In addition, he
has begun to learn the names of every student he meets, writing their names in a notebook. Cap develops a
following, and one of the popular girls actually joins him for morning Tai-chi on the front lawn; soon others follow.
Next, sixty students take part in an impromptu tie-dying session in the school art room. Zach can't stand it: Cap is
shaping up to be the best president the school ever had.
Zach has just one more chance to set things right. He stages a prank, but it goes too far, and Cap is injured.
Zach’s credibility is zero. Then the next day, Cap is punched in the face—a punch that was meant for Zach. Shortly
after the incident, Cap’s grandmother shows up in ambulance to pick Cap up from school; they are finally going
back to the farm. Cap leaves without saying goodbye, and the middle schoolers assume the worst: Cap is dead. On
the night of the school dance, Cap can’t stand to be away, so he steals a car and drives back to town. Instead of a
dance, however, he finds a memorial service in progress—his own!
Key Issues: Middle school society, respecting differences, the 1960s, hippies, individualism, non-conformity,
bullying.
Warnings: There is no bad language, only references to middle school pranks, such as wedgies, etc. There is
discussion of hippie culture, but not of drug use. Some parents may not like the way Cap assumes the role of a
“guru” to the students.
Audience: The audience is middle school boys and girls. In each chapter, a different character narrates the story
from his or her own perspective, which should appeal to diverse readers.
Teaching Ideas: 1.) Discuss point of view and how it is used in this novel.
What did Korman achieve by allowing each character to narrate part of the story? Write a journal entry from the
point of view of one of the characters in the book. 2.) What is the significance of the title? Who is schooled in the
novel, Cap, or the other students? Which characters change the most as a result of the schooling. Discuss in small
groups. 3.) Near the end of the novel, the students think Cap is dead. Write a six-word memoir for Cap. 4) Act out a
scene from the book.
Title: Tex
Author: S. E. Hinton
Publisher/Imprint: Dell Laurel-Leaf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books
Copyright Date: 1979
Plot: Tex, a fourteen-year-old, lives under the supervision and care of his seventeen-year-old
brother Mason while their father is away working the rodeo circuit. But their father has been
gone longer than ever, and Mason is forced to sell Tex’s horse Negrito—which Tex loves more
than almost anything else—to get money for the power bill and groceries. Tex hates his brother
for this. But life goes on, and Tex and his best friend Johnny can’t help getting into trouble. The
two experience their first hangover and get suspended from school for pulling a prank on the
end-of-period test day.
Meanwhile, all the stress of filling in as parent causes Mason to develop an ulcer, and
when the two brothers drive home from the hospital in the city, they are carjacked by a wanted
murderer not much older than they are. In a bold move, Tex brakes and swerves the truck
fiercely, causing the man to flee the vehicle and be shot by police. Tex sees a little of himself in
that man.
Then, on the day of Tex’s suspension, Mason confronts his father, and the truth comes
out about the reasons for Tex and his father’s awkward relationship. Tex storms out of the
school, and he goes with the first person he sees, Lem, a friend of the family a little older than
Mason. Tex accompanies Lem on a drug deal, but when it goes sour, Tex is shot. Tex’s brush
with death troubles Mason deeply, but it allows for the brothers to reconcile in the end.
Key Issues: Coming of age, brotherhood, poverty, absent parents, drugs, friendship, first love.
Warnings: The novel has some mild profanity—such as “damn,” “hell.” And there is some use
of alcohol and drugs, though their use is not portrayed in a positive light.
Audience: 8th-11th grade girls and boys.
Teaching Ideas:
1) At the state fair, the fortune teller says, “There are people who go, people who stay. You will
stay.” Tex remains mindful of the fortune teller’s words throughout the story and begins to
evaluate people in terms of this dialectic. Do you think Tex will stay or go? Write an ending that
tells us what happens to Tex following the events in the story.
2) Discuss the ways the author uses realistic dialogue to create credible characters.
3) Ms. Carlson, Tex’s English teacher, asks Tex if he has ever written poetry. Imagine you are
Tex and write a poem that Tex would likely write.
Title: Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Journey to Change the World…One Child at a Time (The
Young Reader’s Edition)
Author: Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin; Adapted by Sarah Thomson
Publisher/Imprint: Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group
Copyright Date: 2009
Plot: This is the true story of Greg Mortenson, beginning with his failed attempt to climb the
world’s second highest peak: K2. After failing to summit K2 in 1993 Greg lost his way
descending the mountain only to wind up in a small Himalayan village called Korphe. The first
“outsider” to ever set foot in the village, Greg was greeted with kindness and compassion from
all members of Korphe. After learning that no school existed in the village, Greg promised his
new friends to return as soon as possible to build them a school. Mortenson returned to fulfill his
promise, since then building over 60 schools in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. This inspiring
story tells of the many struggles Greg has faced while working to bring education to the people
of Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as the amazing successes both he and the students of his
schools have achieved.
Key Issues: Hope; Peace; bringing about success out of failure; family struggles; not giving up;
the importance of education;
Warnings: I have no warnings against this book.
Audience: According to the book it is suitable for children ages 8 and older. Though written in
a somewhat juvenile language, the book’s issues are of such relevance in our world today that I
would recommend it for students through 12th grade. (There is another version of the book
published prior to this edition for adults which could be used with parent permission for older
students.)
Teaching Ideas: I think this book would be a wonderful book either for whole-class instruction
in a World Lit. class, or as a book club book.
1. Have students read the book and read/clip articles from the daily news about our
interactions with Afghanistan and Pakistan throughout the unit to be read during group
meetings or whole class time. Students can read articles aloud or respond to them in
journals.
2. In the interview with Greg Mortenson’s daughter Amira at the end of the book, she
describes the importance of having pen pals to help students learn about other cultures.
Perhaps link students to pen pals to help achieve this.
3. Have students create and run a fundraising event (like Pennies for Peace) for the charity
of their choice to learn about both the challenges and rewards of doing so. Writing
proposal letters could be a great compliment to this lesson while also achieving one of the
standards.
Title: Peaches
Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson
Publisher/Imprint: Harper Trophy of HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: Anderson tells the story of three teenage girls as they come of age in a small southern
town in the most unlikely of circumstances. Birdie grew up on the orchard and has never known
anything but long summers spent picking Georgia’s finest peaches with her mother and father.
That is until her mother leaves her father, and the orchard, forever. Leeda is her mother’s second
daughter and a mere shadow of the grand spotlight cast upon her older sister Danay. Her only
friends are those whom she suspects only like her for her money, and her bad-boy boyfriend, Rex
who’s always been there for her (even if for all the wrong reasons.) Murphy lives in a trailer
park with her mom Jodee. A rebel at heart, Murphy is always up for mischief even at the
expense of friends, potential boyfriends, and a chance at summer freedom. Though Birdie,
Leeda, and Murphy may have little in common on the surface, after a summer together on the
orchard nothing between them will ever be the same.
Key Issues: Coming of age; Building friendships; First love; Parents’ Divorce; Family
Dynamics; Relationships
Warnings: There is some sexual content. The teenage girls also consume alcohol and smoke
cigarettes a few times throughout the story.
Audience: I think girls in grades 9-12 would really enjoy this book. In particular, girls in the
South would particularly enjoy the Georgia/peaches undercurrent of the book. I would
recommend parental permission because of the warnings listed above.
Teaching Ideas: I would recommend this book only for small-group or individual use, rather
than whole-class.
1. Have students choose 1 of the 3 main characters before reading and keep a journal from
that character’s point of view while reading. After completing the book students can
discuss/compare journal entries from different events throughout the story. Discuss how
point of view and perspective affect the story.
2. After completing the novel, have students predict what they think will happen once the
girls are leave the orchard. (The book is the first in a series, so students may enjoy
comparing their predictions with the next book).
3. Make soundtracks for any of the 3 main girls, or any of the secondary characters as well.
Defend why you would choose/not choose certain songs.
Title: The A-List
Author: Zoey Dean
Publisher: Poppy
Copyright: 2003
Plot: Anna is a privileged teen living in New York at her absentee mother’s home. She is a
privileged girl who is used to the finer things in life, but is very down-to-earth. Her life is not
really going anywhere in New York and her crush has decided to like her best friend; so, when
the opportunity arises to move to LA and live with her father (whom she barely knows but wants
to) and work as an intern at a publishing house, she hops on a plane. On the plane to California,
she meets an equally privileged boy named Ben and ends up going to a wedding with him and
meeting all of his friends, some of whom are not so happy that Ben has a new girl on his arm;
they want him for themselves. The teen drama continues to spiral, with catfights and shallow
attempts at friendships, along with Anna and her father attempting to reconcile and create a real
relationship. Anna at times doubts herself and her own values and self esteem, but in the end
realizes she is stronger and more self-reliant than most teens and is happy.
Key Issues: Teen lust/love; broken families/desire for relationships with absentee parents;
friendship; drug abuse; Shallowness of the rich and famous.
Warnings: There is foul language throughout this book, along with sexual innuendo and some
sexual details (not too graphic). Drug use and abuse are touched upon; Anna’s father enjoys
smoking pot and her sister is in rehab.
Audience: Teenage girls between the ages of 15-18 are the definite target audience of this novel.
Teaching Ideas: This book would best be taught in a reading circle of mature high school junior
or senior girls. The girls could create a diary for Anna and write her entries over the couple of
days the events of the book take place. Very little is talked about regarding Anna’s father’s life,
both at work and at home; creating a short dossier on her dad could be interesting. Finally,
planning a fun party to match the extreme opulence of the wedding in the book could be a fun
idea.
Title: Acceleration
Author: Graham McNamee
Imprint: Wendy Lamb Books (Random House Children’s Books)
Copyright: 2003
Awards: Edgar Allen Poe Award
Plot: Duncan is a 15 year-old(ish) boy living in an apartment complex in Toronto. It is not the
best address in the city, but not so bad. He had one minor run-in with law a year ago, and it is
this smudge on his record, along with one other nagging demon (involving saving a girl’s life),
that prevents him from turning an eerie find in the lost and found in to the police. Instead of
allowing the authorities track down a potential serial killer, Duncan and his best friend go on a
quest to track down the criminal.
Key Issues: Friendship, birth defects, relationship with parents
Warnings: This book does not contain any foul language or sexual content. There are some
creepy descriptions, but nothing graphic.
Audience: This book is geared more for 8th-10th graders. I think the audience is more for boys,
but I enjoyed the book. Anyone who likes mysteries/crime books will enjoy this story.
Teaching Ideas: You can teach this book to a whole class. The author uses great technique to
establish suspense, and also creates clear settings using descriptive language.
One idea would be to analyze a passage and ask the students what they think makes it seem so
life-like and ask them to write a paragraph on their own using descriptive language to delineate a
place in time.
Another part of the book deals with the characters doing their own research to track down a
criminal. They create a map; having kids study the city of Toronto (or their own hometown) and
create their own maps could be a fun research project. This can be modified to create clues and a
map for classmates to follow on a scavenger hunt within their school.
Title: Rumble Fish
Author: S.E. Hinton
Publisher/Imprint: Delacorte Press
Copyright Date: 1975
Plot: The setting is an unnamed deadbeat town that “always stinks from the river… [y]ou don’t
notice the stink if you live there awhile.” Rusty-James, the narrator, is the toughest kid around.
He is a troublemaker at school, and ignored by his welfare-tapping father at home. He shoots
pool, stays out late, and hangs out with what is left of his brother’s gang. He yearns for the
rugged brutality, the lowdown nobility of the days of gangs and the days of rumbles. He loves
fighting and he is good at it. And more than anything, Rusty-James wants to be like his brother.
His brother is the unfathomably charismatic Motorcycle Boy – a deep-thinker, a great
fighter. “He would have made a perfect knight, in a different century, or a very good pagan
prince in a time of heroes. He was born in the wrong era... with the ability to do anything and
finding nothing he wants to do.” Rusty-James presses to be like his brother – he tries to read, but
cannot concentrate; he tries to keep cool, but blows up. He does not measure up. And his
unflagging admiration is returned in measures of cool obliquity.
Motorcycle Boy is recently returned from California, where he saw their estranged
mother. The trip moved something in him, something dark, implacable, vortical. And as
Motorcycle Boy’s inner-gears move into its endgame, Rusty-James trails behind – will he get
sucked down with him? A local cop holding a long-time grudge is lurking on the fringes, just
waiting for one false move.
Key Issues: broken homes, brothers, fame, gangs, juvenile delinquency, leadership, living up to
expectations
Warnings: There is some pretty dingy stuff in here: graphic and stylized, but not glorified –
blood, fighting, gangs, hard-drinking, drug-use (one of Motorcycle Boy’s admirer’s has trackmarks on her arm). All that said, the book has a good pedigree and a long history of classroomuse.
Audience: High school, top-to-bottom. The content suggests a predominantly male readership,
but Hinton’s name gives it female appeal too.
Teaching Ideas: Hinton’s style is uncanny. I think students would have a ball with a “reader’s
theatre” kind of activity – anything that gets the page out loud. This could mean reading straight
from the book, chopping up description and dialogue for a beat poem, creating a rehearsed
drama, or a filmic interpretation. *Motorcycle Boy is color blind and sometimes-deaf. Students
can render a scene from the novel through Motorcycle Boy’s point-of-view, heeding his sensory
limitations. *The book provides some meaty discussion prompts – see the “Warnings” section.
For older readers, there can be discussions of fame and leadership, its burdens – as seen in the
Motorcycle Boy, and projected in real-world leaders; and further, living in its shadow – as seen
in Rusty-James.
Title: The White Darkness
Author: Geraldine McCaughrean
Publisher/Imprint: HarperTempest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: In novel The White Darkness, fourteen-year old Sym ventures to Antarctica with her
‘Uncle’ Richard. Sym, something of an outcast due to a hearing loss, is fascinated by the arctic
and is thrilled to visit. However, on the way to Antarctica, Sym learns that Richard has, for some
unknown reason, hidden their destination from Sym’s mother. While in Antarctica, Sym puzzles
over Richard’s secrecy. She also learns that Richard believes that he is on the verge of
discovering Symmes Hole, and if such a thing exists, Richard will become one of the most
famous of the Antarctic explorers.
Sym, Richard, and two other individuals (Manfred Brunch and Sigurd) travel across the
arctic in search of Symmes Hole. Along the way, Sym learns that her uncle is deranged, and his
plans may kill him, herself, Manfred, and Sigurd. So, Sym begins to fend for herself; she faces
the dangers of the arctic head-on and braves her uncle’s wild and hazardous plans. Along the
way, she also learns the truth about herself, her life, and her family.
Key Issues: Identity, family, familial relationships, finding the truth, inner strength, bravery,
courage
Warnings: The White Darkness does contain some cursing, including the “f-word.” Also, at
one point in the novel, two characters contemplate killing another character with an ice pick, and
two other individuals are murdered. Finally, Richard encourages Sym and Sigurd to have sex,
but they never do.
Audience: I believe that this book is more geared towards females; however, due to the book’s
setting, action, and adventure, I think that some boys may enjoy this book, as well.
Teaching Ideas: 1. Ask students to research a particular aspect about Antarctica and then
present their findings (students may research an exploration party, an arctic weather
phenomenon, current events in Antarctica, etc.). 2. Ask students to write a letter from Sym to
Titus. The students should address their relationship (or imagined relationship). Is Sym ready to
let Titus go? Does she still need him? 3. In a Socratic circle, ask students to discuss Sym. How
has she grown? Has she changed? Why? How? What do they think she will do when she gets
home? Will she ever return to Antarctica? Was Titus an imaginary friend, or was he real
(remember to re-read the last chapter of the book). 4. Make a movie trailer for the novel. 5.
Make a bio-body for Sym.
Title: Dogboy
Author: Christopher Russell
Publisher: Greenwillow Books, HarperCollins
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: Abandoned as a baby among a litter of mastiffs and raised in outdoor kennels by the large,
fierce dogs, twelve-year-old Brind can communicate with the mastiffs in a way that makes him
invaluable to his master, Sir Edmund Dowe. Thus, when the King of England summons Sir
Edmund into battle, the aging, impoverished knight takes Brind and all of his male mastiffs,
along with Philip, his page, Tullo, his huntsman, and Hatton, his carter, to France with him.
Unfortunately, during the Battle of Crecy, all members of Edmund’s party are separated, and
Brind wanders off to find Glaive, the leader of the mastiffs and Brind’s best friend, who escaped
into the woods after being severely wounded in battle. While tracking Glaive, Brind meets
Aurelie, a French refugee, and the two join forces. Together, Brind and Aurelie track Glaive, and
they survive numerous perils throughout the novel.
Key Issues: Family life; abandonment; friendship; war; survival; human cruelty; bullying;
human kindness.
Warnings: Dogboy contains no profanity and no sexuality; however, parts of the book are
violent, and some of the characters—especially Tullo—are treacherous and downright spiteful.
Audience: I would recommend this book to students in grades 5-8; I think this book would be
great for reluctant readers.
Teaching Ideas: As a pre-reading activity, have students write about an animal—real or
stuffed—that is important to them, and ask them to explain why that animal is important to them.
While reading the novel, have students discuss Sir Edmund’s reasons for going into battle, and
ask them if they can think of any valid reasons to go to war. After reading the novel, have them
write a continuation of the novel beginning at the point where the novel ends, and ask the
students to share their continuations with the class.
Tags: Historical fiction; young adult; dogs; orphans; France; England; Hundred Years’ War;
adventure; a boy and his dog; friendship.
Title: Ways to Live Forever
Author: Sally Nichols
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, Scholastic Inc.
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: “My name is Sam. I am eleven years old. I collect stories and fantastic facts. I have
leukemia. By the time you read this, I will probably be dead.”
And so begins Sam’s story. Facing his third recurrence of leukemia, and his inevitable
death, Sam decides to write a book regarding his life, and his illness. With the help of his best
friend Felix—who is also terminally ill with an incurable cancer—Sam creates his book, a
collection of facts, lists, stories, pictures, and questions. And Sam is full of questions, questions
like “Why does God make kids get ill?” and “What would happen if someone wasn’t really dead
and people thought they were”? Written during the last three months of his life, Sam’s book
becomes a map that guides Sam and his family through the final stages of his leukemia.
Key Issues: Death and dying; leukemia; social issues; family life; friendship; mortality.
Warnings: Many of the questions Sam struggles to answer throughout the novel are questions
that are best discussed with family members. Therefore, even though Ways to Live Forever is
uplifting, insightful, and surprisingly funny, I would recommend that parental permission be
obtained before reading this book in class, and I would recommend that this book not be read in
a classroom environment until students have at least reached the 6th grade.
Audience: Due to the subject matter—death and dying—and the characters’
complicated emotions, I would recommend this book to students in grades 6-9.
Teaching Ideas: As a pre-reading activity, ask students to write about what cancer is and
possible causes for cancer. While reading the book, have students make their own lists of things
they would like to accomplish before they die; have them discuss their lists with the class, if they
feel comfortable enough to do so. After reading the novel, have students discover ways they can
help cancer patients.
Tags: Cancer; leukemia; terminal illness; young adult; realistic fiction; friendship; death.
Title: Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star
Author: Brandon Mull
Publisher/Imprint: Aladdin Paperbacks; Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: The second book of the Fablehaven series picks up approximately one year after the first.
In the first pages, Kendra and Seth, after living almost a year without running into any magical
beings, find themselves confronted by a kobold, a sneaky goblin-like creature. As the kobold
begins to show a romantic interest in Kendra’s friends, Kendra decides that the creature has to
go. She and Seth find help in an unlikely source, but, in the process of getting rid of the kobold,
Kendra and Seth are sucked into series of magical events that propel them back to Fablehaven.
Upon arriving at Fablehaven, the brother and sister find their grandfather injured and learn that
Fablehaven is under attack from the Society of the Evening Star. It seems that the Society has
somehow managed to infiltrate Fablehaven, and they have a secret operative who is working
from inside of the preserve. But Kendra, Seth, and their grandparents don’t know who the
operative could be. While the family tries to uncover the secret agent, Seth is pursued by a
demon by the name of Olloch.
In the end, it is up to Kendra and Seth, once again, to save Fablehaven – but they aren’t
sure if they will be able to untangle the web of intrigue that surrounds Fablehaven in time to save
the precious preserve.
Key Issues: honesty, faithfulness to friends, courage, and bravery
Warnings: None
Audience: Males and females, from middle to high school
Teaching Ideas: 1. Fablehaven is the home of several magical creatures.
Have students create an imaginary magical creature and write a descriptive paper on their
creature. 2. The Fablehaven series isn’t over – have students make detailed predications as to
what will happen in the next book. Is the Sphinx evil? Is Vanessa? Will the Society of the
Evening Star triumph? 3. Coulter sacrifices himself to save Seth halfway through the novel.
Ask students to write a report on a historical individual who chose to sacrifice him or herself for
someone else. 4. Ask students to write a journal entry in which they discuss their reaction to the
end of the novel.
Title: The Graveyard Book
Author: Neil Gaiman, with illustrations by Dave McKean
Publisher/Imprint: HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: The book riffs on Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Books. In the role of Mowgli is Nobody
(“Bod”) Owens – an orphan. When a man with a knife in the darkness, the mysterious man Jack,
murders his family, Bod is taken in by the inhabitants of the local graveyard, and given the
Freedom of the Graveyard. That is, Bod is empowered with the faculties of the dead – he can see
in the dark, he can move through tombs, he can haunt, he can fade. But he must not leave the
graveyard, because the man Jack is looking for him.
Bod grows up in the graveyard, and loves it: it is home. He has adventures. There is a
colorful supporting cast of characters, including: Silas, his guardian – a vampire; Miss Lupescu,
his teacher – a “Hound of God”; Mr. and Mrs. Owens – his adopted parents – ghosts; Liza
Hempstock, his friend – a witch ghost; and an assortment of other ghosts. But it is Scarlett
Amber Perkins, the living girl he meets in the graveyard (she thinks he is her invisible friend),
that gives Bod the feeling he is missing out on something… life. As Bod approaches adulthood,
he grows restless; but the while, the man Jack is lurking all the while – waiting for the
opportunity to finish the job he started.
Key Issues: coming-of-age, evil, friendship, mortality
Warnings: It is clean (it is last year’s Newberry winner), but there could be the same kind of
objections that have been raised against the Harry Potter series – black magic stuff.
Audience: Boys and girls, grades 6-9.
Teaching Ideas: The book could springboard into a local history research project, a family tree –
something that plumbs the past and makes a contemporary connection. *As a consummating
release, a class can throw their own “Danse Macabre” (a kind of hoedown in which the living
dance with the dead) – food and drinks and fun. It would be a great book to wrap up around
Halloween and thus tie it all in. *You can introduce outside readings – The Jungle Books, famous
epitaphs, obituaries. *Students can design their own tombstone (if this is a little too grim, you
can invert it – make a kind of lifestone). *Reading aloud – there’s a lot of suspense. I have
listened to some of the audiobook (read by the author) and would recommend working that in if
it is more your thing.
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Author: J. K. Rowling
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (an Imprint of Scholastic Press)
Copyright Date: 1997
Plot: When the novel begins, Harry Potter believes that he is a normal ten-year-old boy living with his cantankerous
aunt and uncle in England. However, Harry Potter soon discovers that he is the son of the most powerful couple in
the world of witchcraft. On Harry’s 11th birthday, Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts (the premiere
magic school in England), decides that it is time for Harry to begin his education. Dumbledore commissions Hagrid,
the groundskeeper at Hogwarts, to outfit Harry with the supplies that every wizard needs and bring him to school.
While studying at Hogwarts, Harry becomes friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and learns to fly on a
broomstick, cast spells with his magic wand, and conceal his body beneath a cloak of invisibility. Harry also
encounters several unsavory characters during his time at Hogwarts, including a foul-smelling troll, a three-headed
dog, an infant dragon, and a dubious professor. Will Harry be able to defeat Voldemort, the evil wizard who killed
his parents, before he steals the Sorcerer’s Stone and destroys everything that the good witches and wizards of the
world hold dear?
Key Ideas: Friendship, self-discovery, family dynamics, peer pressure, bullying, courage and bravery, good vs. evil
Warnings: There is no foul language or sexual content in this novel. Some parents may not approve of the
references to witchcraft, wizards, trolls, supernatural events, evil, murder, etc. However, I personally did not find
any objectionable material in this book.
Audience: Because of Harry Potter’s age in this book (eleven years old), I would recommend Harry Potter and The
Sorcerer’s Stone for students in elementary school (4th or 5th grade) and middle school. However, I think that high
school students would enjoy reading this novel as well. I think that boys and girls would enjoy reading this novel
equally. Although the main character is male, there is a strong supporting female character (Hermione) in most of
the book. Also, I think the issues of peer pressure, friendship, and fitting in at school are universal.
Teaching Ideas: I would consider teaching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to the whole class if I were
working in a middle school setting and if I had parental permission. I think that students would enjoy reading this
novel and would learn about conflict, characterization, plot, etc.
 I think that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone would be a wonderful novel to use in conjunction with a
unit on Greek or Roman mythology. This novel contains references to numerous mythological creatures
(ex: Cerberus the three-headed dog). The students could research mythological beasts and write a paper or
create a project to present to the class.
 In the novel, numerous characters send letters back and forth using their owls. The teacher could arrange
for the students to have pen pals at another school or in another grade or section at the same school. The
students would then write letters back and forth about events or characters that they find interesting in the
novel.
 The students could design their own school like Hogwarts. What kind of classes would be taught? What
would the teachers be like? What would the mascot be? What kind of extracurricular activities would be
available? The students would design a seal for their school and write a school song or poem.
 The students could watch parts of the movie and write an essay comparing the film and the novel.
 The students could create a graphic novel or comic book based on the novel.
 The students could design a bio body based on one of the characters in the novel.
 At the end of the unit, the students could host a Hogwarts party complete with every flavor jelly beans and
chocolate covered frogs.
Title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Author: Ann Brashares
Publisher: Dell Laurel Leaf (an imprint of Random House Children’s Books)
Copyright Date: 2001
Plot: Lena Kaligaris, Tibby Rollins, Bridget Vreeland, and Carmen Lowell have been best
friends since their mothers first met in an aerobics class for expectant women. Carmen buys a
pair of jeans at the local thrift store, and the four girls soon discover that the pants fit each one of
them perfectly, even though the girls are all different sizes and shapes. In order to keep in touch
during their first summer apart, they decide to pass the pants along from one girl to another. The
girls also compose a list of ten rules that the members of the “sisterhood” must always follow
while wearing the pants. The pants first travel to Greece with Lena, who is spending the summer
with her grandparents in a small fishing village. Next, Lena sends the pants to Tibby, who is
stuck at home taking care of her little brother and sister while also working at Wallman’s. Tibby
sends the pants to Carmen, who is visiting her divorced father in South Carolina. Carmen sends
the pants to Bridget, who is at a soccer camp in Baja California. Then, according to the rules, the
pants are returned in reverse order—Bridget to Carmen to Tibby to Lena. While wearing the
traveling pants, the girls gain insight into their lives and quickly learn that growing up is not
always easy.
Key Issues: Friendship, Romantic relationships, Family dynamics, Growing up, Death of a
friend, Death of a parent, First sexual encounter, First love, Divorce and remarriage
Warnings: Mild language, Mild sexuality
Audience: Females (ages 12 to 18)
Teaching Ideas: Because this book is geared toward a female audience, I would not attempt to
teach it to an entire class. However, there is very little objectionable material in this novel, so I
would not hesitate to recommend it to individual students for silent sustained reading. I might
also use this book for a literature circle; there is a lot of strong characterization in this novel,
which makes it a worthwhile read. At the same time, I think that there might be better books to
use when teaching characterization. I can think of several interesting journal writing activities
related to this novel. Because this book has four main characters, each member of the literature
circle could choose one character and keep a diary from that character’s point of view while
reading. The members of the literature circle could compare certain scenes from the novel to
scenes from the movie. There are several major differences between the plot of the book and the
plot of the film. The members of the literature circle could discuss the significance of these
differences. The students could make bio bodies or write six word memoirs for each main
character in the novel. The students could also make their own documentary like Tibby does in
the book. This novel also has a lot of scenes that may be fun for the literature circle to act out in
front of the class.
Title: Rhymes With Witches
Author: Lauren Myracle
Publisher/Imprint: Amulet Books
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: Jane is a high school freshman who would do anything to be popular. She is completely
psyched when the worshipped Bitches asks her to be friends with them. To be sure Jane is fit to
be a Bitch, the clique makes her go through a number of tests. The first test seems pretty
harmless -- she must attend a party at the most popular guy’s house. Overwhelmed by her
inability to interact with the cool people, Jane ends up hiding in the kitchen. She doesn’t think
the Bitches noticed her hiding out, until a couple days later they show her a tape of her ducking
down behind the kitchen counter. Determined to make up for her mistake and impress the
Bitches, she’s ready for the next challenge. The second test is to steal something from another
girl. It can be anything -- a hair barrette or a paperclip. Jane is instructed to deliver this item to
her teacher’s desk. The task seems easy enough, until Jane discovers that she’s participating in
some kind of witchcraft. The girls whose items she’s stolen seem to be cursed. Embarrassing
things keep happening to them and they are immediately demoted in the popularity chain. Jane
realizes she’s stealing popularity from other girls, to become popular herself. She finds herself
facing a difficult decision: Does she want to protect her true best friend from the wrath of the
Bitches, or does she want to continue to be the queen of the school?
Key Issues: Friendship, Witchcraft, Paranormal, High School, Horror
Warnings: The only language to be concerned about is the word Bitches which comes up about
a hundred times throughout the novel. Other than that, there is some drinking mentioned at a
high school party.
Audience: This novel is suitable for 9th through 12th graders. This book would best be taught in a
small group situation.
Teaching Ideas:
1) At the end of the novel, Jane talks about how the rest of her high school experience will be
hell because of what happened with the Bitches. Have students write a couple paragraphs
predicting what the next day at school is going to be like. How does Phil help her cope?
Does she salvage her friendship with Alicia?
2) Initiate a discussion within the group about Camilla. Ask the students why they think
Camilla is so unaffected by the Bitches? Why do they think Bitsy hates Camilla so much
for what she saw? Do they think Camilla could be a potential friend for Jane after the end
of the novel?
3) Have the students make a model of Lurl the Pearl’s closet. Have them use all kinds of
material to recreate the scene- clay for the statue, lip balm tubes, paperclips, cotton balls
to make the cats.
Title: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac
Author: Zevin, Gabrielle
Publisher/Imprint: Farrar Straus Giroux
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: One fateful day, a girl loses a coin toss that changes the rest of her life. Naomi Porter
wakes up in an ambulance with an unfamiliar boy sitting next to her and discovers that she
cannot remember anything from the last four years of her life. She can’t remember her best
friend Will, the person who knows her better than anyone else and who kissed her the night
before her accident; she can’t remember her parents’ divorce or that she has a younger sister; she
can’t remember her boyfriend or if they have had sex; and she can’t remember being on the
yearbook staff, an activity that, according to Will, was more important than anything else she
did. If she hadn’t lost the coin toss, Naomi would never have gone back to get the camera from
the yearbook room, she would never have dropped it on the stairs, and she would never have hit
her head when she fell down the stairs to save the camera. But she did , and now Naomi is an
amnesiac. As she attempts to go back to the life that she can’t remember, Naomi must come to
terms with the girl she has become (even if she doesn’t like that person), learn how to handle the
relationships with the important people in her life whom she can’t remember, deal with her
parents’ divorce and the separate lives they lead, and attempt to survive high school – even
though she can’t remember anything she has learned since sixth grade. There is a possibility that
Naomi will never get her memory back, and her life will definitely never be the same.
Key Issues: Friendship, Romance, Depression, Honesty, Relationship with Parents, SelfDiscovery, Emotional Development, Adoption, and Identity
Warnings: The main character was sexually active before she got amnesia and she discusses it
with her boyfriend. Another character struggles with depression caused by the death of his
brother (that occurred before the events in the novel and is only discussed a few times). There is
also a homosexual relationship between two female characters.
Audience: This novel would be appropriate for students ages 14-16. Although it might be more
interesting to female readers, I think it would be appropriate for a male and female audience.
There are several important male characters in the story and, for the most part, the issues that
Naomi deals with are not gender-specific.
Teaching Ideas: The students could write letters to themselves (like the letter that Will writes to
Naomi in the novel) about all of the important events and people in their lives they would want
to remember if they ever became amnesiacs.
–Will makes Naomi mix CDs with meaningful songs to help her remember things that happened
in the four years that are missing from her memory. The students could create their own playlists
of significant songs that remind them of important events or people, explaining why they chose
the songs and how the songs would help them recall specific memories.
–For each chapter, the students could keep a character diary in which they discuss and comment
on the clues Naomi discovers that slowly reveal the person she was before the fall. The students
would record the “evidence” as Naomi discovers it, reflecting on the person Naomi seemed to be
before the fall and the person she is now (with amnesia).
Title: The Lovely Bones
Author: Alice Sebold
Publisher/Imprint: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright: 2002
Plot: At fourteen years old, Susie Salmon has a full life ahead of her. But one day, while Susie is walking
home from school, her neighbor invites her to see the hole he dug in the cornfield. Naive and trusting,
Susie’s curiosity gets the best of her and she gets in the hole, admiring the little hiding place that Mr.
Harvey has created for himself. Mr. Harvey, a man who has killed many women in the past, rapes and
then kills Susie. In heaven, Susie spends most of her time watching her family; she can hear their
thoughts and see what they do. Sometimes Susie can make herself present enough that her family –
especially her younger brother Buckley – can even see her, but it is only for an instant. Never given the
opportunity to grow up, Susie witnesses her sister, brother, first crush, and friends continue on with their
lives; she lives vicariously through them and yearns to experience the same things. She also keeps a close
eye on Mr. Harvey, learning about his past victims and worrying about his future ones. For many years
Susie watches her family, sometimes making herself present enough to influence what they think and feel.
She helps her father realize that Mr. Harvey is the killer and helps her sister steal evidence from Harvey’s
house, which helps prove that he is Susie’s murderer. Even though Mr. Harvey escapes, Susie’s family
must live their lives, always thinking of Susie but trying to move forward. And Susie must come to terms
with the fact that she is dead; she will never know what it is like to grow up living on earth, but she can
grow in death and find her place in heaven.
Key Issues: Growing Up, Death, Lies, Family Problems, Grief,
Warning: This novel has some very violent and sexually explicit scenes. The rape and murder of the
protagonist, Susie, is described in detail. The murderer, Mr. Harvey, has very disturbing thoughts about
the women and girls he has raped and murdered in the past. The novel also contains profanity.
Audience: Because this novel deals with intense, disturbing, and violent topics, it is not appropriate for
students younger than 17. In some cases (with very mature students) it might be appropriate for juniors. I
would not teach this book to a whole class. It would be best for an individual student or for a group of
students who are very mature and capable of handling the issues presented in the novel.
Teaching Ideas:
Because this novel deals with death and grief, students could research the stages of grieving and create a
pamphlet that teaches people about dealing with death and the loss of a loved one.
 The students could do a creative writing assignment in which they create their own version of
heaven, or what Susie calls “dreams come true.” Just as Susie has reasons for including certain
things in her heaven, the students would have to have reasons for what is in their heaven, explaining
why each thing is there.
 The students could write diary entries from the point of view of one of the characters. Although the
reader is able to see the thoughts of a character when Susie is focusing on that person, we don’t
know what everyone is thinking all the time. Using the thoughts that Susie hears from heaven to
create a voice in the entries, the students could fill in the gaps and create the thoughts of the
character that the reader is not able to see.
 The students could keep a “counselor’s notebook” for each character, taking notes on how each
person deals with Susie’s death and analyzing the character’s experience, using the research on the
grieving process to support the analysis.
Title: The Secret Life of Bees
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Publisher: Viking Penguin
Copyright Date: 2002
Plot: Lily Owens is fourteen and living with her peach-farmer father in small-town Sylvan,
South Carolina in 1967. Lily accidentally killed her mother when she was four years old and
struggles to survive with the guilt of that incident, and with the wrath of an abusive, unloving
father. When her black stand-in mother Rosaleen insults the biggest racists in town, she decides
to flee to Tiburon, South Carolina and search out the past life of her mother. There she is taken in
by three sophisticated and loving black sisters –August, June, and May - who know more about
Lily than she thinks. They introduce her to beekeeping, the Black Madonna they worship, and
ultimately, about loving others and loving yourself. Lily comes of age through her experiences
with racism, her developing feelings for a boy her age that works with the bees, through the
death of a loved one, and by finally coming to terms with her wrecked family.
Key Issues: Death of a parent or loved one. Guilt from an accident, and forgiving yourself.
Abusive father. Racism. Coming of age. Southern literature.
Warnings: There is some strong language, especially from Lily’s father at the beginning. There
is unsettling violence against women, domestic abuse, and racism. Parents should be aware of
the language, but it’s important to establish believable characters.
Audience: Middle or high school students would love this book. More suited for women, since it
deals mostly with women characters, motherly love, and even stresses the femininity of god. But
certainly shouldn’t be overlooked or avoided by men. Would work especially well with students
from abusive home situations.
Teaching ideas:
- Students could do research on the Civil Rights Act and other aspects of the book that are set
firmly in 1967. Understanding the racial tensions of the time are incredibly important to
understanding the relationships and conflicts throughout the book.
- The bee-keeping aspect of the book is incredibly interesting and provides a complex metaphor
for Lily’s circumstances and development.
Have the students explore the various ways that bee culture reflect on the novel.
- Have the students write creatively. They could write further chapters on the “calendar sisters”
or even a prequel to when Lily arrives. They could also write a chapter from the male point of
view of the father or her love interest Zach.
- Food is central to the book, especially all the time that May and Rosaleen spend in the kitchen.
Have the students bring in Southern dishes or recipes involving honey.
Title: Shadows on the Sea
Author: Joan Hiatt Harlow
Publisher/Imprint: Margaret K. McElderry Books: Imprint of Simon and Schuster
Copyright Date: 2003
Plot: This book is set in 1942 in Winter Haven, Maine. Jill, a fourteen-year-old girl, goes to stay
with her grandmother while her famous father goes on a singing tour in North America and her
mother visits her sick brother in Newfoundland. While there, Jill uncovers secrets of the Nazi
plot in Germany and realizes that WWII is closer to her life than she thought.
Key Issues: This book contains themes related to family dynamics, issues of friendship, war and
its effects, gossip, espionage, and religious faith.
Warnings: I have no warnings for this book. The only thing I can think of that might be a
concern is that one of the characters was born out of wedlock and it is discussed a lot at the end
of the work.
Audience: While the main character is a girl, there is enough mystery and action for boys to
enjoy it as well. I would recommend this book for boys and girls between 12 and 16.
Teaching Ideas: Because the book is set in 1942 during WWII, I feel it would be very beneficial to have
to students do something with the actual happenings of the war. The teacher could have the students write
a research paper on something small having to do with the war, or have the students give a presentation.
At the end of the book, the author includes an afterword in which she states her true-life inspiration for
the story. The teacher could have the students research the accurateness of her information.
Jill has to leave her friend Patty behind when she goes to Winter Haven. While in Winter Haven,
Jill experiences a lot while she is there. The teacher could have the students pretend that they are Jill
writing a letter to Patty about what she is experiencing, expressing her fears and concerns for her family,
but also telling Patty of her new friends and what she has been doing while there.
At one point Jill has to decide whether to tell the authorities about her discoveries. The teacher
could have the students say if they agreed with her decision, not knowing the end of the story. The teacher
could have the students say why or why not, and if not, what they would have done instead.
There is a point in the work where several girls write a letter to Wendy, one of Jill’s friends in
Winter Haven, telling her that they do not want her to be a member of their group. The reader never sees
this letter, but the girls indicate that they were nice to Wendy. The teacher could split the class into
several groups and have each group write a version of the letter. Then, after each group reads their version
aloud, the teacher could have each group then discuss how they would feel after receiving that letter and
if they would blame Jill just as Wendy did.
At the end of the work, Jill is reunited with her mother and it is hinted that her father and friend
Patty are coming to see her, but the reader never witnesses this reunion. For homework, in preparation for
class, as a reading check, the teacher could have the students write a few paragraphs about that reunion,
what would Jill say to her parents? Where would she take Patty in Winter Haven? What fun things could
Jill, Patty, and Quarry do together? What ever happens to Ida’s husband?
Title: The Counterfeit Princess
Author: Jane Resh Thomas
Publisher/Imprint: Clarion Books: A Houghton Mifflin Company Imprint
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: This book is set in the mid 1500’s in England. When the Duke of Northumberland kills her
parents, Iris is left to fend for herself. She becomes a spy for Princess Elizabeth, and ultimately
poses as her to help the princess escape Northumberland’s men. Initially, Iris’s decisions are
made out of revenge, but towards the end, she just wants to be home with the people that she
loves. The question remains: Will Elizabeth let her go?
Key Issues: This book contains issues of espionage, revenge, family, death, kings and queens,
murder, and betrayal.
Warnings: Iris hears her parents being dragged away by Northumberland’s men and she hears of
their beheading; sexuality also comes into play, as one of Northumberland’s men attempt to
inappropriately touch Iris on her way to the castle, but nothing happens. There is also the death
of a close family friend, which could be an issue.
Audience: While the main character is a girl, there is enough action and excitement for boys to
enjoy it as well. I would recommend this book for boys and girls between 15 and 18.
Teaching Ideas: The book is set right before the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Anne Boleyn’s daughter. The
teacher could have the students do research on Anne Boleyn and her relationship with King Henry and
present their findings to the class, allowing for the discussion of the accuracy of the story.
Along the way, Iris makes very difficult decisions. The teacher could have the students keep track
of their responses to these decisions in journal form as the story progresses. The teacher can use these
randomly as reading checks, taking them up at the beginning of class and reading through them to make
sure that the children are reading. Additionally, the teacher can have the students write down questions if
anything seems unclear to them, using some classroom time to answer these for students.
In the book there is a lot of discussion about Queen Mary’s Catholicism and Elizabeth’s
protestant faith. The teacher could divide the students into two groups, splitting the class in half. The
teacher could have each half of the class look up one of the religions and research what they believe and
why and then have the class engage in a discussion about the faiths. The teacher will have to be careful
with this discussion to make sure that no one gets upset, but I think it would help give the students insight
into why this discussion was so upsetting to people during this time.
For those students that are a little more creative, giving them the opportunity to draw some of the
costumes described in the work could be a fun way to get them more involved in the story, while
showcasing their talent to their classmates.
There is also mention of how difficult life was back in the 1500’s. People had to bake their own
bread and get eggs from chickens. So, a fun project would be to spend a day as they would have in the
1500’s, baking homemade bread and collecting eggs from chickens. The teacher could have a lot of fun
with this, having paper chickens with eggs underneath them that students have to gather. Having a
homemade bread maker for the kids to use, or having the children bring in bread they make at home. This
could be a fun idea if there was a way to do it.
Title: Nothing But the Truth
Author: Avi
Publisher/Imprint: Harper Trophy/ Harper Collins Publishers
Copyright: 1991
Plot: Phillip Malloy is a freshman at Harrison High School and he is interested in joining the
track team. However, when he receives a low grade in his English course, the coach informs him
of his inability to even try out for the team. This starts a chain reaction—
Phillip’s English teacher Ms. Narwin is recently assigned as his homeroom teacher and, as one
might expect, she is not amused with his “acting-out” during announcements. The disciplinary
problems spiral into a suspension and suddenly the whole community, even the entire nation, is
involved in this issue of patriotism in school.
Key Issues: Patriotism, disciplinary actions, school sports teams, family support, and multiple
perspectives regarding the same incident.
Warnings: There are a couple of curse words used, but that’s about it.
Audience: This book serves as a great novel for boys or girls in high school, and is a fairly easy
read because of its compositional style (segmented mostly into conversations, similar to a play).
The novel might also be a good way to bridge to a more complicated play (perhaps before a unit
of Shakespeare). It might even be introduced to middle school students if they have a high
reading level.
Teaching Ideas: I would definitely recommend teaching this book to the entire class.
1. Pre-reading assignment: Preceding chapter one, the author has written a question, “Do
you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Does anyone say
no?”
 Have students write a quick response to that statement and discuss.
2. The story is written in various forms: diary entries, conversation logs, newspaper articles,
etc.
 While reading the book, have students record a journal entry in response to
various topics, such as what might happen to Ms. Narwin, or what will happen
with Phillip’s track career.
 Have students assemble into groups and discuss how this book can be compared
to a play. Have them select a scene to act out with their group for the entire class.
Student would probably really enjoy this because a the story focuses primarily on
teacher verses student.
Title: Deadline
Author: Chris Crutcher
Publisher/Imprint: HarperTeen
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: Eighteen-year-old senior Ben Wolf learns that he has a terminal blood disease, which -without treatment -- would leave him with approximately a year to live. Rather than electing to
undergo treatment for this condition, he chooses to forego treatment in hopes of a normal senior
year, with the understanding that this year would likely be his last. Ben chooses to keep the news
of his impending death to himself and tells no one – not even his family or closest friends. To
make the most of his last year, he tries out for the football team and makes it – even though he is
a pint-sized athlete. He also decides to go after his high school crush, Dallas Suzuki.
The risks that Ben takes end up being fruitful for him. He performs well as an athlete and
is noticed by the school for his performance, and his relationship with Dallas Suzuki goes
beyond what he had hoped. Within these situations, he learns much about life and the importance
of living purposefully. In addition to these new achievements, he determines to get all that he can
out of his education and reads what he wants to read and selects projects for himself that are
meaningful to him, even against the demands of his government teacher. This challenge allows
for Ben to run across people he wouldn’t formerly have interacted with, including Rudy McCoy,
the town drunk who ends up having much more to him than the people of Trout, Idaho suspected
Key Issues: Death, Carpé Diem, Family Dynamics, Trust, Confidentiality
Warnings: This book should only be recommended for emotionally mature students. It deals
with some heavy issues, such as death at a young age, teenage pregnancy, sexual molestation,
and psychological issues. While Crutcher handles these issues well, they still may be too heavy
for many students. Also, many parents would likely object to the difficult nature of the issues and
to the views expressed about them in the book. In addition, significant profanity is used
throughout the book, and a sexual act occurs, although not in graphic detail.
Audience: Males and females would likely be able to read this book. Because of the intense
football scenes, males would likely enjoy it more. Due to the mature emotional themes present in
the book, teachers should be cautious about assigning Deadline as a whole class study. It would
be better used as a small group or individual assignment. Students who have read Crutcher
before and/or students with questions regarding death, especially untimely death, may benefit the
most from the book.
Teaching Ideas (all of which occur in a book club setting):
Have students journal while reading the book, discussing how they may feel if they or someone
they know were faced with a terminal illness.
Have students come up with a playbook for Ben and his team to use during football season.
Have students discuss the ideas behind the book Ben was reading, Lies My Teacher Told Me. In
their group, ask them how they can better educate themselves by understanding several sides of
an argument/story.
Tags: Sports fiction, YA literature, Realism
Title: No More Dead Dogs
Author: Gordan Korman
Publisher/Imprint: Hyperion
Copyright Date: 2000
Plot: Double-named Wallace Wallace, an accidental football hero, finds himself fighting against
his English teacher when he is asked to write a report for Old Shep, My Pal. Due to family
issues, Wallace absolutely refuses to tell a lie and believes that he always must speak his mind
out rightly, something that always gets him in trouble. When he reviews Old Shep, My Pal,
Wallace writes that he strongly dislikes the book and that he knew that in the end Old Shep
would die. He points out that most dog protagonists die in the end and that he wishes that animal
stories could end more happily. The teacher disagrees with Wallace’s review and says that he
needs to write one that accurately reflects the wonderful nature of the book. Wallace, however,
refuses to change his view on the book and is served detention.
Day after day Wallace serves detention in the theater while the cast of Old Shep, My Pal
rehearses and while the football team practices. His adoring fans are disappointed that he cannot
play due to detention, and the drama club star, Rachel, is frustrated with Wallace’s comments
about the play. Wallace continues serving detention and continues giving suggestions to make
the play’s dialogue and actions more realistic. Due to his newfound situation, he learns much
about making the best of tough situations and helps teach others the importance of honesty and
reality as well.
Key Issues: Family Dynamics, Honesty, Teacher-Student Relationships
Warnings: Parents and administrators would find little to quibble over in this book. The
language is mild, and the subject matter is not overly mature. Teachers who do not like to be
questioned would not enjoy the book; however, they are the ones who should read the book
themselves.
Audience: Middle and high school male and female students; Gordan Korman fans; athletes;
thespians.
Teaching Ideas:
Have students rewrite aspects of No More Dead Dogs to make them sounds more
realistic, having the characters talk more like themselves.
Have students write an essay about a time that they had a disagreement with a teacher
over an assignment, discussing why they disagreed and what measures were taken to overcome
the disagreement.
In Socratic circles, have students discuss stories that contain animal protagonists. Ask
students if they believe that most animal protagonists die, and then ask them why they think that
is the case. Have them discuss the authors’ crafts, scrutinizing what they think the authors try to
do with that technique.
Tags: YA literature, Realism, Theater, Sports Fiction
Title: A Step from Heaven
Author: An Na
Publisher: Front Street Press
Copyright Date: 2001
Plot: A Step from Heaven is a story about a young girl and her family who immigrate to the
United States from Korea in search of a better life. But when Ju and her family arrive in
America, they soon learn that their new life will be a struggle. Living in a small rented apartment
and with her parents working multiple restaurant, landscaping, and cleaning jobs, Ju and her
younger brother do their best to reconcile the gaps between their home and school life. Ju, who
excels in school but is forbidden to make American friends at school, is ashamed of her family
home and life. Her father, soon defeated by his inability to provide a good life for his family in
the new country, turns to drinking and becomes abusive. Her mother, trying to hold the family
together, bears the brunt of her husband’s abuse until one night Ju will take no more. A Step from
Heaven follows Ju’s coming-of-age story from toddler into young adulthood.
Key Issues: coming of age, immigration, alcoholism, domestic abuse
Warnings: There are no warnings for this book.
Audience: Ethnic or multi-cultural readers; while protagonist is a girl, the immigrant struggle
issues transcend gender
Teaching Ideas: I think this book would be suitable for a book club or literary circle. Some
teaching ideas may include:
1. Some of Ju’s most comforting memories of her life in Korea are those of her grandmother,
Halmoni. After Ju left Korea, she never saw Halmoni again. One evening many years later, Ju
receives the news that her Halmoni has died. As Ju, write a good-bye letter to Halmoni. Include
anything you think Ju would want her Halmoni to know.
2. Many times throughout the novel, Ju’s father (Apa) draws distinctions in ability between Ju
and her brother solely based on their gender. Discuss several instances in which Apa does this in
the book. Research gender biases in Asian cultures and incorporate into your discussion.
Title: Wait for Me
Author: An Na
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: An Na’s second novel Wait for Me is an immigrant’s story not unlike Na’s first novel, A
Step from Heaven. The protagonist, Mina, is a Korean-American teenager who struggles between
fulfilling her mother’s expectations and finding her own self. Mina’s mother is a stern,
overcompensating, and brash woman. Her father keeps to himself and stays out of his mother’s
way. Mina finds herself most rooted in her life by her sister, Suna, who is hearing impaired and
relies heavily on Mina. When a young Hispanic teen, Ysrael, is hired at her parents’ dry cleaning
business, Mina finds herself drawn to the mysterious boy with the quiet disposition. The two
secretly become friends and their relationship blossoms into a romance, raising questions of
loyalty and truth.
Key Issues: coming of age, immigration, self-discovery, familial expectations, disability,
romance
Warnings: There are no warnings for this book.
Audience: Ethnic or multi-cultural readers; the romance story may appeal to girls more than
boys
Teaching Ideas: I think this book would be suitable for a book club or literary circle. Some
teaching ideas may include:
1. The last paragraph in the novel follows: “I thought of Ysrael then. I could hear the faint
sounds of his music in the rustling trees. His voice lighting on a breeze. And I could feel my own
voice rising up inside, deep and light, free yet weighted with an honesty that could only come
from taking on the obstacles, the responsibilities of living a life that was true. The street hummed
right along to my song. (page 169) Write the lyrics to Mina’s song as it would be written at the
end of the novel.
2. The novel is set up in brief chapters titled Mina and Suna, as they are told from each
character’s point of view. Write a chapter titled Uhmma, told from Mina’s mother’s point of
view. You may choose to write the chapter for the beginning, middle or end of the novel.
Title: Georgie
Author: Malachy Doyle
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Copyright Date: 2001
Plot: Fourteen-year-old Georgie, suffering from an unnamed emotional disability, struggles to
even get out of his bed to go eat downstairs at the clinic where he’s been living for most of his
adolescence.
Told almost entirely through Georgie’s eyes, the story focuses on his new beginning at a
last-ditch clinic in the country: a farmhouse and school for kids “like him.” Georgie reacts by
attacking a caregiver and completely shutting down. At the new home, Georgie meets Tommo, a
sympathetic doctor who uses love and patience to bring the real Georgie to the surface. Also
helping Georgie heal is Shannon, another teenager at the home who suffers from the same
violent outbursts as Georgie. By slipping smiley-face notes under his door, Shannon is
determined to help George the way that Tommo helped her.
As George is given more and more trust, he ventures outside—both literally and
figuratively—until he’s met with his past memories: the reason he’s struggling. Georgie must
confront the horrifying story of his mother’s murder and his own part in that story.
Key Issues: Death of a parent or loved one. Guilt from an accident, and forgiving yourself.
Mental illness. Emotional trauma. Psychological treatment. Coming to terms with differences.
Warnings: Two scenes are very unsettling. At the beginning of the book, Georgie wipes feces
all over his cell walls when he finds out he is being moved. Towards the end, there is a scene of
violence as Georgie remembers his mother’s bloody murder.
Audience: Middle or high school students would enjoy this book, especially if they are
interested in psychology or struggle with their own mental or emotional difficulties. It is a very
short book with larger type, so it’s also a fast-read and informative on how a person sometimes
mentally shuts out trauma.
Teaching ideas:
- Students could do research on various mental and emotional illnesses and the history of how
they’ve been treated.
- There are many “clues” pointing towards Georgie’s repressed memories. Make a chart or
timeline of these and talk about how a therapist might do something similar.
- Have the students write in first-person using a stream-of-conscious style similar to the book,
perhaps remembering a moment from childhood (not necessarily a trauma!)
- Have students reach out to a local boys or girls home by doing some sort of service project: a
lunch, donating books and magazines, etc.
Title: Because of Anya
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Publisher/Imprint: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon &
Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
Copyright Date: 2002
Plot: Keely Michaels and Anya Seaver have been classmates since kindergarten, but their
friendship has dwindled over the years. In fact, Keely barely notices Anya until the day her
bossy friend Stef passes a note in class—“Look at Anya! I think she’s wearing a wig!” Tenyear-old girls are not supposed to wear wigs…unless they are dying of cancer. While Keely and
her friends are determined to discover Anya’s secret, Anya is determined to conceal her
condition, praying that her wig doesn’t fall off. Though Anya does not have cancer, she has been
diagnosed with alopecia areata, a medical condition that makes her allergic to her own hair. Told
from the points of view of both Anya and Keely, Because of Anya is a heartbreaking story of
childhood suffering and the difference true kindness and compassion can make in a child’s life.
Key Issues: alopecia areata, childhood hair-loss, bullying, friendship, perseverance, family
relationships, sympathy, loneliness
Warnings: The language used in this book is completely appropriate for young readers. A
teacher might consider explaining alopecia areata before beginning this novel. It might also be
beneficial to discuss compassion, sympathy, privacy, and polite behavior with younger students.
Audience: elementary and middle school students
Teaching Ideas: Medical Research: After Keely finds out about Anya’s condition, she does
some research and finds a way to donate her own hair through Locks of Love. Have students
research alopecia areata or another medical condition. Students will make a brochure describing
the symptoms, causes, and treatment of the condition. A section of the brochure should address
ways to help those suffering from the condition or suggestions for compassionate treatment of
those individuals.
Point of View: Students will choose an episode from the book and tell the story from a different
character’s point of view. A student may also choose to recount the scene from his or her own
point of view. What would that character (or you) have thought about during the scene? What
would you have said? Would you have done something differently or prevented something from
happening?
Genre: Realistic fiction, inspirational fiction
Title: Boost
Author: Kathy Mackel
Publisher/Imprint: Dial Books/Penguin Group
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: Eighth grader Savvy Christopher is six two and growing, which she considers a good
thing. Savvy’s height, along with her skill, has helped her secure a position on Fire, an elite
eighteen and under basketball team in her new home of Rhode Island. Now it’s up to Savvy to
boost her game so she can capture a starting role. Through practice and work on her great aunt’s
sheep farm, Savvy gains skill and strength and is named starting center for Fire. Savvy’s success
is cut short, however, when steroids are found in her game bag. Savvy is innocent, and although
she is cleared by blood-tests, she realizes the only way to completely escape the title of user is to
discover how the pills got there. Could they have been stashed by Savvy’s sister’s boyfriend
Marc, planted by one of the thugs from Power, Fire’s rival team, or is it something much closer
to home?
Key Issues: Steroid use and athletic pressure, body image issues, moving/attending a new
school, sibling rivalry and discord, nervous disorders and breakdowns
Warnings: None
Audience: This is a great book for athletes or any student gifted in a specific area because it
discusses the serious pressures they are exposed to. Also, it is told from an interesting, and often
overlooked, perspective of a female athlete and may help male readers understand the similarities
of desire and drive that exist in their female counterparts. Even though the protagonist of the
story is only in eight grade, the supporting characters are, for the most part, high schoolers which
would make this an enjoyable text for middle school and early high school students.
Teaching Ideas:
Marc’s Point of View: Marc, Savvy’s sister Callie’s boyfriend, plays an interesting role in the
text. At a party early on in the story, he plays a game of horse with Savvy and offers a kiss for a
reward if she wins. At that same party Savvy later catches him making out with Callie. Have
the student’s write this scene from Marc’s point of view. They can make him out to be a jerk or
a good natured guy who meant Savvy no harm, but they must use textual evidence to support
their interpretation of his character.
Quotable Quotes: Savvy often relies on Michael Jordan quotes to provide guidance in her day to
day life both on and off the court. Have the students identify a public figure that they admire and
collect a range of quotes from speeches, writings, movies etc. Periodically throughout the
reading of the book, have the students journal about how they attempt to work the philosophy of
the quotes into their everyday life.
Title: Game
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Publisher/Imprint: Harper Teen/Harper Collins
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: Drew Lawson is beginning his senior year at James Baldwin Academy. Up until now, he
has been sure that his basketball game is deep, but he knows that this is the year that counts if he
wants to score a scholarship to a Division I school and realize his dream of becoming an NBA
player. Drew is thrown for a loop, however, when the team’s coach introduces two new players
along with a new playing philosophy. One of these players, an Eastern European named Tomas
Dvorski, seems to be the center of this philosophy and Drew begins to wonder if he is being
intentionally boxed out by his coach. Unlike Othello, whose story he is reading in English class,
Drew must remain calm and master his suspicions or he will end up playing himself out of the
only shot he has to realize his dreams.
Issues: Race relations, the plight of lower class blacks--especially male teenagers, self doubt,
resistance to authority, the realization that it is up to an individual to achieve his dream
Warnings: “pussy” is used once, but other than that it is a clean text
Audience: While the inner city dialect makes the writing seem simple, it is actually stylistically
complex and can be used with higher level texts. I would recommend this for freshmen and
sophomores, at both the regular and honors level. The plot creates an accessible read for
athletes, minorities, and male readers in general. There are a lot of technical terms in this book
and one should be familiar with them if they want to understand it.
Teaching Ideas:
Companion Pieces: This book would be an excellent companion piece for Othello. The story
loosely follows the Shakespearean plot triangle, and Drew suffers from the same tragic failing as
Othello. Students could compare and contrast the two texts. This text could also be read along
with a short dialect tale from Charles Chesnutt’s The Conjure Woman. Students could explore
the different uses of black dialect over time and debate its success in both works. Finally, Game
can also be read by a part of the class while the other reads Boost. Each group could then lead a
discussion that would form connections between female and male athletes.
“Who Should Be in the Game?”: While at the homeless shelter, Drew runs into a man who
argues “If you know you don’t have a win, then there’s no use for you being in the game.”
Reflecting on this, Drew acknowledges that “There are a lot of brothers [he] couldn’t imagine
making a real get over.” Have students research statistics involving high school drop out rates,
college attendance, and juvenile crimes, and have them use their findings to lead a discussion on
the effects socioeconomic status and race have on personal success.
Title: The House of the Scorpion
Author: Nancy Farmer
Publisher/Imprint: Simon & Schuster/ Simon Pulse
Copyright Date: 2002
Plot: Matteo Alacran is not a typical boy; he is the cloned son of El Patron, the 142-year-old
lord of a country called Opium. Opium is little more than a large farm of poppy fields that
separate the United States from what was once Mexico. Matteo is not the only clone in Opium;
the entire country is farmed by clones. But there is an essential difference between Matteo and
the other created beings. The other clones, called eejits, are medically altered at birth so that they
cannot feel or think for themselves. Matteo, raised by El Patron and given the best education
available, is certain that he is different and that his future is secure. As he tries to understand the
reason for his existence, he must somehow cope with the hostility of El Patron’s children and
grandchildren.
Key Issues: Primarily this is a story of survival in a hostile world. Embedded in this tale,
however, are ethical issues of cloning, drug trafficking, addiction, and power struggles within
families.
Warnings: Even though the drug use is portrayed negatively, it is still prevalent in the story.
Audience: There are some serious issues explored in this novel that a young audience would not
be able to process. I would only teach this novel to high school age students. There is enough
adventure and suspense to engage boys, but the story is universal and would appeal to girls as
well.
Teaching Ideas: Because this novel deals with such powerful and engaging issues, I think that it
would be appropriate for an entire class. There are many opportunities for researching and
reporting on some of the major social or political issues. These same themes could be used to
create op-ed responses or interviews. You could also stage several debates so that each student
could get an opportunity to participate.
Tags: YA, drugs, science fiction, cloning, dystopia, fantasy, adventure, futuristic societies,
National Book award winner, family relationships, father-son relationships, friendship, survival,
freedom, addiction
Title: The Cay
Author: Theodore Taylor
Publisher/Imprint: Avon Camelot
Copyright Date: 1969
Plot: After being shipwrecked on a deserted island, a young, prejudiced boy, Phillip, discovers
the only person who survives with him is an old black man, Timothy, who was working on the
ship. Shortly after the wreck, Phillip begins to go blind and must rely completely on the old
man. Timothy and Phillip have many survival adventures on the island while they wait and hope
to be rescued. During this time Phillip slowly overcomes the racism instilled in him by his
parents and society. He learns to accept and love Timothy and his life and views completely
change.
Key Issues: Survival, racism, prejudice, adventure, shipwreck
Warnings: Derogatory descriptions of black people by a few characters, although this is
balanced by the story line in which the young boy overcomes his prejudice.
Audience: Male or female, may be more interesting for male readers. Sixth grade reading level,
although this could be taught in any middle school grade.
Teaching Ideas: 1) Focus on the author—Taylor was born in N.C. and began writing at age 13
(sports for a local newspaper). Relay this information to the students before beginning the novel
so that they may have some type of a connection to the author. Also, it’s important to let them
know about writers who started writing at their age. 2) Characterization—Character
development is so important in this novel. Students can write character maps, body tracing
maps, or draw a circle for each of the main characters with their traits and an example from the
text radiating from the circle. 3) Reading Comprehension—Draw a map of the island. 4) Write
and deliver “how-to” speeches about one of the inventions in the novel.
Title: Jason & Kyra
Author: Dana Davidson
Publisher/Imprint: Hyperion
Copyright Date: 2004
Plot: Jason Vincent is a star athlete and one of the most popular kids in school with a hot
girlfriend to prove it. Kyra Evans is kind of a nerd who doesn’t get much attention at all from
any boy. When the two get paired together to work on an English project something unexpected
happens—they begin to fall for each other. Jason breaks up with his girlfriend, and he and Kyra
begin a relationship that neither has experienced before. But will the pressure of academics and
dating be too much for the unlikely couple? And will Kyra’s inexperience ultimately be
unacceptable for a boy like Jason who’s always gotten what he wants?
Key Issues: Love, peer pressure, romance, dating
Warnings: Very mild swearing, references to premarital sex and heavily described passionate
scenes although the two main characters never have sex and do choose to act in a maturely
responsible way that may actually be a model of behavior for high school students
Audience: Primarily girls since this is a romance, but many boys would be able to relate to the
character of Jason. I just don’t know if there is enough action in the plot to hold their attention.
I would only consider this novel for high school—sophomores and above.
Teaching Ideas: I wouldn’t choose to teach this novel, even in small groups. While fairly
entertaining, there is such an abundance of young adult lit with more merit that I just wouldn’t
consider this one as a top choice. However, if someone were to use this novel in class here are a
few suggestions: 1. Jason and Kyra make many responsible choices throughout the course of
the novel. Identify three of the choices they make and discuss them in class. 2. Jason and Kyra
come from two different backgrounds as far as their parents are concerned. Using a t-chart
identify and explain the parental guidance and control the two characters receive in their lives. 3.
Write an email correspondence between two of the characters in the novel. Perhaps you could
re-write the break-up between Jason and Lisa as if he had done it via computer, not in-person.
Or you could write the email that Heather may have written to Kyra to tell her about Lisa’s
deceit. Or come up with a scenario of your own.
Title: Godless
Author: Pete Hautman
Publisher/Imprint: Simon & Schuster/ Simon Pulse
Copyright Date: 2004
Plot: Jason Bock is in many ways a typical adolescent boy who is questioning the established
beliefs of his culture. He is intelligent and unafraid of being different. His inquiry of systems
takes a unique twist, however, when he examines the religious beliefs of his parents. This
agnostic boy, who is rapidly veering toward atheism, decides to create his own god, and
arbitrarily chooses the town’s water tower as his new deity. His convinces an odd assortment of
friends to be the new religion’s acolytes, and imparts the titles of High Priestess and Keeper of
the Sacred Text to his two favorite worshippers. The new religion, named the Chutengodians,
seems odd but relatively innocuous when first formed, but like many cults it turns out to be
dangerous and impossible to control. Although Jason recognizes the fiction behind the worship
of a water tower, his best friend becomes enthralled with his new position, and his belief in this
new idol threatens to destroy him.
Key Issues: The primary issue is the struggle with belief systems that all teenagers engage in.
Within this struggle, are a coming-of-age story and a boy’s attempts to establish an independent
self within his culture.
Warnings: There is no profanity, no sex, and no drug use in this book. There is, however, a
serious questioning of faith at the center of the story. Consequently, parental consent would be
necessary to teach it.
Audience: This book has both male and female protagonists, and therefore, would appeal to both
sexes. It is funny and engaging, but it deals with issues that would not be appropriate for a young
audience. I would teach it to any level of high school student.
Teaching Ideas: Because this story is about religion, it might not be appropriate for an entire
class. I would use it for a smaller group who would be able to engage in discussion of one’s
beliefs in a respectful manner.
There are some interesting characters in this novel and I think that a character journal
would be useful. Jason’s best friend, Shin, as Keeper of the Sacred Text, keeps a diary of his
emerging belief in this new spirit. It would be interesting to create diaries of the other characters
that examine the way each character believes in their creation.
Tags: YA, religion, cults, coming of age, National Book Award winner, Catholicism, alienation,
friendship, belief systems, independence
Title: The Breadwinner
Author: Deborah Ellis
Publisher/Imprint: Publishers Group West
Copyright Date: 2000
Plot: In Kabul, Afghanistan, girls are not permitted to go to school and women are not allowed
to work. The daughter of educated parents, eleven-year-old Parvana assists her crippled father to
the market each day. When her father is arrested by the Taliban, Parvana decides that she must
find a way to support her mother and siblings. Donning her deceased brother’s clothing, Parvana
disguises herself as a boy and takes over her father’s business: reading aloud and writing letters
of correspondence for the illiterate. The Breadwinner follows Parvana as she risks her freedom
and her life to make money for her family.
Key Issues: life in Afghanistan, women in Afghanistan, the Taliban, war-torn countries, child
labor, oppression
Warnings: This novel addresses the tragic realities of war: Parvana’s family members are
killed and crippled by land mines; the Taliban oppresses women and resorts to physical violence;
desperate for money, Parvana digs up corpses to sell gold teeth and jewelry.
Audience: middle school and high school students
Teaching Ideas:
A Week in the Life: Compare your life in the United States to Parvana’s in Afghanistan.
Describe the differences. Are there any similarities? Write an essay or short story describing
what you would do if placed in Parvana’s situation. Would you take the risks that she did? How
would you make money? Would you attempt to flee the country?
Country Study: Research the history, religion, food, clothing, language, geography, etc. of
Afghanistan. Create a poster or booklet with pictures or illustrations that you will share with the
class. Include informative paragraphs as well as recipes, newspaper articles, song titles, articles
of clothing, etc. You might consider dressing up, cooking a traditional dish, or playing some
music on the day of your presentation.
Genre: Foreign culture, realistic fiction, historical fiction, adventure
Title: I Am Rembrandt’s Daughter
Author: Linda Cullen
Publisher/Imprint: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: Cornelia, the hard-working, illegitimate daughter of Amsterdam artist Rembrandt van
Rijn, struggles with poverty and tragedy in 17th century Holland. After losing her mother at a
young age, fifteen-year-old Cornelia assumes the responsibility of caring for her father, a
tortured artist who becomes increasingly mad. At one time a publicly renowned and financially
successful painter, Rembrandt’s scandalous refusal to marry Cornelia’s mother Hendrickje
results in his losing favor with the art community, and is a source of personal pain and public
humiliation for Cornelia. Furthermore, Cornelia assumes all of the domestic responsibility while
her father nonchalantly goes about painting, unconcerned with surmounting debts and their
inability to purchase the most basic necessities, such as food. As much about the struggle to love
her father in spite of his short-comings as the novel is about her subsequent romances, I Am
Rembrandt’s Daughter follows Cornelia through her quest to find true love, to determine
whether Rembrandt is her biological father, and to overcome a devastating tragedy.
Key Issues: poverty, tragedy, family, romance, coming of age.
Warnings: mild sexual references (mention of nudity and illegitimacy) and the death of a main
character.
Audience: I would recommend this book for 9th grade students to adult readers, particularly
women. Because of the focus on romance and the father-daughter relationship, I do not believe
most male readers would enjoy the novel; however, anyone interested in art would probably love
the novel.
Teaching Ideas:
1. Cullen refers to various paintings by Rembrandt throughout the novel. Have students create a
power point presentation and speech discussing some of these paintings.
2. Show the class a painting by Rembrandt and have them write creatively about what the
painting means to them in a journal, or to be turned in for an informal assessment.
3. Compare and contrast the novel to other works of fiction or nonfiction that explore the history
of the plague in Europe. One example could be Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death.”
4. Have students rewrite the ending of the novel and change which male character Cornelia ends
up falling in love with, or rewrite who winds up being Cornelia’s biological father. They should
investigate what effect this change has on the story’s plot and ending.
Genre: historical fiction, romance, art history fiction, coming of age story.
Tags: romance, history, art history, Amsterdam, 17th century, plague, poverty.
Title: Wildwood Dancing
Author: Juliet Marillier
Publisher/Imprint: Alfred A. Knopf (an imprint of Random House Children’s Books)
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: Jena and her four sisters have been visiting the magical realm of Wildwood for nine years.
By saying their names in the correct birth order, they are able to access this magical world
through a secret portal whenever there is a Full Moon. When Jena’s father has to leave the
dreary winter of Transylvania because he is ill, the girls must begin taking care of themselves.
At only fifteen, Jena is a mature and responsible young woman. But her cousin, Cezar, becomes
increasingly threatening of the girls’ way of life. Not only does he threaten their travels to
Wildwood, but he also begins taking over their household, attempting to force Jena into marriage
with him. Furthermore, the order of the Wildwood glade is under the threat of the terrifying
Night People, a morose clan of vampire-like people with special powers. Can Jena stop Cezar
from seizing control of her own and her sister’s lives? Can she restore the tranquility of the
Wildwood glade that existed before the Night People’s arrival? And can she save her sister Tati
from a doomed love affair with Sorrow, a lonely Night Person who may or may not be evil? In
order to protect her sisters and the magical creatures of Wildwood, Jena must brave confronting
Draguta, the terrifying witch who is ruler of the Wildwood. In spite of the danger, Draguta is the
only one with the necessary knowledge to stop Cezar and the Night People, and set things in
Jena’s world back in order.
Key Issues: finding one’s self, overcoming obstacles, self-reliance, being non-judgmental.
Warnings: Parents who object to fantasy may have an issue with the book. Also, there is one
racy scene where a male character tries to touch Jena inappropriately (Marillier handles this
incident carefully, so it would probably be an issue only for extremely conservative parents).
Audience: Teenage girls or adults who love fairy tales. Thematically, it would be appropriate
for grades 6 and up; however, the diction is difficult at times, so only advanced younger reads
should read it. I doubt most male readers would be interested.
Teaching Ideas:
1. Have students write from the perspective of one of the sisters other than Jena (Paula, Tati,
Iulia or Stela). How would this change the story if one of these other sisters was the protagonist?
2. Have students rewrite a well-known fairy-tale, as Marillier does with “The Frog Prince.”
3. Have students research folk and fairy tale motifs and identity the various ones that Marillier
uses throughout the novel. They may then write their own story, or write a paper analyzing
Marillier’s use of these motifs.
4. Have students give an oral report, in groups, about various subjects brought up in the book.
For instance: Night People, Draguta, Transylvania, Romania and other types of pertinent folklore
within the story.
Genre: fairy tale, folk tale, supernatural fiction, fantasy
Tags: fairy tales, fantasy, romance, Transylvania.
Title: Messenger
Author: Lois Lowry
Publisher/Imprint: Houghton Mifflin
Copyright Date: 2004
Plot: Messenger is the third book in Lois Lowry’s loose trilogy that started with The Giver and
continued with Gathering Blue. Messenger is about a boy named Matty who lives in a peaceful
place called Village with his guardian, a man named Seer. Jonas, the main character of The
Giver, returns as the leader of Village and plays a supporting role. Matty is a young boy about to
come of age and receive his “real” name: the title of the job he will have. Matty hopes to receive
the name Messenger because he is one of the few people who can travel through the evil forest
that surrounds Village to deliver messages to other towns. However, the townspeople are slowly
being corrupted and are beginning to refuse newcomers to Village. When they decide to shut the
town off from the outside world, it is up to Matty to travel through the forest and reach a
neighboring town to find Seer’s daughter Kira.
Key Issues: coming of age, self-sacrifice, the importance of work and fulfilling your role in life,
friendship, the value of kindness
Warnings: The book contains a few scary scenes and (spoiler alert) the main character sacrifices
himself at the end. But like most of Lois Lowry’s books, there is no controversial material or
language.
Audience: Good for boys or girls from the 5th grade up. Younger kids might not catch some of
the heavier themes, but a competent teacher could help them with that. Older kids might find it a
bit juvenile or too easy to read, but it would be good for independent reading (especially if paired
with the other two books in the trilogy)
Teaching Ideas: Messenger makes for an excellent introduction to dystopian fiction (although
not as good of an introduction as The Giver). Teachers could use Messenger as a short, easy read
to introduce students to heavier books such as Brave New World or 1984. Another idea is to have
students say which character they would most like to be and why based on what their “name” or
role is in the community (Messenger, Seer, Leader, Stocktender, Teacher, etc…). Alternatively,
students could talk about what they think their role would be in the community. A third idea is to
have a class discussion analyzing the evil forest – throughout the novel it seems to possess an
intelligence of its own and it warns people not to enter. The class could discuss and debate what
the forest is supposed to represent or what its purpose is. Finally, for any class where you could
get away with including religious instruction, you could have students look for any religious
imagery or parallels between Matty and Christ.
Title: Small Steps
Author: Louis Sachar
Publisher/Imprint: Delacorte Press
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: Small Steps is the sequel to Holes, but does not star Stanley Yelnats. Instead, it is the story
of Armpit, a 17-year-old African-American ex-inmate of Camp Green Lake. Armpit is trying to
take small steps to get his life back in order when he is suddenly caught up in a shady ticket
scalping operation with a fellow ex-inmate named X-Ray. At one point he decides to take his
friend Ginny, a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, to a concert for a pop star named Kaira
DeLeon. As events progress, Armpit meets Kaira and the two strike up a romance as Armpit gets
caught up in a police investigation regarding the scalpers as well as discovering a plot by Kaira’s
managers to do away with the pop star and take her fortune.
Key Issues: life after prison/juvenile correction, doing what is right, race issues, selfimprovement, redemption
Warnings: Although Armpit is 17, the book is written for and suitable for grades 5 and up.
There are a few scary scenes and some sinister villains up to no good, but nothing crazy or
inappropriate.
Audience: Grades 5 and up. Boys will like it for the main character and girls will like it for the
characters of Ginny and Kaira. Younger readers might miss out on the heavier social
commentary (such as the difficulty of being black, a teenager, and an ex-con). Older students
might find the read a bit too easy, but it would still be good for independent reading.
Teaching Ideas: If time permits, this book could easily be paired up with Holes. One teaching
idea would be to have a class discussion about what life would be like after leaving a
correctional facility (whether it be Camp Green Lake or an actual prison) and whether or not it
would be easier or more difficult for one race or another. The teacher could even do a bit of
research and tie the book in with news stories or current events involving ex-prisoners doing
either good or bad. Another teaching idea would be to teach students about the term ‘serendipity’
(a fortuitous series of events that leads to some positive outcome) and explain how Armpit’s
meeting and budding romance with Kaira could be seen as unlikely but serendipitous. Then
students could write about an event in their own life that seems comparable. A third idea would
be to have students write a police report or news article about the scalping or the attempted
murder of Kaira. Finally, students could write their own “sequel” to Holes involving Stanley
Yelnats and tell how they think is life is progressing after being found innocent and becoming
rich.
Title: Story of a Girl
Author: Sara Zarr
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: Deanna Lambert has just finished tenth grade at Terra Nova high school in Pacifica, CA.
When Deanna was thirteen, her father caught her having sex with seventeen-year-old Tommy in
the back of his car. It's now three years later, and Deanna is still struggling to overcome the
negative consequences that followed the sexual encounter. Deanna has been labeled as a slut at
school, and she has never been forgiven by her father. Deanna has a negative view of herself and
her life in Pacifica, and she struggles to have faith and confidence in herself. Deanna finds
solace in her two close friends and in her role as the aunt of her teenage sister's baby. Deanna
faces conflicts with herself, her family members, and her friends, which she ultimately resolves.
Key Issues: teenage self-image and reputation, teenage sex, family conflict, rejection,
friendship, teenage parenting, working class culture
Warnings: The narrator of this book is a teenager who often uses crude slang and phrases. Curse
words occur fairly often in this book. The story is centered around the effects of a sexual
encounter between a thirteen-year-old and a seventeen-year-old.
Audience: Most likely High School. The writing style and themes are not very complex and
would be appropriate for middle school and early high school reading levels; however, the foul
language and topic of sex may not be appropriate until later in high school.
Teaching Ideas: I would not choose this book to teach to a whole class. If a student wanted to
read it outside of school, I would advise the parents to be aware of the language and content. In
my opinion, the themes and characters were not deeply developed, so I would have a harder time
justifying the use of crude language. If this was chosen for a book club or individual read,
discussion and/or writing topics could include: one's reputation at school -- how it is formed and
how it can be changed; teenager's relationship with parents -- think about a conflict you had with
parent or sibling that you overcame; and struggle with self-image -- how can one's confidence in
one’s self decrease and increase?
Title: It’s Kind of a Funny Story
Author: Ned Vizzini
Publisher: Hyperion Paperbacks
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: The narrator, Craig Gilner, is an intelligent, witty, and kind-hearted fifteen-year-old who is
battling severe depression. Craig lives in New York City with his supportive and loving mother,
father, and little sister. He is unable to sleep, unable to keep food down, unmotivated to get out
of bed, and consistently challenged by the voice of a general in his head. Craig does not
understand the specific changes that have taken place in his mind, or how to correct them, but he
recognizes that he began feeling this way after starting at Manhattan’s highly competitive
Executive Pre-Professional High School. Craig tries desperately, with the help of therapists and
medication, to bring on the big “Shift” that he knows must take place in his brain in order to pull
him out of his current mental state. It is not until he nearly commits suicide and ends up in the
mental hospital that Craig begins to make the positive shifts he’s been hoping for. In the
hospital, Craig meets people of all sorts, makes quality friendships, and has time to reflect on and
let go of the pressures that had brought him into severe depression.
Key Issues: depression, pressure to succeed, coming of age, friendship, love, following one’s
passion
Warnings: Although the story revolves around the heavy issue of depression, it is narrated
intelligently and wittily, and it offers hope and resolution to the difficult and sometimes hopeless
feeling of depression. Some scenes contain experimental behavior typical of teenage years such
as smoking pot, cursing, drinking beer, and sexual encounters.
Audience: High School. The narrator is a mature and intelligent fifteen-year-old, and the
language and subject seem best for 11th -12th grade. However, it may be appropriate for mature
ninth and tenth graders. I would recommend this book to a student who is struggling with
depression, as it offers a positive and strong character with whom to relate.
Teaching Ideas: I would teach this book to a mature high school class. It would most likely be
best for small group work, to allow in-depth discussion about the issue of depression. Some
teaching ideas:
-Craig loves drawing maps from his imagination. Students could draw a map of an imaginary
place, or of their brain.
-Students could research clinical depression and how it is being addressed in the medical field
today.
-Craig realizes that he has pressured himself into doing something he doesn’t really want to do,
and eventually chooses to pursue his interest instead. Students can write a journal entry about a
time that they felt pressured to succeed in something and a time they pursued something they
really wanted.
Title: Masquerade
Author: Mellissa De La Cruz
Publisher/Imprint: Disney Publishing/Hyperion Books for Children
Copyright: 2007
Plot: Schuyler Van Alen is on the fringe of one of New York’s most elite, wealthy, and
infamous social circles: the Blue Bloods. The Blue Bloods are an ancient clan of vampires with
power, money, and style that have lived in relative peace…until now. Young vampires are being
attacked and killed mysteriously. Schuyler and her best friend Oliver (a red blood, a.k.a. human)
travel to Italy with the hope of finding the one vampire that may hold the key to solving the
crimes – Schuyler’s grandfather. While she and Oliver comb the streets of Venice, the
Manhattan Blue Bloods plan the annual Four Hundred Ball. The exclusive event reveals the
ancient identities of the young vampires. But this year Mimi Force, one of the most powerful
and most popular of the young vampires, throws an after-party masquerade. The party reveals as
much as it hides. With love triangles, forbidden relationships, mystery and murder, this book
keeps the pages turning and leaves the reader wanting more.
Key Issues: Self discovery, belonging, family, romance, murder, history.
Warnings: The novel contains some descriptive lust/love scenes that imply more than they
describe. However, I did not find them so detailed that it would prevent me from recommending
this book to older high school students or mature younger students. The language was mild.
Audience: Late middle school through high school students. The series will provide more of a
connection for a female audience with the emphasis on fashion throughout the books.
Teaching Ideas: I would use this book for small group reading circles. Some of the content
does not lend itself nor appeal to a whole class use of the book. Some teaching ideas that I
would incorporate would be: 1) Have students pick a passage from the book and insert
themselves into the dialogue. What would you say to the character? What advice would you
give? Would you be a friend or an enemy? The assignment would provide the student with the
opportunity to talk straight to any character. 2) Have students create a “family” tree for the
characters in the novel. The relationships of the characters are central to the plot of the story.
For at least 3 of the characters create character profiles to be included with the tree. The profiles
should have physical characteristics of the character, personality traits, and some additional
information that gives insight on the relationship to other characters. Creating a physical
drawing of the characters may appeal to some students because of the novel’s heavy fashion
references.
Title: Revelations
Author: Mellissa De La Cruz
Publisher/Imprint: Hyperion Juvenile
Copyright: 2008
Plot: The third book in the Blue Bloods series continues the saga of Schuyler Van Alen and the
elite Manhattan vampires. Schuyler’s blood line is questioned as the mystery of the attacks on
the Blue Bloods is investigated. The Silver Bloods, ancient enemies of the Blue Bloods, are
back and someone inside the Blue Blood committee knows the secret. Meanwhile, Schuyler is
forced to live with her nemesis Mimi Force, and continues to threaten the eternal bond of her
lover Jack who is betrothed to Mimi. Schuyler must also come to terms with her relationship
with Oliver -- her best friend, human familiar, and conduit. But while romance distracts the
young vampires a dangerous battle begins to unfold in Rio de Janeiro between the Blue Bloods
and the Silver Bloods and one vampire’s secret identity is on the verge of exposure.
Key Issues: Self discovery, belonging, family, romance, murder, history, good vs. evil.
Warnings: Much like Masquerade, Revelations contains some descriptive lust/love scenes that
imply more than they describe. Again, I did not find them so detailed that it would prevent me
from recommending this book to older high school students or mature younger students. The
language was mild.
Audience: Late middle school through high school students. The series will provide more of a
connection for a female audience with the emphasis on fashion and romance throughout the
book.
Teaching Ideas: Similar to Masquerade, this book is best suited for use with small group
reading circles. Some of the content does not lend itself nor appeal to a whole class use of the
book. Some teaching ideas: 1) Have students recreate the front and back covers of the novel.
Make sure to include a description of the book on the back cover that would sell it to your
classmates. OR create a movie poster for the book. Students can decide who would play which
character. Creativity counts! 2) The novel ends as a cliffhanger. Have students write the next
chapter or a brief plot description of the next novel (which does not come out until October
2009).
Title: The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Author: Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher/Imprint: Anchor Books A Division of Random House, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2002
Plot: This book series is a great new product of fiction concerning Southern Africa, and the country of Botswana in
particular. What I found most notable and interesting about the series is that it was written by a white man and it
concerns the daily lives of African black women. The skill McCall Smith employs to craft his stories lies in his
ability to empathize with others. When most people think of Africa, or Southern Africa, in particular, they think of
South African apartheid, poverty, war, and Aids. Few people know the story of the democratic little neighbor of
South Africa, Botswana. Botswana is portrayed by McCall Smith to be a beautiful, peaceful country, full of
humorous simplicity and wholesome goodness. The first book in the series starts with the life story, thus far, of the
main character Mma, (which is the Setswana equivalent for Ms, or Mrs.), Precious Remotswe. Precious has been
brought up in a loving home by a modern father, who has allowed her to grow into a modern woman. In doing so,
however, he has allowed Precious to make her own mistakes, and as a result of this she was briefly married to a
wicked man early on in her life. This man, a musician called Note, ran off with another woman shortly after the
consummation of their marriage and left Precious alone to miscarry his baby. Much of the book is also concerned
with the back-story of the early life of Precious’ father, Rra, or Mr., Obed Remotswe, who was a great man. Much of
his early life was spent working in the diamond mines in Johannesburg, South Africa. In these mines he encountered
danger, cruelty, and sorrow. After witnessing four Zulus murder an Xhosa man in the mines, Obed, fearing for his
life, escaped Johannesburg forever and returned to Mochudi, Botswana. Obed tells of how when he stepped off the
bus in Mochudi, he wept, and a random stranger comforted him. This is the same sweet and genuine nature of the
Botswana people that is displayed throughout the story. On his deathbed, Obed promises his daughter Precious the
inheritance of his herd of cattle. As he lies dying he asks his daughter Precious to start a business. She takes his
request to heart and decides to open Botswana’s first lady-run detective agency. Precious is a very intuitive woman
and she learns, with the help of a copy of Clovis Andersens’ The Principles of Private Investigation, to read the truth
in situations. Precious hires a plucky and spirited, but serious, secretary called Mma Matuki, and they begin to solve
capers ranging from the simple problems of jilted lovers and ultraconservative Hindu fathers who don’t trust their
daughters, to the very serious problem of a young boy abducted in Botswana for use in witchcraft and black magic
rituals.
Key Issues: The issues dealt with in this book are mainly centered upon racial harmony, gender equality,
and the cooperative, friendly spirit of African people. It is a good lighthearted, happy read.
Warnings: This is a very wholesome book. I have few warnings as there is little outright violence and no
foul language. There are instances of real danger, but it is relayed with such levity as to consider it
harmless.
Audience: This book should be targeted towards High School students. It may work well for use as a
whole class, but using it for a small group book club might be even more fun, as students could talk more
intimately about the subtleties of humanity that McCall Smith expresses so cleverly.
Teaching Ideas: I think it would be a great exercise to have students create their own mystery/detective
story from the world they know around them. Like Alexander McCall Smith has done, students could
take the ordinary and the mundane and express it in a way that is mysterious and interesting. Using
your local high school as a setting, have them craft a story wherein someone comes to them with a
problem, as a client would to a detective. Have them, in their story, follow procedural steps, like Mma
Remotswe does, in finding this problem’s solution. Another idea that may be interesting would be a
character sketch of Mma Remotswe. Students could be as creative as they wanted in outlining the traits
that made Precious a round character in the story, citing actual events that happened in her life.
Students could create a life-sized cutout of Precious Remotswe and fill it with quotes from the book that
exemplified a single trait she possesses strongly such as intuitiveness.
Title: The Miracle at Speedy Motors
Author: Alexander McCall Smith
Publisher/Imprint: Anchor Books A Division of Random House, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: This is the latest installment in the series about a ladies detective agency in Botswana that has now become an
original television series on HBO. A lot has happened from Volume One to Volume 9: Mma Remotswe has, of
course, been married to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, for some two years and has
adopted two Masarwa orphans from Mma Potokwane, who runs the orphanage. Her adoptees are a boy called Puso,
and a girl called Motholeli, who is in a wheelchair. Throughout the course of the book, and the course of the series
for that matter, the kind-hearted Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is always doing favors for people, like Mma Potokwane whose
orphans he and Mma Remotswe have adopted. A recent development in the series is the promotion of Mma Makutsi
from Secretary to Assistant Detective to Associate Detective. Mma Makutsi has also been asked by Phuti
Rhadiphuti, proprietor of the Double Comfort Furniture Store, to marry him. At the very start of this novel Mma
Remotswe receives a very threatening letter. Part of the intrigue of the first half of the story is who the letter is
associated with; it is found to be related to someone very close to her. As the story continues to unfold, Mma
Remotswe is approached by a new client who has no people. Mma Marka Sebina comes to Remotswe claiming that
her mother and father had no existing relatives and that now that they are deceased she has come to find out that
they were not her real parents after all. Through investigation, however, Mma Remotswe begins to suspect more and
more that something is amiss with this Mma Sebina, and to further compound things this is when she realizes that
someone very close to her may have been responsible for the threatening letter. While all this is going on, Mma
Remotswe’s Associate Detective, Mma Makutsi, has convinced her fiancée, Phuti Rhadiphuti, to buy them a bed for
when they are married. He does so and has it shipped to her house, only it will not fit. The movers are forced to
leave it outside. It should be fine, but everyone seems to forget that it is the start of the rainy season. The bed is
caught in a terrible downpour and is ruined before Mma Makutsi can return home in Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni’s tow
truck to save it. This book is hilarious. Meanwhile, during this same torrential downpour, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni
rushes out to help some random person who needs his assistance. The person in need turns out to be a doctor who
says that he can fix the problem with Motholeli’s legs and that he can make her walk again even though all other
doctors have said this to be impossible. This series of events sets the stage for the miracle at speedy motors to take
place.
Key Issues: The issues dealt with in this book are mainly centered upon racial harmony, gender equality,
and the cooperative, friendly spirit of African people. It is a good lighthearted, happy read.
Warnings: This is a very wholesome book. I have few warnings as there is little outright violence and no
foul language. There are instances of real danger, but it is relayed with such levity as to consider it
harmless.
Audience: This book should be targeted towards High School students. It may work well for use as a
whole class, but using it for a small group book club might be even more fun, as students could talk more
intimately about the subtleties of humanity that McCall Smith expresses so cleverly.
Teaching Ideas: One of the reasons that I believe that young adults will be able to relate to this is that the
series has become such a staple of the daily dietary intake of pop culture. What gives this series merit in
teaching it to kids is the endearing way with which Alexander McCall Smith expresses the purity and
good nature of the people of Botswana in telling his story. This can lead to great writing assignments
wherein students empathize with those they have very little in common with. Students can attempt to
design a story about people they know very little about. Their story should be told from the perspective of
someone who is completely different from themselves. This character must be either of another race,
gender, religious background, or country. The student must attempt to empathize with their very different
character and relate events from their daily life in a way that helps to express the similarity between all
people.
Title: Massive
Author: Julia Bell
Publisher/Imprint: Simon Pulse/ Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
Copyright: 2002
Plot: Carmen is a freshman in high school and she lives in a small town in England. She is
somewhat shy and awkward, as to be expected at this age, and faces many challenges, such as a
rocky relationship with her mother, Maria. Her “mum”, on the other hand, is not your typical
mother. She is obsessed with her weight and diets constantly to maintain an unhealthy, low body
mass. Maria is so paranoid about body image that she even insists upon Carmen following her
strict, bizarre diets. The book provides a realistic insight to eating disorders and the stress it is
places on a person, their family, and relationships.
Key Issues: Eating disorders, divorce, changing schools, friendship, relationships, and family
issues.
Warnings: Drugs, alcohol, smoking, sex, profanity, and graphic descriptions of eating disorders.
Audience: The book is geared towards a female audience between the ages of 13 and 16 and is
written specifically for people who have dealt with eating disorders. But, the issues are not
necessarily suitable for young girls and I would be cautious to suggest this novel to a student.
Teaching Ideas:
I probably would not teach the book, but if I were to use it in the classroom I would suggest it
for an individual reader or a small book club.
1. For pre-reading, students should study British culture (it will help them to understand
some of the terminology/dialect at least).
 Research online to find common English phrases
 Suggest watching commercials or short clips from England
 Write a summary of the clips and note words or phrases that are different from
our own language.
2. It illustrates eating disorders from multiple perspectives, so students would benefit from
studying some of those disorders in a small group setting.
 Have students research the disorders and role play
 Either create new dialog based upon their research or get into character and reenact some of the events/dialog in the book.
 It will help them to form a greater sense of the mind-set associated with this
disorders and highlight the negative consequences.
Title: Before we were Free
Author: Julia Alvarez
Publisher/Imprint: Dell Laurel-Leaf/ Random House Children’s Books
Copyright Date: 2002
Plot: Anita de la Torre is a twelve-year-old girl living in the Dominican Republic, during the
1960’s—when Trujillo was dictator. She never contemplates her limited freedoms, until her
family starts fleeing to the United States. She finds out that her father and family members are in
on a movement to overthrow the dictatorship. She struggles growing up through this difficult
time, and eventually has to go into hiding with her mother; before fleeing themselves. It is a
spectacular journey to take with Anita, as she makes her way through adolescence.
Key Issues: Hispanic, historical fiction, dictatorship, and coming-of-age.
Warnings: Depictions of death.
Audience: 8-12th grade.
Teaching Ideas:
1- Historical research: Small group--students will write a research paper on different aspects
of life in the Dominican Republic during the 1960’s. They will be required to put
together a small presentation about their papers, and present them to the class.
2- Creative Writing: Small group--students will act as if they are American news journalists.
They will put together a news article that will be worthy of the front page of the
newspaper, covering the difficult times in the Dominican Republic, and the influx of
immigrants into the United States.
Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Publisher/Imprint: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: When Reynie Muldoon read the words, “Are you a gifted child looking for special
opportunities,” in the local newspaper, he could never have guessed what would be in store for
him. After passing several difficult tests he found himself in a strange situation—along with
three other children: Sticky, Kate, and Constance. They were all asked to join Mr. Benedict’s
quest to save the future of the world; by going on a secret mission to the “Institute.” They have
to learn to depend on one another in order to succeed in their mission, but for them this is easier
said than done. Mr. Curtain, head of the Institute, has been secretly sending messages through
T.V.'s and radios around the world, so that one day he can manipulate every person’s mind into
thinking he is the “master.” The children must learn his secrets before it’s too late, but doing this
is no simple task. By quick thinking and bravery the children can defeat anything.
Key Issues: Friendship, bravery, mystery, and morality.
Warnings: None.
Audience: 7-12th grade.
Teaching Ideas:
1- Creative Writing: I believe this book would be a great addition to a child’s library, but
not necessarily one I would teach to a class. If I were to use this in class, I would have a
small group of students read this book and do a creative writing project from it. Students
can choose their favorite character and write a paper about how they think the character
should have been portrayed, or how they would act if they were in that character’s shoes.
The students could also change the ending of the story, and write about how they would
have liked it to end.
2- Art: I think children would have a blast creating a piece of art from this book. After
reading the entire book, the students can create a map/drawing of what they think the
Institute looks like. The book gives several descriptions of the Institute, which can aid in
their creation. They don’t have to stick to paper and pencil; they may use any materials
they choose. They will make a small presentation to the class about the book and the art
they created from it.
Title: Luna
Author: Julie Anne Peters
Publisher/Imprint: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright Date: 2004
Plot: Regan’s older brother Liam feels like he is a girl stuck in a boy’s body. By day, he is
Liam, a boy who gets good grades, has lots of friends who are girls, and fights with his dad who
wants him to try out for every sport imaginable. By night, he is Luna, a girl who loves to wear
dresses, wigs, and make up, and looks at herself in the mirror for hours. Regan seems to be the
only person who understands her brother, and is the only one who knows his secret. Every day,
Luna feels like she is trapped more and more inside Liam’s body. He doesn’t feel like he can
show his real self, mostly because of his super-macho dad, and often gets depressed. Regan helps
Liam through his times of depression and suicidal tendencies. Regan supports Liam when he
finally decides to show the world who he really is -- a girl. They start out in safe places, like a
mall 30 minutes away from their house. Liam changes his clothes in the bathroom, and emerges
as Luna. They browse the mall for girl clothes, and Regan notices some stares and repulsed looks
from other shoppers as they walk by Luna. When Luna notices herself, she is thrown back into
her pit of depression, and continues to feel even more trapped. When Liam finds a fellow
transgender on the Internet, he realizes he can take the first step to becoming the girl he wants to
be, and maybe even eventually get Sex Reassignment Surgery.
Key Issues: Transgender, Coming of Age, Family, Love, Dating, Sexuality
Warnings: The book is heavily centered around the issue of transgender, which you may want
to mention to parents before teaching. Other than that, there are no other warnings.
Audience: Upper high school, students who are mature enough to handle a story dealing with
transgender issues.
Teaching Ideas:
1) Start a discussion with the students: Why was the story told from Regan’s point of view?
Why were her thoughts and actions such an important part of the story? How would you
feel, and what would you do if your brother or sister was transgender?
2) Tell the students to create a bio body of Luna. Have them describe why they dressed
Luna the way they did. Would Luna describe this outfit as her “blending in outfit,” or her
“prom outfit,” etc. and in what situation would she dress this way?
3) Play the “Carmen” CD that Regan listens to in the novel. While the music is playing,
have the students write a journal entry told from Regan’s point of view. What would she
say in her journal about Materas, about Liam and Aly’s relationship, about her parents?