“These books are my friends, my companions. They make me laugh and cry and find meaning in life.” ~Jeod, Eragon
My love of young adult literature is one of the reasons I have embarked on a teaching career. With all the literature available to students, I have decided to compile a list of the YA literature that I read throughout the year. This year is a little different in that I have focused my list around the Historical Fiction Challenge. This will enhance my knowledge of YA literature in order to better inform my students of the wonderful texts available to them.
I have also joined the Books I Should Have Read in School, but Didn’t challenge. For this challenge, I am reading classic cannon pieces found in English curriculum.
Young Adult Historical Fiction challenge: 2
- Fever 1793, Laurie Halse Anderson
- Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, G. Neri
Books I Should Have Read in School, but Didn’t challenge: 4
- Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller
- The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
- A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hanberry
General YAL total: 7
- I am Number Four, Pittacus Lore (pseudonym of James Frey and Jobie Hughes)
- Keeping the Night Watch, Hope Anita Smith
- The Wave, Todd Strasser
- City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments Book 4), Cassandra Clare
- POD, Stephen Wallenfels
- The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies), Pittacus Lore
- Deadline, Chris Crutcher (best speech by a coach, ever!)
Fiction total: 6
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson
- Maus, Art Spiegelman
- Those Who Save Us, Jenna Blum
- The Girl Who Played with Fire, Stieg Larsson
- The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, Stieg Larsson
- Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
Professional Development: 3
- Teaching Adolescent Writers, Kelly Gallagher
- The Situation and the Story: The Art of the Personal Narrative, Vivian Gornick
- Mentoring New Teachers, Hal Portner
