I became a literacy coach this year and moved to lurker status on most lists. Since I wanted to compile all your responses on th is topic for our middle school teachers, I thought maybe someone on the list itself would find it useful to have all the posts in one place. Mary Dovey Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215
PS: Nanci Atwell has published a new book through Scholastic called The Reading Zone...she calls it a manifesto for independent reading. It is thought provoking and powerful. I bought it through Amazon for about $13. Since she has traditionally been a Heinemann author, this work hasn't had a lot of publicity. I was so impressed that I'm recommending it to everyone. Here's the link if you are interested in and would like to read my review. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-2517476-1264829?url=search-alias%3D aps&field-keywords=The+Reading+Zone&Go.x=8&Go.y=11&Go=Go ******** Every year we have a Brown Bag "You pick the winners" club at our school which always generates great buzz for new titles as students share their favorites not only during club but also in their classroom settings. This year Book Thief by Zusak, New Moon by Meyer, and Yellow Star by Roy were voted the best books of the year. To see student thoughts about the books we read, see http://www.websterawards.blogspot.com/. Other titles that are popular with students: City of Ember and sequel, prequel Anthony Horowitz books Gary Paulsen books Twilight Sisterhood books Hoot, Flush James Patterson books Eragon, Eldest Uglies, Pretties, Specials Among the Hidden series Those are a few that seem to continue to be favorites or are becoming new favorites. Bunny Bauernfeind Reading Specialist Webster Transitional School W75N624 Wauwatosa Rd. Cedarburg, WI 53012 262-376-6513 ************** Many of my 8th grade girls have become avid readers this year. They are reading the Clique series, It Happened to Nancy, Dear One, Speak, Cut, Define Normal, Stargirl, Heartbeat, A Child Called It...they love it...I have had to replace it at least three times because it keeps disappearing... As for my boys...they are very reluctant but I found the book Bottled Up...pretty strong language but they wouldn't put it down! Also, Deathwatch and The Boy from the Basement is pretty popular for my boys. Nikki Zitlow Reading Specialist Horning Middle School 2000 Wolf Road Waukesha, WI 53186 Phone: 262.970.3364 Fax: 262.970.3320 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************* The books that are most requested/checked out in our library right now Uglies, Pretties Bluford Books Who am I without Him? Eldest (after Eragon-- they all liked the book better than the movie!) basketball books manga and anime (we keep those by the checkout desk because they come and go so quickly) Susie Highley Creston Middle School ************* My 6th graders read the Phantom Tollbooth and we're about to start Seedfolks as our next lit study. My 7/8th graders (we have multiage classes) read Bronx Masquerade and will be reading Bull Run as a lit study. I teach integrated LA/SS so my lit studies are usually attached to our Expeditions. I can't say that any one book is flying off the shelves of my room as their tastes are as varied as their moods. My 6th graders have really been into James Howe's Bunnicula series (he has a new one out) and the Misfits. Ben Mikelson and Louis Sacher have been popular. My 7/8th graders had a teacher who was totally oblivious to YA literature and so they are at best reluctant readers. Walter Dean Myers and Small Steps by Louis Sacher have been popular, The Sisterhood books, Twilight and New Moon have been popular with some of my girls. Accidental Love by Gary Soto has been a big hit as well. Do your kids read a Child Called It? My students somehow manage to get their hands on it and write in their response notebooks that it is their favorite book. I just can't figure it out. The content doesn't bother me nearly as much as the fact that it is really awful writing. I feel the same way about Chicken Soup books. I wish I could find some books with the kind of drama that attracts them that has some literary value. I'd love any suggestions if you have them. Lise *********** with my students, we are reading Romeo and Juliet, (honors level) Night, Ender's Game (honor's), The Outsiders, and we will read The Pigman, and probably Princess Bride (honors). On their own they are getting into graphic novels and really line realistic fiction. The girls like those "clique" books that is just about gossip and boys. Please let me know if you have any other questins. I hope I helped. Ashli I teach 8th grade Reading ********* There are more "trends" with my girls: Clique Series, The Uglies-The Pretties-The Specials; TGIF and TTFN; Perfect; Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series; Sonja Sones' books--- My boys' reading habits are less obvious, but some of the books include: Hiassen's Hoot and Flush; Flags of My Fathers; Enders Game; Holes; Among the Hidden series; Walter Dean Meyers' books; William Sleater's books; Gary Paulsen; assorted graphic novels... Barb Lazar (8th grade) Cleveland Middle School Albuquerque, NM ********* For independent reading, LOTS of my kids are running quickly through Gordon Korman's Chasing the Falconers series (6 books) followed by Kidnapped (3 books) - these are really quick fun reads with very resourceful kid heroes Perfect - Natasha Friend (I think) Peter and the Starcatchers & Peter and the Shadow Thieves - Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson The Revealers - Doug Wilhelm We also have a competition going with the 15 2006-2007 Florida Sunshine titles for middle school - Peter and The Revealers are among those titles as was the first of the Falconer series. I'll check my checkout list tomorrow to see if there's anything else really hot. One old discovery by an 8th grade girl is Joy in the Morning (same author as A Tree Grows in Brooklyn). She loved it - set during WWI, very wholesome romance. Ginny White Fernandina Beach Middle (FL) ******* girls: Clique; they've discovered Louise Rennison once I brought it to the class library; Blister; CON-fidence; Two Princesses of Bamarre; The Wish; Fearless FBI series guys: Artemis Fowl (most have read them, some just finding); Pendragon; Spy High, "On the Run" series by G. Korman; fantasy lovers: all by Patricia Wrede; Bar Code Tattoo/Rebellion; Gossamer; Jade Green (horror, actually); girls love Tamora Pierce if they're higher level readers Ginny Paisie Cary NC ************ The Blueford Series are very popular books; Sharon Draper books; Bluefingers, a Ninja's Tale by Whitesel; The Warrior Books by Erin Hunter; The Spiderwick Chronicles; Becoming Naomi Leon; Graphic Novels; The Sea of Trolls....to name a few. Lee Ann Rigau <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ********** Hi! Independent reading choices: Princess Diaires (series), Teen Idol The Gossip Girls (series) Catcher in the Rye anything by Nora Raleigh Baskin anything by Sonia Sones Witch of Blackbird Pond The CLIQUE series Castaways of the Flying Dutchman / The Angel's Command Deception Point War and Peace Trouble is my Beeswax The Fire Within Flush Five People You Meet in Heaven Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul The Kite Runner Gifts of an Eagle the Harry Potter series books we read (or are reading) in class and which were/are well-loved: Lily's Crossing A Mango-Shaped Space Pictures of Hollis Woods So B. It If You Come Softly Chasing Vermeer Take care, Bill Ivey Stoneleigh-Burnham School ******** Wow, my sixth graders must be in a totally different place. They are reading the Artemis Fowl series, with a particular interest in the newest book which was recently published. They are also reading books by E.L. Konigsberg, Lois Lowry, Kathleen Paterson, and Jerry Spinelli, particularly their more recent novels. The more sophisticated sixth graders are enjoying historical fiction by Robert Westall and Goodnight Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian. Amy Holtzer Middle School Dean Sixth Grade Team Leader Solomon Schechter Middle School Hartsdale, New York [EMAIL PROTECTED] *********** Middle schoolers are really into the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson right now! also: Uglies, Pretties, Specials The Bluford Series anything by Walter Dean Meyers especially Monster Speak Cut any diary type books like: Go Ask Alice, It Happened to Nancy, Annie's Baby Lord Loss series Cirque Du Freak series Middle schoolers are really into the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson right now! ************* The Blueford Series of books, The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, anything by Dan Gutman, RL Stein's The Boyfriend, The Girlfriend. Patricia Sankey Reading Specialist Templeton Middle School The Clique series Anything by Sarah Dessen, Laurie Halse Anderson, Meg Cabot, Louise Rennison, Deb Caletti, Anthony Horowitz Pendragon series Perfect by N. Friend Guinness Books Football, Hockey Mary Jane Waite Librarian Keller Sullivan School 500 Lincoln Street Franklin, MA 02038 ********* _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
