One of the things that I am loving about the block scheduling at my new job is that there is actually time to assign and encourage independent reading. My sophomores are working on their first independent read, and you can imagine the joy I've experienced every time they've asked, "can we read today?" Music to an English teacher's ears!
In formulating the structure and assignment for another class's independent reading assignment, I was chatting with one of the school's librarians, and she mentioned that the ALA puts out a list of top ten picks for reluctant readers. I visited the website and, in addition to discovering a bunch of AWESOME Young Adult novels, learned that this week is Teen Read Week.
In honor of this fact, I have decided to read only Young Adult books for the next week. I kind of started this celebration early (and without meaning to) because I finished Jane, by April Lindner, and what my mother doesn't know, by Sonya Sones (reviews of both coming this week). I'm looking forward to finishing what my girlfriend doesn't know, by Sonya Sones, reading Perfect Chemistry, by Simone Elkeles, and rereading the fabulous Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater.
Won't you join me in encouraging the teens in your life to enjoy some books this week? And if you plan on reading Young Adult books this week, please let me know!
2 comments:
I have a YA book on loan from the library that I had been planning on reading anyway: The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon. Glad to hear about Teen Read Week though!
Also thanks for pointing me in the direction of the ALA lists for reluctant readers. I'm not a reluctant reader (or a teen) at all, but I'm always looking for great YA reads.
Thanks for stopping by, Sel! I will definitely need to check out the Rock and the River. I also finished Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen, and I just loved it!
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