Recommended Adolescent Literature
Research studies have shown a correlation between academic achievement levels and reading time. Higher achievement levels stems from more time a student spent reading books. As a parents, guardians, and teachers we must encourage our children and students to read; it is up to use to provide a love for reading both in and outside the classroom. The books teacher have in the classroom and the best books to keep in your home library should be award-winning children's literate that is at the child's reading level that fosters motivation, engagement, and reading skills. Down below you can find several books, both fiction and non-fiction, you can include in your child's library.
Fiction Books
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
- Synopsis: Following the abandonment by her mother years ago, ten-year-old Opal and her preacher father move to a small town in Florida. Missing companionship, Opal finds company with a high-spirited dog named Winn-Dixie; the name comes from the store where she found the pup. With the help of Winn-Dixie, Opal soon befriends several unique residents and improves her relationship with her dad.
- Literacy skills: Differentiating between Fact and Opinion by providing students with statements from the text and have students sort through the statements. Students can also practice prediction skills be determining what will happen next in the story.
- Synopsis: Two children, Jess and Leslie, both struggle with internal battles that society makes hard for them. At first they see each other as competition but soon grow close and together they create a land in the forest free of society criticism and restraints; this land is called Terabithia. Later, a terrible accident strikes the magical kingdom causing the characters to face society.
- Literacy skills: Reader’s Theater, Response journals, and comprehension summaries based upon each chapter
- Synopsis: One morning at the breakfast table, Fern, an eight-year-old girl, sees her father leave the house with an axe to kill the runt pig born; that pig later becomes named Wilbur. Fern pleas to her father to spare his life and allow her to burse the big to health. A few weeks later, her father sells Wilber to the Zuckerman bard down the road. At first Wilbur struggles at the barn because he misses Fern but then he soon finds companionship in a spider named Charlotte and soon other barn animals. One day a sheep reveals to both Fern and Wilbur, that Wilbur is being fattened up for slaughter at the end of summer. Charlotte then resolves to save Wilbur.
- Literacy skills: persuasive letter writing skills, vocabulary, comprehension, comparing and contrasting, and journaling from a character’s point of view.
- Synopsis: Esperanza always thought she would live with her family on their ranch in Mexico. However, a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and her Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza is not ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, and lack of acceptance she all faces. Soon her new life is threatened and Esperanza rises to the challenge to face her difficult circumstances because both her mama’s life and her own depend on it.
- Literacy skills: Sequencing of events, text-dependent questions, graphic organizers, and writing prompts.
- Synopsis: Once a bright and thriving place, the faraway kingdom of Dor has fallen into sadness. Into the world is born Despereaux who is a book-loving mouse, loves music and movies, a friend of Princess Pea. When Pea disappears, Despereaux must become her knight and shining armor and rescue his friend.
- Literacy skills: Students can write letters of advice and encouragement to Despereaux (intermediate writing), journaling, fluency, and creative writing by writing their own tales.
Non-Fiction Books
Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator by Shelley Tanka, illustrated by David Craig
- Synopsis: July 2, 1937, is an infamous date in the world. Amelia Earhart and her plane disappeared causing curiosity and speculation among the rest of the world. This book follows Amelia from the moment she feel in-love with planes to her last radio transmission before her disappearance.
- Literacy skills: Sequencing comprehension: students will create a timeline showing the life of Amelia Earhart based on the facts presented in the book.
- Synopsis: Tonya Bolden tells the life story of one of America’s greatest figures – Martin Luther King Junior. The story provides factual details into M.L.K’s belief that selfless love for each other is the rope that ties all everyone together.
- Literacy skills: Summarizing and using a thesaurus: students will summarize one of M.L.K’s speeches from the book using a thesaurus for terms they will understand and easily be able to recall.
- Synopsis: Ever since Noah Webster was a little boy he loved learning and talking. He thought America needed its own national language and he wanted to be the man to do the job. The story tells of how Noah started his dictionary and the process in making the dictionary we know and use today.
- Literacy skills: Vocabulary and dictionary skills: students will create a dictionary using vocabulary from this unit and all other units throughout the school year.
- Synopsis: Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by carrying a trombone twice as long as he was high. At the age of six, he was a trombone prodigy. Troy Andrews writes an autobiography about how he beats the odds and becomes an international stardom musician.
- Literacy skills: Writing short stories using different perspectives (i.e. first person, second person, or third person).
- Synopsis: Meet the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. In 1914, Harry Colebourn rescued a baby bear on his way to tend horses in World War I; he named her Winnie after his hometown of Winnipeg. Colebourn’s great-granddaughter tells the story of the remarkable friendship and journey Colebourn had with Winnie. Finally Winnie takes up permanent residence in the London Zoo where she forms a friendship with another real boy named Christopher Robin. Follow along to read about the story behind Winnie-the-Pooh.
- Literacy skills: Comparing and Contrasting: After reading Finding Winnie, students will use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the book to Winnie-the-Pooh.