When your teacher asks me to do book talks for your class I prepare in several ways. The first thing I do is get background information about your class: What are you being asked to read? Is it for a book report or free reading? Is it a specific genre like historical fiction? Is there a page requirement? What kind of readers are in your class? Reluctant readers? Eager readers? Will students need help selecting a book? Are there any other needs should know about?
Next I go to my little green notebook. That’s where I keep a list of all the new books I have read and enjoyed, and I start a list of what books I want to highlight when I talk to your class.In addition to the booklists in my notebook, I have compiled booklists containing 500 or more titles that can be found on our media center webpage (available to all students, staff and parents). I use this list as another resource for books just to be sure I haven't forgotten titles.
Then I browse the bookshelves. Sometimes just looking through the shelves jogs my memory and I can add yet another book.
Finally I present the book talk to your class. As you can see, I love to read and I hope you do too!
And now....for your reading pleasure:
First on our agenda is Chains, the latest novel from Printz-Honor Winner, Laurie Halse Anderson. Chains is a historical fiction novel about Isabel, a thirteen-year-old slave during the Revolutionary war that wages a fight for her own freedom. Besides this being a great read, you should check it out because Laurie Halse Anderson will be visiting us at South View!
Also in the historical fiction genre is another slave story, this time from Christopher Paul Curtis. Winner of a Newbery Honor in 2008, Elijah of Buxton is the story of the first child born into freedom in a settlement of runaway slaves in Canada.
In another story that touches on the fight for independence, Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman follows the life of fifteen-year-old Vidya during WWII. After a tragic incident involving her father takes place, Vidya is forced to move in with her conservative grandfather where she must give up her hope of attending college and challenge her ways of thinking. To read a review of this book, click here.
Realistic Fiction:
If you have ever been new to a school, you will surely be able to relate to San Lee. In Zen and the Art of Faking It, by Jordan Sonnenblick, San finds himself in a predicament when a case of mistaken identity catches the eye of a girl he find intriguing. Now he has to not only learn about Zen, but he must practice it consistently or risk losing the only friend he has made thus far. Check out the following video as Jordan talks about his book:
If a little more action is what you crave, try Saturday Night Dirt by Will Weaver out for a test drive. If you like cars, race tacks, or life in the fast lane, this book is for you.
If you need to check out of reality for a bit, don’t worry, because there are plenty of new fantasy and adventure books for you to pick up.
Even if you weren’t a fan of the Gregor the Overlander series, there is no doubt in my mind that you will devour Suzanne Collins’ newest survival fantasy, The Hunger Games. Katniss is a sixteen-year-old girl that has volunteered to participate in a televised fight-to-the-death after her little sister is called up to fight. Set in a futuristic North America, The Hunger Games is a powerful read about the forces of good and evil. If a book could ever have a “movie-like” preview, it would look like this:
Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams is the first book in a series about fourteen-year-old Will Burrows who stumbles upon an underground world that knows more about him than he would like to think. To hear a podcast of an excerpt from the first chapter, check it out here.
For those of you who prefer to read about real people and real things...here are a couple of non-fiction titles for you to peruse.
Three Cups of Tea is a true story about one man, Greg Mortenson, who sold everything he owned, only to live in his car just so that he could save every dollar he made in order to build a school for poor children in a Pakistani village.
Ishmael Beah has written a memoir about his life as a 12-year-old soldier in Sierra Leone in A Long Way Gone. Be sure to check out his website...
In Tasting the Sky, Ibtisam Barakat writes about her childhood after her life was shattered by war in Palestine. To read an interview with the author about this book, click here.
Series:
And don’t forget...there are always your favorite series to fall back on. PLENTY of sequels have come out (or are due out soon!).
The long awaited 3rd installment in the Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini, Brisingr. To watch Christopher talk about his latest book, check this out:
Melissa Marr has released a sequel to Wicked Lovely called Ink Exchange. To hear a podcast with the author, click here.
Inkdeath, by Cornelia Funke is coming out just before the movie of the first book, Inkheart, is going to hit a theater near you. Check out the trailer for that movie here:
The Diamond of Darkhold is the fourth and final book in the “City of Ember” series by Jeanne DuPrau. And like many other series...another movie is due to come out:
Edward and Bella fans will be excited to read how their story ends in Breaking Dawn, the final book in the “Twilight” saga. See below to watch a video of Stephenie Meyer talk about her new book.
And finally, for those of you that thought she didn’t have any more stories in her, Erin Hunter is breaking away from her feline characters in the Warriors series, and taking on a new animal, bears! To read more about the new Seekers series, check out this website.
Hopefully, these suggestions will last you for awhile....but remember, your teachers prefer that you read books that have not yet become movies....so start reading soon!
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