Sounds Like a Great Read...My Top 5

Acceleration by Graham McNamee This is a book is about a boy who finds a deranged man's diary in a subway station where he works. During this fast pace thriller, a pair of teenage boys are in search of a possible serial killer. The teenagers travel through Toronto on a puzzle-like journey in order to answer the questions concerning the lost diary. This book was mentioned in Don Gallo's "The Very Best Possibilities". Twilight by Stefanie Mayer In Don Gallos's Sci-Fi and Fantasy article, he recommends the Twilight series. This is one series I would not hesitates to recommend to any girl. It is about a Bella, a girl who moves to Forks, Washington and finds herself head over heels in love with her classmate, Edward. Edward just happens to be a vampire. Bella and Edward find themselves in the throws of vampire politics and an undying love for each other that can only be experienced by reading these incredibly entertaining books. Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr Don Gallo offers the hunting take of Story of a Girl in his "Summer 2008" article. After reading the description of a girl who is labeled a slut after having sex with her seventeen- year- old boyfriend. I believe this would be a very powerful book for teens. This book is about the protagonist's attempt to rebuild her relationships with family and friends after her father finds out about her promiscuity. Yellow Flag by Robert Lipstyte I also uncovered Yellow Flag in Don Gallo's "Summer 2008" article. I've never seen my boyfriend read a book in his life and I think this might get him to think twice. I'm always trying to help boys find the fun side of books and Yellow Flag is just this ticket. It is about a boy who has to make the hard decision to take his brother's place on the car racetrack when he is injured in a crash. The protagonist must struggle with family expectations and those of his own in this sports novel. Keesha's House by Helen Frost Don Gallos addresses This novel in "The Very Best Possibilities: Part Two". This novel is told through the eyes of three teenagers, one gay, one pregnant, and one abused. The novel is written in sestinas and sonnets from the eyes of these troubled teens. I believe students can really connect to this book and the characters through their struggles.

Connect in the Classroom Through Real Speakers!

I feel there are many great reasons to incorporate nonfiction into the classroom. First off, one of the main goals of the new common core standards system is to incorporate nonfiction into our classrooms. Therefore, this genre of literature is soon going to become a classroom staple. I also feel that nonfiction is the best avenue for making classic literature more relevant for our students. By using nonfiction we can connect with students and help them understand how actual people during a certain time period were struggling. Nonfiction can also be used as companion pieces to join a unit together by filling in the blanks. Nonfiction is also a great tool for reluctant readers. Most of what students' read is nonfiction: magazines, blogs, twitter, and Facebook. Using this medium will not only help those struggling readers, it will interest our hardest targets, boys. Boys love to read nonfiction about sports, war, and whatever they are interested in because they can connect with the speaker who is an actual person, sharing their interests. Nonfiction is a powerful genre to incorporate into the classroom for many reasons. Most of all, nonfiction gives students a strong connect between speaker and audience, helps students with standardized test material, and gives teachers the ability to connect a unit together.