We can all agree that it is important to expose our students to great literature, but sometimes their interest just isn't there! I want so badly for them to pick up a book with rich themes, captivating story lines, and complex characters, but that's easier said then done. Am I the only one that cringes behind my smile every time one of my students picks up a Captain Underpants book? At least they're reading, right?
However, over the years, I have found a few books that my students have loved. They are also great pieces of literature by great authors that even my most reluctant readers have fallen for.
Out of My Mind
by Sharon Draper
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| Out of My Mind on Amazon |
For the past two years, I have been leading an after-school book club for the fifth graders. This is one of the books that we stumbled upon last year. Sometimes getting the students to read the chapters of the books they chose was like pulling teeth, but not with this one!
It's about a girl named Melody who cannot walk or talk because she has cerebral palsy. But what most people do not know about Melody is that she is a genius! Now, things are changing for her and she is finally able to show what she is capable of to others around her.
This is one of those stories that has a very unseen event towards the end that had my students and me both holding our breath. My readers also wanted to learn more about Melody's condition after reading.
There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom
by Louis Sachar
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| There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom on Amazon |
I've seen several of my students reading this book, and they always ask to read other books by Sachar afterwards. I have also done this book as a read aloud for my fifth graders.
Bradley Chalkers is the main character and he is in the fifth grade. The other students stay away from him. Even the teacher seems to dislike him! He acts out, comes up with outlandish lies, and picks fights with classmates. However, when a new student and a new counselor come to his school, things begin to change.
This book had us laughing for days! You just can't help but fall in love with Bradley!
Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen
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| Hatchet on Amazon |
Okay, most of you know about this book! So did I! But I didn't realize its true power until I saw how many of my students just could't put it down, especially my boys! We also read it for book club and I never had issues with any of the students completing the reading.
Thirteen-year-old Brian is trying to survive on his own in the Canadian wilderness after his plane crashes. We get to see all of his struggles and his emotions on living in the wild and thinking through his parents' recent divorce.
This is a true page-turner that you and your students won't be able to put down!
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate Dicamillo
I think this is one that most of us have probably read, but we forget about how great it is! So many of my students each year read this book. I actually bought the movie to let them borrow after each of them finishes the novel.
When Opal finds a dog in her local super market, she names him Winn-Dixie and brings him home. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal is finally able to make friends that summer and learns things about others' past as well as hers.
This book is one of those easy reads for the students because there aren't really any "slow" parts.
Maniac Magee
by Jerry Spinelli
Last year, my fifth grade team and I decided to use novel studies for teaching some of the reading and writing skills. We had only planned for three novels, but at the end of the year our fifth graders begged us to do another. We were short on time to decide and ended up picking this book even though none of us had read it ourselves. It was the best one yet! It's full of wonderful figurative language and great discussion topics. Since it was the end of the year, we did a big research project with it as well.
Jeffrey Magee is a juvenile runaway when he comes to a racially divided town. This is where his legacy begins with his unbelievable adventures that help him receive the name "Maniac" Magee.
There are so many lovable characters in this novel. All of my students begged me to let them read more each week.
The Land of Stories Series
by Chris Colfer
The twisted fairy tale stories are becoming very popular lately, but this series is still my favorite. It combines our modern world with the fairy tale characters we grew up reading about.
In the series, twins Alex and Conner are able to go on adventures with well-known characters because of the magic of a book of stories.
The books are very fast paced, so they keep the attention of my fifth graders.
Tangerine
by Edward Bloor
Okay, I haven't actually read this one for myself. I bought this book because it was one of the books recommended to teachers in Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer. I told my students about it and it never returned to my library until the end of the year. Everyone wanted to read it and each person who did read it seemed to enjoy it.
From what I have read about the book, it seems to be about a boy named Paul who moves with his family to Tangerine, Florida. Something seems off about the town and his family. Paul begins to play soccer and befriends another player who helps him discover things about his new hometown and his family.
I'll have to read this one before school starts back!
I'll add more to the list this year as I see what catches me students' interest. Next time you have a reluctant reader or someone who doesn't know what book to pick up next, try one of these!
This is a true page-turner that you and your students won't be able to put down!
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate Dicamillo
 |
| Because of Winn-Dixie on Amazon |
I think this is one that most of us have probably read, but we forget about how great it is! So many of my students each year read this book. I actually bought the movie to let them borrow after each of them finishes the novel.
When Opal finds a dog in her local super market, she names him Winn-Dixie and brings him home. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal is finally able to make friends that summer and learns things about others' past as well as hers.
This book is one of those easy reads for the students because there aren't really any "slow" parts.
Maniac Magee
by Jerry Spinelli
 |
| Maniac Magee on Amazon |
Last year, my fifth grade team and I decided to use novel studies for teaching some of the reading and writing skills. We had only planned for three novels, but at the end of the year our fifth graders begged us to do another. We were short on time to decide and ended up picking this book even though none of us had read it ourselves. It was the best one yet! It's full of wonderful figurative language and great discussion topics. Since it was the end of the year, we did a big research project with it as well.
Jeffrey Magee is a juvenile runaway when he comes to a racially divided town. This is where his legacy begins with his unbelievable adventures that help him receive the name "Maniac" Magee.
There are so many lovable characters in this novel. All of my students begged me to let them read more each week.
The Land of Stories Series
by Chris Colfer
The twisted fairy tale stories are becoming very popular lately, but this series is still my favorite. It combines our modern world with the fairy tale characters we grew up reading about.
In the series, twins Alex and Conner are able to go on adventures with well-known characters because of the magic of a book of stories.
The books are very fast paced, so they keep the attention of my fifth graders.
Tangerine
by Edward Bloor
 |
| Tangerine on Amazon |
Okay, I haven't actually read this one for myself. I bought this book because it was one of the books recommended to teachers in Donalyn Miller's The Book Whisperer. I told my students about it and it never returned to my library until the end of the year. Everyone wanted to read it and each person who did read it seemed to enjoy it.
From what I have read about the book, it seems to be about a boy named Paul who moves with his family to Tangerine, Florida. Something seems off about the town and his family. Paul begins to play soccer and befriends another player who helps him discover things about his new hometown and his family.
I'll have to read this one before school starts back!
I'll add more to the list this year as I see what catches me students' interest. Next time you have a reluctant reader or someone who doesn't know what book to pick up next, try one of these!
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