Crowdsourced List of Middle School Authors

Having a list of authors is a great reference for our middle school readers.
Some authors include:
David Adler
Kwame Alexander
Katherine Applegate
Meg Cabot
Sharon Creech
Roald Dahl
Kate DiCamillo
Sharon Draper
Neil Gaiman
Jeff Kinney
C.S. Lewis
Cynthia Lord
Lois Lowry
Mike Lupica
Kate Messner
James Patterson
Gary Paulson
Richard Peck
Rick Riordan
J.K.Rowling
Jon Sciesczka
Gary Soto
Jane Yolen

Peck's Questions

Richard Peck wrote ten questions to ask about a novel. They are:

l. What would the story be like if the main character were of the opposite sex?

(helps diffuse sexual polarizations and stereotyping)

2. Why is the story set where it is? (Not where is the story set?)

(points out setting as an author's device)

3. If you were to film the story, would you use black and white or color and WHY?

(consideration of tone)

4. If you could not use all of the characters, which would you eliminate and WHY?

(characters which add texture vs. simplification for media translation)

5. How is the main character different from you?

(reader can identify without being like the main character)

6. Would this story make a good TV series? Why/not?

(ending focus and sequential nature of chapters)

7. What one thing in the story has happened to you?

(anecdotal response of recognition)

8. Reread the first paragraph of Chapter 1. What is in it to make you read on? If

nothing, why did you continue to read?

(hooks reader and awareness of author's intent in writing)

9. If you had to design a new cover for the book, what would it look like?

(deceptive packaging and consumerism) '

10. What does the title tell you about the book? Does it tell the truth?

(titles as narrative hooks vs. symbolic titles)

Graphic Novels

Graphic novels can be enjoyed by a wide range of readers.Graphic novels are not just for unmotivated or reluctant readers. Graphic novels are not just for kids, there are graphic novels that are written for adults.  Graphic novels combine text and illustration to convey the story (fiction) or information (nonfiction) similar to pictures books for young readers. However, graphic novels differ from picture books in their complexity. Parts of graphic novel include the cover and the inside pages. The inside pages consist of a variety of elements. Panels, squares or rectangles contain a single scene.Gutters are the spaces between panels. Dialog balloons contain communication between characters. Thought balloons contain character thoughts. Captions contain information about a scene or character. Sound effects visual sound clues,onomatopoeia, like Sizzle, Pow, Ring, Splash .Graphic novels are for all readers.

Fantasy/Science Fiction

Stories that violate the laws of physical reality fall into the genre of fantasy fiction. These imaginative subgenres use vivid, descriptive language to create alternate realities. Exploring themes of good versus evil and encouraging readers to suspend disbeliefs and search for a higher truth. Fantasy is characterized by magical elements set in wondrous worlds of fairies and wizards, talking animals and other beings, and objects with superpowers. Science fiction is a subgenre of fantasy. Science fiction is based on the impact of actual, imagined or potential science often set in the future.All of science fiction falls into the fantasy genre;  however, not all fantasy is science fiction. 

Criteria for Evaluating Science Fiction and Fantasy for Children

1. Despite the fantastic aspects of the story, characters must behave in consistent and believable ways.
2. There must still be rules for the fantasy world.
3. Authors must assist readers in the “willing suspension of disbelief.”
4. The themes should explore universal truths.

Nonfiction

Nonfiction is a genre, with several categories.Nonfiction text has various features to help readers find and understand the information they are seeking. General ideas of the text can be found in the introduction, and summary sections. When something is italicized or bold, it indicated something is important. Charts, maps, illustrations, and photographs provide visual ways to highlight key points. Helpful information can also be found in the glossary, index, and bibliography. Nonfiction reading is a tool for learning and understanding.

Realistic Fiction

These stories are set in modern times, sometimes referred to as Contemporary Realistic Fiction (CRF) or Modern Realistic Fiction (MRF). They are believable. Everything within the story is consistent with the real world.  Characters, settings, and events are real.

Historical Fiction

Historical fiction is any story set in the past. Depending on the age, history can be looked at differently. To young children it might be something that happened in the morning before school, where as older students might define it as a historical event that took place before we were born. Reading historical fiction allows readers the opportunity to vicariously experience what it might have been like to live in a previous time and place.

Poetry

Poetry is the most neglected format, because many of us have had bad experiences.
We must reiterate to students poetry doesn't have to rhyme! You should share a poem a day, or several shorter ones. These poems can be related to the curriculum or just for fun. Kids prefer narrative poetry, because it tells a story. They don't like free verse because it doesn't rhyme. Kids like rhyme, rhythm and sound devices, like onomatopoeia and alliteration. Kids also like funny poems, familiar poems, with familiar language. Kids also prefer poems with visual images. Kids like poems they can interact with, either by repeating in a repeated line or do a reader's theater. Poetry involves expression. There are many types of poetry involving different types, style and forms.

Awards and Lists

Do you want to read a really good book? You can find award winning books on numerous lists. The following are awards for YA literature.  

• Printz Award: The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian. 

• YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction: honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a Nov. 1 – Oct. 31 publishing year. The winner is announced annually at the ALA Youth Media Awards.

• Great Graphic Novels for Teens: s a list of recommended graphic novels and illustrated nonfiction for those ages 12-18, prepared yearly by YALSA.

• Best Fiction for Young Adults:YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults Committee presents fiction titles published for young adults in the past 16 months that are recommended reading for ages 12 to 18. The purpose of the annual list it to provide librarians and library workers with a resource to use for collection development and reader’s advisory purposes.

• Margaret A. Edwards Award: Honors an author for significant and lasting contribution to literature for young adults providing a window through which they can view their world and which help them to grow and to understand themselves and their role in society. 

• ALEX Award: The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year's publishing.The award is sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust.The Alex Awards are named after Edwards, who was called “Alex” by her friends.

• Odyssey Award: This annual award will be given to the producer of the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.The Odyssey Award is jointly given and administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), divisions of ALA, and is sponsored by Booklist.

• Morris Award:The William C. Morris YA Debut Award, first awarded in 2009, honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature.The award's namesake is William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults.

• Outstanding Books for the College Bound: The books on this list offer opportunities to discover new ideas, and provide an introduction to the fascinating variety of subjects within an academic discipline.This list is developed every five years.

• Popular Paperbacks: Each year, the Popular Paperbacks committee creates lists of books to encourage young adults to read for pleasure.

• Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers: Identifies titles aimed at encouraging reading among teens who dislike to read for whatever reason. The list selects both fiction and nonfiction.

• Readers' Choice: YALSA’s Readers’ Choice list seeks to engage a wide audience of librarians, educators, teens and young adult literature enthusiasts in choosing the most popular teen titles in a given year, as organized by broad genres.Nominations will be posted monthly, with a final vote taking place each November.  

• Teens Top Ten: A"teen choice" list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year.Nominations are posted on the Thursday of National Library Week, and teens across the country vote on their favorite titles each year.

• Amazing Audiobooks: Committee selects and annotates an annual list of notable audio recordings significant to young adults from those released in the past two years.

• YA Choices: Since 1987, the Young Adults' Choices project has developed an annual list of new books that will encourage adolescents to read. The books are selected by the readers themselves.

• Lone Star Reading List:The Texas Lone Star list is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Young Adult Round Table. The purpose of the list is to encourage students in grades 6, 7, or 8 to explore a variety of current books. The Lone Star list is intended for recreational reading

• TAYSHAS Reading List:The object of the Tayshas project is to motivate young adults to become lifelong readers and to participate in the community of readers in Texas. The Tayshas High School Reading List Committee coordinates activities associated with the Tayshas program, a reading incentive program designed for young adults in Texas, grades 9-12, who are encouraged to read books for pleasure from a selected reading list prepared by the Tayshas Committee.

• Maverick Reading List: The Texas Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List (TMGNRL) is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Young Adult Round Table (YART). The purpose of the list is to encourage students in grades 6-12 to explore a variety of current books.

• Edgar Award for Mystery:Mystery Writers of America is proud to announce, the Nominees for the 2017 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2016.

• NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children: NCTE established the Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children in 1977 to honor a living American poet for his or her aggregate work for children ages 3–13.

• Orbis Pictus:The NCTE Orbis Pictus Award was established in 1989 for promoting and recognizing excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children.The name Orbis Pictus, commemorates the work of Johannes Amos Comenius, Orbis Pictus—The World in Pictures (1657), considered to be the first book actually planned for children.

• Batchelder Award: The Batchelder Award is given to the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States.

• Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction: Established in 1982,the annual award of $5,000 goes to an author for a meritorious book published in the previous year for children or young adults.Scott O'Dell established this award to encourage other writers--particularly new authors--to focus on historical fiction.

• Pura Belpre Award:The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. Established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. 

• Schneider Family Award:The Schneider Family Book Awards honor an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.

• Sibert Award: The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois.

• Stonewall Award:The first and most enduring award for GLBT books sponsored by the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table. The award is announced in January and presented to the winning authors or editors at the American Library Association Annual Conference in June or July. The award winners each receive a commemorative plaque and $1,000.

 
 

Literary Elements

 Literary Elements

• Antagonist: the person or force that works against the hero of the story
• Character: One of the people (or animals) in a story
• Conflict: A problem or struggle between two opposing forces in a story
• Mood And Tone: The feeling a piece of literature is intended to create in a reader.
• Plot:The action that makes up the story
• Protagonist: The main character in a story, often a good or heroic type
• Setting: The place and the time frame in which a story takes place.
• Theme: The message about life or human nature that is “the focus” in the story that the writer tells

Literary Devices

• Allegory-a symbolism device where the meaning of a greater, often abstract, concept is conveyed with the aid of a more corporeal object or idea being used as an example. 
• Allusion-A reference to a well-known person,place, event, literary work, or work of art to enrich the reading experience by adding meaning.
• Archetype- a reference to a concept, a person or an object that has served as a prototype of its kind and is the original idea that has come to be used over and over again. Archetypes are literary devices that employ the use of a famous concept, person or object to convey a wealth of meaning 
• Hyperbole-a purposeful exaggeration for emphasis or humor. 
• Deus ex machine-a rather debatable and often criticized form of literary device. It refers to the incidence where an implausible concept or character is brought into the story in order to make the conflict in the story resolve and to bring about a pleasing solution. 
• Imagery-Words or phrases that appeal to the reader’s senses 
• Metaphor-comparison of two things essentially different but with some commonalities; does not use "like" or "as" 
• Motif-is an object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work 
• Point of view-perspective from which the story is told 
• Simile- comparison of two things using the words "like" or "as" 
• Symbolism- the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities

How do adolescents develop?

It is important to remember everyone develops in their own way and in their own time.  There are so many different things going on with their body, they are constantly asking themselves "am I normal?" This is a very difficult time because it is a time of change. Sometimes physical reality gets in the way of everything else. There are many books that assure tweens they are normal and will get through puberty. In theory Piaget  talked about how we progress from a sensory motor stage to a concrete operational state to a more formal operational stage. His theory says kids begin to transition from concrete to abstract about age 10, but this has been revised to the age of 14. . It is important to think about the questions needed to ask kids about books as well as the books that will be offered to them.

Adolescent Developmental Stages 

• learning to get along with peers, tend to be friends with others that have same interests 
• relationship with opposite sex-boys and girls can be friends without being boyfriend/girlfriend
• working for pay-babysitting, mowing, chores around the house; pay =independence
• relationship changes with parents-start to pull away and develop their own beliefs
• finding a vocation-What is something I'm really good at? What do I want to be when I grow up? More serious thought to this, realizing that they need another alternative, when you aren't drafted as the Cowboys quarterback.
•  developing morals and values-knowing the rules/laws and deciding if you are going to adhere to them
• adapting to their physical body-get them to realize, yes they are normal because everyone develops at different times.
• defining appropriate sex roles-generally silent expectations by society

Morals and Values

• Pre-conventional:  Tends to be a reward or consequence for doing something. Children will follow expectations if there is a reward for doing so.
• Conventional: following rules of your society, religion or both
• Post-conventional: Laws are recognized but humanity is more important. 

Maslow Needs Hierarchy

Every persons needs start at the foundation of the hierarchy. If a person's physiological needs aren't being met, they aren't going to meet the others as you go up the pyramid.

Developing as readers

This is not a hierarchy, one can move through these stages.

• Develops empathy-means you know exactly how the person feels. Either you personally, or from a back you have read, can show empathy because either way you have been through the same thing someone else is going through
• Unconscious delight-to be so "lost" in a book that you forget the world around you
• Reading autobiographically-These books are like mirrors, reflect back our own reality. Readers like to read books that they can relate to, characters they can identify with.
• Reading for vicarious experiences-These books are like windows, you can look out and see different things. Readers will experience the character and learn the good and bad from that character.
• Reading for philosophical speculation-Morals and values-will you follow or defy the law
• Reading for the aesthetic experience-pleasure reading for the beauty and joy of reading

 

 

What is YA literature? (Mertz & England,1983)

YA literature draws upon how adolescents develop. Young adult literature is fiction written for the age category of about 13- 18 years of age.

 Characteristics of YA literature include 

• It has a youthful yet highly independent protagonist.
• The main character's life will have a significant change, and will reap consequences of decisions and actions. This reminds me of why we read to children, for readers to live vicariously through a book. It will show gradual change, including incomplete growth of the main character.
• It is written in a point of view which presents an adolescents interpretation of events, mirroring concerns over contemporary issues.
• It has direct confrontation and direct expositions. Information that usually details a reader needs to know to understand a later plot development. Without expositions the reader would be confused about key moments. 
• Generally the setting is limited, covers a brief time period and has a few fully developed characters.

Genres and Formats

I bet, if you're like me, you didn't know there was a difference between genres and formats and you use them interchangeably.  There are only TWO genres-fiction and nonfiction, all the others are sub-genres. Fiction is divided in two categories, realism and fantasy. Realism includes realistic modern contemporary works and historical fiction. Fantasy breaks down into even more categories. Traditional fantasy includes folktale, ballad, fable, legend, myth and fairy-tale. Fantasy (Modern) includes Hard Science Fiction and Soft Science Fiction. Hard Science has science as the main part of the story, where as Soft Science has science involved, but the character has the lead. The other part of Fantasy includes High Fantasy/Low Fantasy. High Fantasy has worlds and languages created, where as Low Fantasy is down to earth and takes place in a world we can generally relate to.Low fantasy  takes place in a world we can relate to but are fantasy because part of the story couldn't happen, like animals talking and fairies.
Nonfiction is informational text, but it is also broken down into categories. The first category includes biography, autobiography and memoirs. The difference between an autobiography and a memoir is the timeline, autobiographies will span the whole life of that person, whereas a memoir only spans one portion of that person's life. A narrative nonfiction is and informational book that is written in a story format. Finally, expository text just gives facts and information. Seymour Simon books are a great example of expository text.
Many times people call something a genre when it is really called a subject. Such subjects include mystery, horror, sports, action, war, and humor for example, but it is important to remember these are subject, not genres. Subjects will help students get interested in a type of book and make it easy for the librarian to help them find a book that is a good fit for them.
Formats include Poetry, Drama, Novels, Chapter Books, Short Stories, Picture books, Graphic novels, These are the type of book it is, the style and format it is written in.
So, to sum it up, there are only two genres: fiction and nonfiction, but there are subjects, categories and formats.

Division of Young People's Literature

When you are preparing to read a book, you, as the adult, preview it to make sure it is appropriate. Books are divided into different age groups, called the Division of Young People's Literature.

Division of Young People's Literature

1. Children's Literature applies to kids between 0-8 years old. Wordless books, picture books, easy readers and early chapter books all fit in to children's literature.

2. Middle grade/Tween is for children 8-12 years old.  This is not the same as students in middle school! This is where they start to read longer chapter books and deal with tougher issues, for example losing a parent.Middle school students are 11-13year olds, in 6th, 7th and 8th grade. This makes middle grade/tween books the most tricky because kids want to read about characters older than them. They think they are ready for the heavy content, and while some may be, most are not.

3. Young Adult is for people 13-18 years old. These you will find in a high school. These books might have strong language that wouldn't be appropriate in middle schools. Other topics include romance and relationships.

4. New Adult is for ages 18-30. These topics include characters who are living on their own for the first time. Characters that are dealing with adult issues on their own.

Why do we share literature with kids?

This seems like a silly question because reading to kids comes very naturally for teachers. How sad that some parents don't read with their kids. Can you imagine NOT reading to your child? I'm going to give you a top ten list of reasons to read to children.

Top Ten Reasons to Read to Children

1. It is fun!!! Reading is a wonderful opportunity to snuggle up with your kiddo and bond.I think it's great when kids come to us and ask us to read to them. Reading is comforting and soothing, not just for your own kids but your students too. In my early years of teaching I had a mentor teacher who said, always have a book ready to read, because if your lesson didn't take as long, or the kids were extra excited because of an assembly or something, reading would bring them back to you.

2.It aides in language development and acquisition. Students who are read to have a broader vocabulary. The crucial development for language is birth to 5 years old. If students read or are read to 20 minutes a day, that would equal 3,600 minutes and 1,800,000 words per year. Compare that to the child that only reads 5 minutes a day. They would read 900 minutes and 282,000 words per year and generally score in the 50th percentile on standardized test. 

3. It develops empathy. Empathy means you know exactly how a person feels and is stronger than sympathy. Fiction books are a great resource to develop empathy. Empathy doesn't have to be something you experienced in real life, but can be an experience you read about, related to the characters.

4. It supports life long readers. If students love to read at an early age, it will probably be something they enjoy doing throughout their life. It could be series reading like "Magic Tree House" or "Little House" collection. It can also be serial reading. If they like an author or genre it gives them a starting point to find a book they will enjoy.

5. Reading autobiographically...reading a book about people like them. If they can't see themselves in a book they think they don't count. That is why it is important to have a diverse collection of books.

6. Vicarious experiences...looking at other people's experiences. For example, teens need edgy books  so that they can experience the consequences of actions, without actually going through with the experience. It can be any book though, it's just about looking at other people's experiences. If you have never been on an airplane and a character is going on an airplane, you can experience it through the book.

7. Philosophical speculation-Kids are heavy thinkers. They read books about big important topics (religion, slavery, politics) to form their own opinions on issues. Reading many different points of view will answer questions about everyday life.

8. Aesthetic experiences is just the joy and beauty of reading and the love of words.

9. Develops imagination-makes readers question "what would happen if..."

10. Transmits culture-Libraries need a diverse collection of books that shows other cultures and they need to be shared on a regular basis. For example, don't only read books about African Americans in February because it is black history month.