As ELA teachers we’re always trying to add books to our
classroom libraries. Ideally every child that walks into our classroom should
be able to find a book that he/she can relate to. Here are a few books that I think would make
great additions to any secondary ELA classroom.
American Street by
Ibi Zoboi
Fabiola Toussaint grew up in Haiti and hasn’t spent a day
away from her mother. Their plan was to move to America and live with her aunt
and her cousins in Detroit. Unfortunately, Fabiola was allowed in the country,
but her mother was detained. Fabiola is thrust into a world she doesn’t
understand with people she barely knows. This heart-wrenching book is
well-written and depicts the struggles of many young people today.
The Absolutely True
Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Being Native American is hard enough in a racist society. Our
main character Junior is born with an array of health issues. Even as a teen he
has a lisp, he wears thick glasses and he has a stutter. He jokes about being
part of the “black eye of the month club” because he was always being beaten
up. He rarely left the safety of his home because he didn’t want to be beaten
up. Everyone on the reservation is poor and he is often the subject of ridicule
and cruelty. To make matters worse, his parents are both alcoholics. Junior escapes
the trauma of being bullied, and his life of poverty through his drawings. The book is well-written and it is semi-autobiographical.
One of Us is Lying
by Karen M. McManus
The book starts out like a scene from The Breakfast Club: you have the jock, the prom queen, the nerd,
the delinquent and the kid who ends up dying. Did one of them kill him? They all
claim innocence, but someone had to do it. Right??? Who is telling the truth?
Who is lying? Someone must be behind this, but it’s not what you’d expect in
this teen mystery. Everyone has something to hide, but who is the murderer?
The Hate U Give by
Angie Thomas
Starr Carter hasn’t seen her childhood friend Khalil in a long
time when she runs into him at a neighborhood party. Starr goes to a private
school in the suburbs because she lives in a rough neighborhood. When a fight
breaks out at the party Starr gets in Khalil’s car to get away from danger. She
thought that she was safe, but they get pulled over by a police officer and Khalil
ends up getting shot and killed. Starr is the only witness, but will they
believe her? She feels like she’s being pulled between two worlds. How can she stand
up for her friend’s rights and not turn her world upside down?
Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline
The book is set in a future where everyone would rather be plugged
into the internet 24 hours a day than deal with how depressing reality is. The
world is overcrowded, unemployment has sky-rocketed and life in general is just
not the way it used to be. Therefore, everyone plugs into the Oasis and lives
the life they wish they had in real life. Wade Watts is poor, he lives with his
aunt and her abusive boyfriend, he’s overweight and he has no friends. In the
Oasis he’s better looking, and he has good friends. The creator of the Oasis created
a contest that started when he died. The person that wins the contest gets to
control the Oasis. Everyone dreams about the fame and fortune, but 5 years have
passed, and no one has solved even the first part of the contest.
Auggie Pullman was born with a rare condition. He is 10 years
old and he’s never been to school because he’s had numerous surgeries. Auggie fears
going to a “real” school after being homeschooled his whole life. The book
deals with issues such as fitting in and bullying. Every student should read
this book so that they can get a better understanding of bullying and the
painful effect of words.
Every teenager makes some bad decisions. Unfortunately, the main character Andy makes
a decision that ends up causing the death of one of his best friends. The guys
were just celebrating winning the basketball game with a few drinks. He didn’t
think he was that drunk…
Susie was only 14 years old when she was raped and murdered
(that isn’t a spoiler because it happens on page one). The rest of the novel is
uniquely narrated by her ghost. From up in heaven Susie observes her family,
her friends and the rest of her suburban neighborhood. Susie gets to see things
that normally she wouldn’t get to see like her sister’s first kiss and what
happens to her murderer. This book is
beautifully written, and students thoroughly enjoy it.
Melinda went to a party the summer before entering high
school. She calls the police during the party and as a result she starts her 9th
grade year with no friends. The book follows Melinda over the course of the
entire school year. The book deals with issues such as bullying, depression, and
sexual assault. I think this is a book that every high school student should read.
This book has now been adapted into a graphic novel.
Steve is 16 years old. He should be watching cartoons with
his brother, playing basketball with his friends or making films for his school
project, but he can’t because he’s in jail. Was Steve part of the robbery or is
he innocent? This book is about Steve’s trial. Will he get a fair trial, or
will his race stand in the way of justice? You’ll have to read the novel to
find out.
Some of these books I’ve used with my whole class and others
I would use either in literature circles or independent reading. Some of these
books deal with controversial topics but these are topics that many of our students
are already dealing with.
