Ever considered what powerful women like Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette or Mary Tudor might have in common? Or how their experiences might be similar to those of Martha Stewart or Lady Gaga?

They’ve all been called some pretty awful names. But are these nicknames, like Mary Tudor’s “Bloody Mary,” deserved? Gretchen Maurer, author of a new book exploring Tudor’s life and times, describes the 16th century Queen of England as a “product of her time and family.”

Maurer is careful to note that Tudor’s idyllic-turned-tragic childhood doesn’t excuse her decision to have hundreds of Protestants burned at the stake, but thinks that conjuring nicknames like “Bloody Mary” prevents us from exploring the full measure of the truth.

“I’ve always loved to look at two sides of a story — to question things,” reflects Maurer. Better to have youth read about famous historical figures than to merely label them and move on. There’s much to be gained by considering the evidence for and against commonly held assumptions, and a new series of books gives tweens that opportunity.

“The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames,” published by Goosebottom Books, examines the lives of six strong women deemed dastardly — inviting readers of tween age and up to look beyond the labels to catch a glimpse of the real people who made history.

The six titles in the series are:

• Cleopatra Serpent of the Nile
• Agrippina Atrocious and Ferocious
• Mary Tudor Bloody Mary
• Catherine de’ Medici The Black Queen
• Marie Antoinette Madame Deficit
• Cixi The Dragon Empress

The series inspires reflection about why people do what they do, and whether any of us can say for sure that we might have behaved differently in similar circumstances — while revealing that many of our contemporary conflicts mirror those of earlier times and places.

During Mary Tudor’s time, the clash of Catholicism and Protestantism was a burning issue. In some circles, religious differences continue to be hotly debated. So Maurer, who grew up with a Catholic father and a Lutheran mother, ends her Tudor tale by asking “What’s all the fuss?” as she compares both similarities and differences between medieval expressions of Christianity.

Maurer wants to understand “what formed and shaped” Tudor — to understand why Tudor did the things she did. She hopes her books will “help people connect history to the now.”

“I try and put it out there,” says Maurer. “To let the kids decide without moralizing.”

– Lynn

Coming up: Favorite movies for holiday together time

In honor of Poetry Friday, here are some of the most popular poetry anthologies in my class this year!

Where the Sidewalk Ends 30th Anniversary Edition: Poems and Drawings- Shel Silverstein is always a winner with my 6th graders! Where the Sidewalk Ends is his most popular book with my students year in and year out. Inevitably, I end up with a few students who can recite some of the poems word for word.

During our poetry study I always use Poetry Speaks to Children (Book & CD) during our listening center. The anthology includes a variety of poems from poets like Nikki Grimes, Langston Hughes. Robert Frost, Roald Dahl, and many more. The CD includes the poets reading many of the poems and it is beautiful to listen to.

Another popular poet is Jack Prelutsky. I don’t think I have seen my copy of A Pizza the Size of the Sun in months! Every so often I catch a glimpse of it being moved from one student’s backpack to another.

And while it is not strictly a poetry book, I have a soft spot for William Carlos Williams. Jen Bryant’s A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams is one of my favorite picture books. The illustrations by Melissa Sweet are gorgeous and Bryant’s text is lyrical!  I love reading this one aloud.  It’s perfect for all ages.

Do you have any favorite poetry books?

I am not the only blogger who is creating a holiday book gift-giving guide. There are many talented bloggers out there sharing their favorite books and ideas. Looking for some more ideas? Check out these great lists from my blogging friends!

• MotherReader has 105 Ways to Give a Book.
• Ann at Booklights has a great list of gifts for a year of reading with your preschooler.
• Abby has a great series: the Twelve Days of Giving.
• Don’t forget to check out the Cybils nominations.  The lists are chock full of great books and even better gift ideas.
• Chasing Ray has one of my favorite lists: authors have suggested books for girls 12 and up.  There are some fantastic ideas on this list! Be sure to check out Part 2 and Part 3.

Please link to any of your favorite blogger lists in the comments!

This year I have a lot of students who love to read short stories. This is new for me, as I haven’t had a lot of students who connected with this type of writing before. But they are clamoring for more short story collections and here are some of their favorites:

I love Gary Soto and I am thrilled that he is popular with my students this year. His most popular book right now is Facts of Life: Stories, a collection of short stories about a group of middle school students.

If you are looking for funny, then look no further than Jon Scieszka’s Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing up Scieszka. This collection of memoir small moments will leave you in stitches. Scieszka grew up as the second of six sons and each short story tells the tale of some crazy escapade the boys got into growing up!

My animal lovers have been passing around Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant. Each of the twelve stories focuses on the interaction between a person and an animal. They are gorgeous and I love to use them as mentor texts, too!

Maybe you have a real man’s man in your house. Well, hand them a copy of Guys Write for Guys Read: Boys’ Favorite Authors Write About Being Boys. More than 80 authors and illustrated contributed anecdotes about their boyhood and my boys can’t get enough of this book!

Finally, all of my students love 13: Thirteen Stories That Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen. Middle grade and YA authors contributed to this collection of stories about 13 year old characters. These realistic fiction stories always ring true for my students.

I am always on the lookout for more great short story collections, so please leave any other suggestions in the comments!

I love when I can hook kids with a series.  That way, they always know what book they want to read next and can continue reading the series over an extended period of time.  Here are some of the big series in my classroom right now:

The 39 Clues Book 1:The Maze of Bones is the first book in the 39 Clues series. When their favorite Aunt Grace dies, Dan and Amy (along with all their relatives, near and far) are faced with an unusual choice: inherit one million dollars and walk away or join in a dangerous treasure hunt. No pressure or anything- the outcome will only effect all of humanity!

Many of my girls have fallen in love with Worst Enemies/Best Friends, the first book in the Beacon Street Girls series. Focused on four girls in middle school, this realistic fiction series hits all the right notes for my girls- middle school drama, friendship, and ambitious girls!

Within the past few weeks a new series has been making the rounds, one I don’t have on my shelves. I am hearing nothing but raves about Leven Thumps And The Gateway To Foo, the first book in the Leven Thumps series. Somehow, this one slipped under my radar but I have a persistent group of students who are begging me to read this one as soon as I am done my Cybils reading.

I adored Nancy Drew when I was a tween and it thrills me to see that Keene’s books are still popular. Many of my students read and love Nancy Drew, too and can’t believe she has been around since my own mother was a kid!

Finally, the most popular series in my room year in and year out is Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Shadow Children series.  Set in a dystopian society where families are only permitted to have two children, Luke is third child who is forced into hiding.  If he is found, the Population Police can and most likely will have him killed.  Full of suspense, this series hooks even my most dormant readers and has them begging to read the rest of the books!

What are some of your favorite series for middle schoolers?

My students love verse novels.  Whether they are dormant readers or voracious ones, my students pick them up and sing their praises.  It’s one of the easiest ways to get my students to read some of their least favorite genres.  If it’s a verse novel, they will read it!

Sonya Sones writes fantastic verse novels, and One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies is one of the most popular among my girls. I’ve already had a few run out and buy their own copies of her other novels after reading this first.

Another popular author in my classes is Wendy Mass, and her Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall is never on the shelf anymore. Many of my girls read this novel first and then fall in love with Mass, moving on to her numerous other (non-verse) novels. I refer to Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall as a “gateway book”.

Historical fiction can sometimes be a tough sell for 6th graders. Thank goodness for Jen Bryant and her The Trial. Set in NJ, this verse novel follows the story of the Lindbergh baby trial and my readers usually set off to research even more about Lindbergh after reading this novel.

The Holocaust and WWII are two topics with no end of novels written about them. However, they can be heavy and overwhelming topics for some of my students. For those who are interested in the time period but don’t want the burden of a long, prose novel there is T4 a novel. Paula, a deaf 13-year-old, learns about Hitler’s T4 program, which states that doctors euthanize the mentally ill and the disabled. Because her deafness means she is a target, Paula is forced into hiding. This is a portion of history that most social studies books do not touch on and it always hits home with my students.

Brushing Mom’s Hair (a Cybils nominee this year) also focuses on a tough topic- breast cancer. Ann’s mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her recovery from surgery and her chemo treatments are by Ann, her youngest daughter. It’s a heartbreaking book but my students love it.

One of my most successful read alouds last year was Diamond Willow. This novel is an exciting mix of survival adventure and tween girl’s discovery of family roots and secrets. Willow loves her dogs and when an accident means one of them might have to be put down, she is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen.

What great verse novels do you and your students love?

Action. Survival. Danger. All three traits my students are always looking for in their books.  I can never have enough adventure books in our classroom library!

Escape Under the Forever Sky is the newest addition to our class and the waiting list is a page long. My students are tearing through this story of an American teenager kidnapped in Ethiopia. It’s a great mix of survival, action, and interesting information about Ethiopia.

Last year’s Newbery Award winner has plenty of new fans in my class. The Graveyard Book attracts readers looking for a fantastic adventure that involves stretching their imagination. Bod, or Nobody Owens, lives in the graveyard. He has been raised by ghosts since the night his parents and sister were murdered in their beds, and he has learned a few tricks of the trade. He can walk through walls in the graveyard, Fade so that humans can’t see him, and even dreamwalk. But he can’t leave the graveyard because the man who killed his family is still looking for him.

Sometimes my students want an adventure that’s real- something that actually happened. After browsing our non-fiction books they usually come back with The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir. When Cylin Busby, now a a writer for young readers and former Teen editor, was nine years old she lived a normal live on Cape Cod. Then, overnight, her family’s life changed forever. A policeman in smalltown Falmouth, Massachusetts, her father is shot in the face on his way to work the overnight shift for the local department. The point-blank shots tear off John’s jaw, leaving it laying on the passenger seat of his car. While John is fighting for his life, he is also fighting to bring the perpetrators to justice. He knows that local small town arsonist Raymond Meyer is to blame. However, Meyer holds the town and police department in the palm of his hand, and the investigation goes nowhere. Meanwhile, the family is placed under 24-hr surveillance while doctors struggle to repair his face. He can no longer speak or eat and is forced to spend months in the hopsital. Cylin and her brothers must live with constant police presence, including escorts to school, police officers guarding their classrooms, and a high-tech security system. This eventually leads to no contact with friends, as most of them are too scared to even speak to the family anymore. Worst of all, the shooter is still on the loose.

Do you have your own little Alex Rider? Be sure to get them a copy of the newest book in the series- Crocodile Tears: An Alex Rider Novel.  This one has been making its way around the classroom and it is getting rave reviews from Alex Rider fans.

Finally, if you have readers desperately awaiting the release of the next Hunger Games book (August 24, 2010!), hand them a copy of The Maze Runner . is an action-packed story about a group of teenage boys who are trapped in a strange and mysterious place called The Glade. Just outside The Glade is a massive maze that seems to be impossible to solve. Thomas has just arrived, with no memories other than his name. While he is trying to adjust to his predicament he discovers that there are horrifying creatures that attack the boys in the maze at night. This one will keep you on the edge of your seat!

What are some of your favorite adventure novels?

So many of my girls are romantics at heart. They love reading love stories and I spend a lot of time finding appropriate teen romance novels.

Shug is a perennial favorite. Annemarie, nicknamed Shug, has a pretty tough life. She has a beautiful, popular older sister who gets all the attention, an alcoholic mother, and a father who’s always on business trips. On top of all of that, she has developed a huge crush on Mark, her best friend. My girls have fallen in love with this one!

Stargirl is another popular choice (and one of my personal favorites!) Stargirl reminds me a lot of Spinelli’s Maniac Magee. More than just a first love story, it deals with nonconformity and the perils of popularity. There’s even a Stargirl Journal!

3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows has slowly been gaining ground with my girls. The story of three lifelong best friends who are beginning to grow apart in 8th grade, they are spending the summer apart dealing with divorce, new surroundings, and, of course, boys!

Sarah Dessen is practically sacred among my girls. One of her most popular novels is The Truth About Forever. Macy has suddenly turned into the good girl- straight A’s, punctual, helpful. She’s trying to convince herself and the world that she ok even though her Dad died. Then she gets a job at Wish Catering. It’s run by pregnant, forgetful Delia with help from her nephews, Bert and Wes, and her neighbors Kristy and Monica. Macy falls in love with gorgeous Wes…..and her perfect life is changed forever.

The Indigo Notebook is part adventure, part romance. Zeeta’s mother loves moving and they have lived all over the world. When she moves the family to Ecuador, Zeeta is determined to make her settle down. She enlists the help of some vendors in the market to set her mother up on dates but ends up meeting an intriguing boy herself.

I am a dystopian fiction fanatic.  Hand me a dystopian book or a post apocalyptic novel and I am forever in your debt. My students always fall in love with these dystopian/post apocalyptic novels!

Life As We Knew It and the dead and the gone never fail to hook my most dormant readers. Both books tell the tale of two teens whose lives are forever altered when an asteroid crashes into the moon, moving it closer to the earth.  Because of this, every conceivable natural disaster occurs. Life as we knew it forever gone and the dead are piling up all over the world.  Soon, humanity begins turning on itself!

Maybe you know a tween who has read Lois Lowry’s The Giver? Did you know there are two companion novels? Gathering Blue and Messenger wrap up the story of Jonas and Gabe. They are a must-read for anyone who read The Giver and couldn’t wait to find out what really happened to both of them.

Hasn’t every teen and tween wished away their parents at some point? But what if everyone over the age of 14 disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving behind only kids to run the world? Gone explores this “dream” scenario with frightening results!

What if your parents lied to you, under the guise of protecting you? In a moment of panic over a nuclear attack, Eli, and his family rush into an underground bunker built by Eli’s eccentric father. Unfortunately, his grandmother and twin brother don’t make it into the bunker. For the past six years, life has been fairly routine. But with 9 years left, some things just aren’t adding up. Eli is starting to have doubts about his father’s motives, explanations, and sanity. The Compound is a fast-paced must read for dystopian/post apocalyptic fans!

Finally, what if all of the adults in your life were brainwashing you? Candor is a model community, but Oscar knows that parents bring their teenagers to Candor to make them “better”–through subliminal Messages that carefully control their behavior. Can he give up the girl of his dreams to escape the Messages?

Finally, there is the ever popular The Hunger Games. Talk about a page-turner!

What are some of your favorite dystopian or post apocalyptic tween/teen books?

Mythology is huge in my classroom.  I imagine it will only get crazier with the upcoming February release of Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief movie.  But there are lots of other mythology books out there for tween readers.  If you are looking for some great mythology-based books for your favorite tween, here are some of my favorites…..

We have to start with one of my all-time favorites- Percy Jackson.  I read the first book in the series aloud to my students each year and they love it.  Percy is funny, always getting in trouble, and easy to identify with.  I’m sure when the movie is released there will be a second wave of Percy Jackson fans running around my hallways at school.  The entire series has been released and there is an awesome boxed set available: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Hardcover Boxed Set: Books 1 – 5.

Maryrose Woods’s Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is a fantastic romp through Celtic mythology.  It’s a different culture and very different from the typical Greek and Roman mythology typically seen in middle grade/YA literature.  Plus, I’m Irish and I love seeing Irish mythology/literature in mainstream middle grade/YA books!

Irish mythology not what your tween is looking for?  How about some Egyptian mythology? Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos is the first book in a series that focuses on the ever-popular Egyptian mythology. Theo is like a combination of Nancy Drew and Indiana Jones. While not focused solely on Egyptian mythology, the story deals with ancient Egypt and evil curses. How can that not be fun?

The Seven Serpents Trilogy is a reissuing of Scott O’Dells fantastic epic based on Mayan culture and mythology. It includes all three books in the original series, repackaged into a single book.

Finally- I have many tweens who want to know every.single.thing. about Greek mythology. I’ve recently discovered the Mythlopedia series from Scholastic and I can not keep it on my library bookshelves. The books include: All in the Family: A Look-it-Up Guide to the In-laws, Outlaws, and Offspring of Mythology (Mythlopedia), Oh My Gods!: A Look-it-Up Guide to the Gods of Mythology (Mythlopedia), She’s All That!: A Look-it-Up Guide to the Goddesses of Mythology (Mythlopedia), and What a Beast!: A Look-it-Up Guide to the Monsters and Mutants of Mythology (Mythlopedia).  Each book is set-up like Facebook profiles which really appeals to my students.  Plus, I’ve even learned a lot while reading!

This is just a taste of some of the mythology books out there for tweens.  Do you have any favorites I forgot?  Please leave them in the comments!

I find that a lot of my more reluctant readers love informational books, even if they do not consider themselves readers.  One of the ways that I help turn those students into readers is by finding fiction books that pair well with the informational books they enjoy reading.  It’s also a great way to get tweens to try out historical fiction, a genre many of my students avoid at all costs.  Here are some of my favorite pairings.

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. is a fantastic middle grade realistic fiction novel. It pairs well with Trees, Leaves & Bark (Take-Along Guide), an informational book that will help readers identify trees in their neighborhood and town. (And while it is not nonfiction, Swinger of Birches: Poems of Robert Frost for Young People is a great book to give with Gianna Z., too!).

Operation Redwood is a realistic eco-adventure that made me want to learn more about redwood trees. It would make a fantastic companion to The Ever-Living Tree: The Life and Times of a Coast Redwood.

Moon: Science, History, And Mystery is a popular nonfiction book in my classroom right now. I love to pair it with Shooting the Moon, a historical fiction novel that takes place during the Vietnam War. It also makes a great companion to Every Soul A Star. And all of these books work well with another popular nonfiction book, Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream.

Before Columbus: The Americas of 1491 is a recent favorite of mine and I use it all the time in my “Journeys: The Monarch Butterfly” class when we talk about MesoAmerica. A few of my students have become very interested in ancient Mesoamerica and have gone on to read fiction set in that time period. Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow is a very popular companion to the book, as is The Seven Serpents Trilogy. Both deal with the Incan and Mayan cultures during the conquering of the New World.

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer has slowly been building steam in my room. This narrative nonfiction book is being passed from student to student and they are raving about it. Many of those who finish it come to me looking for more books about Lincoln, before his death, and I have been handing them Lincoln and His Boys.

The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum is a fantastic biography of the legendary P.T. Barnum. I would pair this with Tony Abbott’s great middle grade/YA mystery The Postcard.

I love dolphins and so do many of my students. Thus, Face to Face with Dolphins (Face to Face with Animals) is always a popular choice when it comes to independent reading. Lately, I have had a lot of luck pairing it with A Ring of Endless Light, a personal favorite of mine.

These are just a few suggestions for nonfiction/fiction pairings. Really, you can find a fiction companion to almost any nonfiction middle grade/YA book.  (And it works just as well the other way around!)  Do you have any favorite fiction/nonfiction pairings?  Please share them in the comments!

Unfortunately, many tweens and middle schoolers are blank slates when it comes to reading.  For the next few weeks I will be posting lists to help you find that perfect book or book gift for the 10-13 year old in your life, whether they are an avid reader or dormant readers.  Lists will be categorized according to trends I see in my classroom, so you can count on the fact that the books I recommend will be kid-tested and approved.

Give the tweens in your life the gift of reading.  A book is a gift you can open again and again, and it does not have to be an expensive gift.  What other gift will take tweens to new places, back in time, or away from their world?  For approximately ten dollars, you can do all that for the tweens in your life by wrapping a book and giving it to them for the holidays.

Check back here starting December 1st for the first installment of  my Tween Book Buying Guide for the Holidays 2009!

• Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale- This is not your mother’s Rapunzel! Set on the Western Frontier, this Rapunzel is spunky and smart, far from the typical damsel in distress. Shannon Hale is a Newbery-winning author and this graphic novel is fun for boys and girls!

• Laika by Nick Abadzis- This story broke my heart. It is a fictionalized account of the story of the dog Laika, the first living creature launched into outer space, aboard the USSR’s Sputnik 2 in 1957. Gorgeous and heart-breaking!

• Into The Volcano by Don A. Wood- I just picked this one up at the last Scholastic Warehouse Sale. It’s quietly gaining steam in my classroom. Two brothers are told they have to travel to a volcanic island to help an aunt they have never met. When they arrive on the island, they are sent on an adventure that take them on a wild boat ride straight into an erupting volcano! Great for your adventure-lovers!

• Bone Volume 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith- This was the first graphic novel I bought for my classroom library, when I knew absolutely nothing about graphic novels. It’s always a popular choice in my class and the entire series is great (and always available from Scholastic- a huge bonus). The story follows three cousins who have been thrown out of their town for cheating the citizens. Shortly thereafter, they are separated. Each Bone stumbles into a mysterious valley full of odd creatures that reveal strange happenings.

• Harry Potter- I have more than a few Potter-fanatics this year! What I love about the Harry Potter series is that the books lend themselves so easily to discussion. My fanatics are always coming up with theories and sharing them with each other, answering each other’s questions, and arguing about which book is the best in the series. I love it!

• The Hunger Games by Suzane Collins- I wasn’t too sure how this would be received by my class this year once I added it to the library. Don’t get me wrong- I loved it! But the length of this novel really made me think my more reluctant readers would steer clear. Boy was I wrong! This is being passed around like hotcakes and I don’t think it has been back on the library shelf for more than a day at a time since September. Action-packed, this story is reminiscent of Survivor and American Idol, with a touch of love and friendship thrown in for good measure.

• Turnabout by Margaret Peterson Haddix- Haddix is like some type of elixir for reluctant readers. Even kids who hate reading can’t put her books down. This year, Turnabout has been extremely popular with my 6th graders. Dealing with the idea of living forever, Haddix keeps kids turning the pages, whether they are advanced readers or the most reluctant of readers. At age 100, Melly and a few other nursing home residents are injected with an experimental drug. The drug was supposed to make them age backwards until they reached a self-determined ideal age, at which point they would get another shot to stop the process. The second shot, however, proved fatal, and the participants of the project were doomed to continue unaging until they reached infancy and eventually zero. Now teenagers, Melly and her friend Anny Beth need to find parents who can care for them in their approaching infancy. But then a snooping journalist begins prying into their lives and they are forced to go underground.

• Coraline by Neil Gaiman- My kids love reading books right before a new movie opens. Lately, Coraline has been a popular choice for my horror and fantasy fans because the movie trailers and advertisements have started making their way into the mainstream media. Coraline and her family move to a new home where she discovers that there are 14 doors- 13 of which are unlocked. Late one night, the 14th door is unlocked and she steps through. On the other side is a world virtually identical to her own. At first, this appears to be perfect. There is even another mother and another father, who want Coraline to be their little girl. Then she learns that they want to change her and keep her there forever. And there are other lost children in this world, whose souls are trapped in a mirror. This is one creepy book and my 6th graders love it!

• Into the Wild and Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst- These hysterical romps through the lives of fairy tale characters living in the modern world will leave your tween in stitches. You see, Julie is a regular girl. Except for one thing. Her mom is sort of embarrassing. You would be embarrassed too, if your mom was Rapunzel! And if it was your job to keep “the wild” under your bed and under control. Because if it escapes, it will take over your town, your state, and maybe even the world. And anyone caught in it’s bath will become a part of the fairy tale world, doomed to live the same story over and over again….FOREVER!

Check out all my posts here!

• The 39 Clues (The Maze of Bones, Book 1) by Rick Riordan and the second book, 39 Clues: One False Note by Gordan Korman are the most popular books in my classroom right now. Eventually a 10 book series, The 39 Clues, is the story of two orphans who are swept into a worldwide hunt for the story of their family.  When their Aunt Grace dies, they discover that her will is not the typical will.  Instead, she gives her descendants a choice- take 1 million dollars right now or take a clue.  Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world’s most powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. 39 clues hidden around the world can reveal the family’s secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Whoever does find the 39 clues will win much more than 1 million dollars.

• The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney- I still remember reading this when I was in middle school.  Man, did I love it.  A decade later, I wasn’t sure if my students would connect with it.  It turns out I didn’t need to worry at all- this is another series that never stays on my library shelves.  For those who haven’t read the book, it’s absolutely fascinating.  When Janie finds her own picture on the back of milk carton, labeled as a missing child, her entire world is turned upside down.  Who are her parents?  Are they really her parents?  Is her whole life a lie?  This is a page-turner that tweens don’t want to put down, and I haven’t had a single reader give up on the series after one book- they all read the entire series!

• The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright-  This is a mystery that I see many of my students reading and rereading.  Many of them read it as a class novel in 5th grade and choose to reread it again at some point during 6th grade because they enjoyed it so much.  A quick summary (courtesy of Amazon)- The attic is always a great place to look for nuggets of one’s family history, but when 12-year-old Amy explores her great-grandparents’ attic, she uncovers clues to a chilling family secret. As Amy and her Aunt Claire sift through clothes, trinkets and other memorabilia, Amy comes across Aunt Claire’s long-forgotten dollhouse, a finely crafted replica of the house they are in. Aunt Claire seems unusually distressed about the dollhouse and Amy is determined to find out why. The real fun begins when Amy learns that the dolls in the dollhouse move of their own willAand that they seem to be trying to tell her something. After a little sleuthing at the local library, Amy learns that her great-grandparents were murdered years ago and that Aunt Claire’s fiance (who died in a car accident that same night) was the prime suspect in the unsolved case.  Chilling!

• Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg- What happened on November 25, 2:43 P.M. to cause Branwell Zamborska to become stop speaking? All anyone knows is that he called 911 because his baby sister stopped breathing, and when he was unable to speak to the operator, Vivian, the English nanny, said that Branwell had dropped the baby and shaken her. Branwell’s best friend, Connor, begins visiting him at the juvenile hall, where he has been sent while Nikki remains in a coma at the hospital. Working out a code they both can use, Connor begins the long process of trying to communicate with his friend to find out what really happened. Connor knows that his best friend didn’t hurt the baby, but how can he prove it to everyone else if Branwell won’t speak. This is a realistic mystery that kids won’t want to put down.

Check out all my posts here!

• Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little by Peggy Gifford- Moxy Maxwell is a procrastinator (much like my students). She was assigned Stuart Little for summer reading, but it is still unread on the last day before the first day of school. Sound familiar? Moxy won’t be allowed to play the eighth daisy petal in the water ballet at the local pool if she hasn’t finished the book by the time Mom returns home. Moxy is trying to read. Or start to read. But things keep getting in the way! First, Moxy’s room must be cleaned, Then the dog has to be trained. She also takes time to ponder the idea of inventing a hammock that automatically stops swinging when the person gets off. She decides to plant a peach orchard). And all of her procrastinations are documented by her brother, a budding photographer. The book has great photos and a lot of white space, perfect for struggling readers! Plus, it’s hysterical.

These symptoms have been manifesting themselves in my classroom for weeks now.  Boys and girls alike are working their way through Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) series.  But what do they read after they finish the addictive story of Edward and Bella?

For the reader who is now obsessed with vampires:

• London, 1850 (The Vampire Plagues I) by Sebastian Rook- Set in London’s Victorian Age, an enormous ship has just reached port. From its hull, a flock of bats ascends and disappears into the streets of London. Jack plans to board the ship, in search of food or money to steal. Instead, he meets a boy who is running for his life! The boy recounts horrific tales about a vampire plague that’s killed the entire crew. Jack immediately vows to vanquish the creatures and this is the first book in a series. Great for those who love the vampires in Meyers’ books!

• Encyclopedia Horrifica: The Terrifying TRUTH! About Vampires, Ghosts, Monsters, and More by Joshua Gee- A non-fiction book perfect for the vampire afficionado. Dying to know more about vampires, ESP, ghosts, aliens, and everything else horrific? This encyclopedia covers it all with facts and humor.

• Cirque Du Freak Boxed Set #1 by Darren Shan- Soon to be a feature-length motion picture starring John C. Reilly and Salma Hayek, Cirque Du Freak is the story of a young boy who visits a freak show and must become a vampire in order to save his friend’s life. Sufficiently gory and creepy in turn, this is a series that rarely stays on the shelves in my classroom library. With the movie being released in 2009, it will only grow in popularity!

For the romance lover:

• The Luxe by Anna Godbersen- Like Gossip Girl, only set in the 1890′s, this luscious tale of murder (or so the reader thinks), love, class, and wealth is full of ballrooms, gowns, and illicit romances. My Meyers’ fans are passing this series around and loving it!

For the “I love Stephenie Meyers and Gossip Girl/The Clique” reader:

The “I will read anything Stephenie Meyers says is great” fan:

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• Albino Animals by Kelly Milner Halls- My students are obsessed with this cool book about albinos. Full of pictures, some of which are a little creepy (it’s the red eyes!), kids won’t be able to put this one down. The chapters are arranged by animal category (reptiles and amphibians, sea mammals, and so on), and Halls cites real-life examples of albino animals and discusses the special concerns that albinism raises in each one. And this Language Arts teacher loves that a glossary and bibliography are included!

• The Race to Save the Lord God Bird by Phillip Hoose- This is the story of the first modern endangered species in America, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. In 1800, the large and impressive woodpecker lived in the southeastern United States, from Texas to the Carolinas and as far north as Indiana. By 1937, it could be found on only one tract of land in northeastern Louisiana. Its last confirmed sighting was in Cuba in 1987. The story is full of suspense and intrigue and is difficult to put down. There are original archival photos included, along with paintings (the Ivory-billed woodpecker was a frequent model for artists). A great book for any kid who loves animals, endangered species, or the environment.

• The Devil on Trial: Witches, Anarchists, Atheists, Communists, andTerrorists in America’s Courtrooms by Philip Margulies- For some reason, court trials are absolutely fascinating when you are in middle school. aturing five famous trials, this book examines the way our right to a fair trial can be threatened, when people are tempted to abandon their principles in the name of safety. Trials included in this book include the always-popular Salem Witch Trials, the Haymarket Affair Trial, the Scopes “Monkey” Trial, the trial of Alger Hiss, and the recent trial of Zacarias Moussaoui

• Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past by James M. Deem- Perfect for that one child in your life who is fascinated by gross and/or morbid things. In 1991, mountain climbers on the Niederjoch Glacier on the Italian-Austrian border came across something gross: a body. It had been a very warm summer, and five bodies had already turned up in the area (sadly common on mountaintops). But something here was different. The materials found with the body suggested it might be very old, perhaps from the 1800s. But radiocarbon dating proved the iceman was 5,300 years older, from the Copper Age. He was named Ötzi and he is the oldest human mummy preserved in ice ever found. Deem takes the reader on a fascinating journey as you learn about the mummy and the scientists who studied him.

• The Way We Work by David Macauley- This is the book that any future doctor needs! David Macauley reveals the intricacies of the human body with detailed artistic drawings. The book is divided into seven sections – from the cells that form our foundation to the individual systems they build. Each gorgeous illustration details different aspects of our complex body structure, explaining the function of each and offering up-close glimpses and unique cross-sections and perspectives. Plus, it’s funny, too!

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I always read a wide variety of genres to my students.  Some of the most popular read alouds include:

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt- The most recent read aloud we have completed as a class, this deeply complex novel is dark, moving, and full of hope.  My students were engaged in the story and our conversations ranged from the philosophical to the angry to the intense.

Drums, Girls, And Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick- Every year my classes create Valentine’s Day Hope Chests for the patients at the Institute for Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders.  Before we begin the project we read Sonnenblick’s heartwarming and funny story about a middle school boy whose brother is diagnosed with leukemia.  While the premise is heartbreaking, Sonnenblick approaches it realistically and much the book will leave you laughing out loud.  A great conversation starter, this book is great for middle schoolers.

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt- Would you choose to live forever, if given the choice? That’s the decision 10 year old Winnie Foster must make when she meets the mysterious Tuck family. Referred to as the greatest children’s novel ever written, Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting will force you and your child to think long and hard about the road they would choose. (Keep in mind that the book starts out slowly, but it quickly snowballs and becomes a pageturner!)

The Giver by Lois Lowry- Another controversial book that will stoke some great arguments. Jonas lives in the Community, a utopian town where no one argues, no one fights, and everything is perfect. Or is it? Does a lack of choices mean perfection? Or is it all just a big lie? (This is a book chock full of higher level thinking. And be aware that the meat of the story involves human euthanasia, a mature topic).

Guys Write for Guys Read: Boys’ Favorite Authors Write About Being Boys by Jon Scieszka- Aimed at reluctant middle school boys, this books never fails to connect with my girls, too. More than 80 guys (from Lloyd Alexander to Paul Zelinsky) contribute very short stories/anecdotes about their childhood. The stories range from the grotesque to the heartwarming to the hysterically funny. Short story anthologies are great read alouds because you can pick and choose the stories to read and they don’t take a lot of time to get through. Perfect for the busy family!

Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson- Need a great adventure book to hook your kids? Having trouble finding a well-written adventure book that adults can enjoy as much as kids? This is the perfect book! .Tom is a kid. He lives on top of a rock, in an old house that’s literally chained to the ground. He’s not too thrilled that his mom is considering marrying her boyfriend, Jeff, a teacher from his school. When a new refrigerator is delivered on the same day that his mother ponders accepting Jeff’s proposal, Tom takes the large box and sets off sailing down the creek that runs through his yard. Rebellious and angry, he rides the current for miles, eventually falling asleep. He awakens when the water becomes rough and he is suddenly pulled under a ridge and into the bowels of the mountain. He is alone, and trapped. Save for a dog and a corpse to keep him company….I hesitate to summarize anymore of the plot for fear of spoilers. Tom is brave, scared, brilliant, naive, and in a million other ways a normal eleven year old boy. He is Robinson Crusoe. He is Odysseus. He is MacGuyver. He is eleven.

• Stanford Wong Flunks Big-time , Millicent Min, Girl Genius, and So Totally Emily Ebers by Lisa Yee- This series by Lisa Yee is always popular.  Everyone can identify with one of the main characters, whether it’s Millicent, Emily, or Stanford.  And kids love that the same story is told, but from the perspective of each character.  It makes each book just different enough from the last one while still retaining that familiarity that is so important for a lot of my readers.  Plus, Lisa Yee is hysterical!

• Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis- A personal favorite, Emma Jean represents that kid everyone remembers from middle school- lacking certain social skills, reveling in being different, and getting into everyone’s business. And her classmate, Colleen, is the girl who just wants to be popular, even if some of the “popular” ways go against her sweet and compassionate personality. A gentle read, this novel is perfect for fans of realistic fiction about middle school.

• The Graduation of Jake Moon by Barbara Park- A word of warning- this is a sad book! However, it’s always a popular choice for boys and girls alike. This short novel deals with Jake’s relationship with his grandfather as his Alzheimer’s slowly worsens. You meet Jake when he is in third grade and follow him through eighth grade. He starts out looking after his grandfather an hour a day, a job that becomes more and more burdensom. He is embarrassed by his grandfather’s increasingly erratic (and sometimes crazy) behavior. Looking after his grandfather slowly alienates him from his friends, as he is embarrassed to have them see his grandfather. This is an issue a lot of kids deal with these days, and this slim novel is heavy-hitting.

• Rules by Cynthia Lord- This is a powerful story about a young girl whose brother is autistic. Twelve-year old Catherine tries her best to help David get along in the world, developing lists of rules for him to follow. However, while she loves her brother, she is trying to live her own life, too. When a new girl moves in next door, Catherine isn’t sure she wants her to know about David. A great novel to introduce autism and special needs to tweens, this isn’t a preachy story and my students love it!

• The Landry News by Andrew Clements- Andrew Clements is probably the most popular author in my 6th grade classroom. While all of his novels are a hit, this one is particularly popular this year. Mr. Larson has taught for 20 years and he’s burned out. So he decides to let his fifth graders do a project on their own while he sits back and relaxes. So when a student, Cara Landry, writes a newspaper with an editorial about the lack of teaching going on in room 145, the former “Teacher of the Year” gets very upset. Realizing that the girl is stating the truth, he starts a unit on journalism and the class enthusiastically begins a newspaper. The newspaper is a huge success. However, when she allows a very personal story about divorce to be printed, the principal sees it as an opportunity to get rid of Mr. Larson. A great story about the First Amendment, kids can’t put this down!

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Some favorites in my room, which always hook reluctant readers:

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney-  Told in prose and illustrations, Jeff Kinney’s hysterical tales of Greg and his middle school misadventures are impossible to keep on the shelf.  For the last two years my students have passed these around to each other.  Greg is a typical middle schooler who has an embarrassing mom, a strict dad, a crazy older brother, and a spoiled little brother.  My students identify with his family misadventures and his struggles in middle school.  Plus, the journal format (which includes Greg’s own cartoons and illustrations) is kind to reluctant and struggling readers alike.  And the best part is that Kinney has made this into a series!  Check out Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (available January 13, 2009), and Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (for the budding writer/comic book artist in your life).

• Shadow Children Series by Margaret Peterson Haddix- It’s hard to find tween-friendly science fiction that isn’t a turn-off for my students.  Haddix’s Shadow Children Series is the story of a world much like ours where families are only permitted to have two children.  Third children are illegal and if found they are killed by the Population Police.  Luke is a third child and as such has spent his 12 years of life in hiding.  For most of his life the woods around the family farm are thick enough to protect him.  But when the government purchases the land and begins building homes there, Luke is sentenced to life indoors and away from all windows.  While sneaking a loom out the attic window one day, he spies a child’s face in the window of one of the new homes, after the family of four has left for the day.  Is it possible that he is not the only third child in the area?  Luke is faced with tough decisions and his situation is realistic enough to be frightening.  Haddix’s series follows Luke as he begins to question the law and fight the government.  Without fail, students read the first book and immediately demand the rest of the books.  A great way to hook reluctant readers!

• the dead and the gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer- Pfeffer’s post-apocalyptic tale of New York City after the moon has been knocked out of orbit is an obsession with my students this year.  I only have one copy in the classroom library, and the last time I checked there were 5 or 6 copies that kids themselves bought and began passing around to each other.  To sum up the story (this is a companion novel to Life As We Knew It), it is based on an asteroid hitting the moon, setting off a tailspin of horrific climate changes. The story examines these events as they unfold in New York City, revealed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Puerto Rican Alex Morales. When his parents disappear in the aftermath of the disaster, Alex is forced to care for his two younger sisters, even as Manhattan becomes a deadly wasteland, and food and aid dwindle to nothing.  A little gross, very graphic, and frightening enough to make you want to stock up on canned goods, the dead and the gone is impossible to put down, even for the most reluctant reader!

• Amulet, Book One: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi- This graphic novel is great for kids who can’t even imagine having to read a novel.  The illustrations are beautiful and the story will keep them turning the pages.  After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her late great-grandfather.  But is the house really safe? Soon, a sinister creature lures the kids’ mom through a door in the basement. Emily and Navin, desperate not to lose her, too,  follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals. And don’t discount graphic novels for readers of all levels!  Graphic novels require readers to be engaged in the process of decoding and comprehending a range of literary devices. According to a study by Scholastic, “graphic novels can also help improve reading development for students struggling with language acquisition, as the illustrations provide contextual clues to the meaning of the written narrative. When graphic novels are made available to young people, even those deemed “poor readers” willingly and enthusiastically gravitate towards these books. Providing young people with diverse reading materials can help them become lifelong readers.”

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Below are some favorites from my classroom:

• Six Innings by James Preller-  In this book, there are two teams.  Two teams playing six innings.  One championship game.   Each chapter is devoted to the top of bottom of the inning, and the reader experiences the game from both sides, through the eyes of different players.  With details that make you feel like you are in the stands watching the game, you can almost hear the bats crack and see the slides into first base.   But this is more than just a simple baseball book.  Two friends are struggling to come to terms with a cancer diagnosis that has sidelined one of them, forcing him to give up baseball, the game that he loves.   It’s not just a game- it’s life for these boys.  And for everyone else, this is the last- the last game for those who will choose to play a different sport next season, the last time the teams will play together, the last hurrah.                                                                This is a book that has resonated deeply with my 6th graders, whether they are baseball fans or not.  Preller’s story is one that most tweens can identify with, especially those involved in organized sports.  A great choice for tweens, especially baseball players!

• Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery by John Feinstein-  Sports and a mystery?  Sign me up!  Set at the Final Four, this is an action-packed mystery full of sports trivia and Final Four information.  Two eighth-graders win a writing contest that sends them to the Final Four to report for their local newspapers.  When they stumble upon blackmail threat and one team possibly throwing the game, they may have bitten off more than they can handle.  My students love that fact that throughout the story, famous basketball personalities make guest appearances, including spirited sports analyst Tony Kornheiser and well-known commentator Dick Vitale. Combined with references to real players and coaches, my kids have been eating these up since they entered my library. Feinstein is a best-selling sportswriter and his extensive sports expertise is obvious, which kids appreciate.  And the mystery is realistic and keeps my most reluctant readers turning the pages.  Plus, this is a series!  Check out Cover-up: Mystery at the Super Bowl  and Vanishing Act: Mystery at the U.S. Open, too!

• Travel Team by Mike Lupica-  Lupica is another sportswriter-turned-children’s-author.  His sports books are go-to selections when I am suggesting books for my biggest sports fans.  His characters are easy to relate to, realistic, and multi-dimensional.  Their problems are realistic and frequently touch on current events in sports.  In this selection, Danny Walker is devastated when he doesn’t make the cut for his local travel basketball team.  He is told that he is too short, but secretly suspects he was cut because of issues with his divorced father, a former NBA player, and the coach.  But then his father announces he is starting his own travel team and Danny finally has a team.  When unexpected events happen and Danny’s dad is unable to coach, Danny himself steps in.  A great sports book that connects with my athletes and non-athletes alike, I frequently find myself recommending this one.  And once they read one Lupica book, the rest usually follow!  Other favorites include Summer Ball and Heat.

• There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli-  Jerry Spinelli is formidable force in middle grade literature.  There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock is a tried and true favorite that always connects with my students.  When eighth-grader Maisie Potter decides to try out for the wrestling team, she has no idea that it will be a catalyst for so many issues.  Legally, the school can not keep her from participating, despite that fact that it is a boy’s team.  However, she quickly becomes a hated figure in school and the center of a media storm.  But what is constantly lost in the chaos is that Maisie is a pretty darn good wrestler!  Spinelli’s tale grabs boys and girls alike, and Maisie reminds a lot of my students of Maniac Magee (a perennial favorite read in 5th grade).  

• We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson- This non-fiction title is absolutely stunning and baseball fans and history buffs will not be able to put it down.  Using an anonymous player as the narrator, Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. Told through accessible text and accompanied by gorgeous oil paintings (done by Nelson), this is a book that no baseball fan should be without.  There is no doubt this one will be tossed about as a possible Newbery winner come January.  

• The Million Dollar Kick by Dan Gutman-  Gutman seems to specialize in books for otherwise reluctant readers.  In The Million Dollar Kick, seventh-grader Whisper HATES soccer. Her little sister is the family athlete, and a sports star. However, Whisper is the one who is chosen as a contest participant and she must try to kick a goal past the town’s famous professional star in front of a whole stadium full of huge soccer fanatics. The prize is one million dollars.   Is the chance to win a million dollars worth the huge possibility of total and utter humiliation?  The worst part is that no one supports her! She is fairly certain her family expects her to fail. Her classmates know she won’t make the shot. It seems her only supporter is Jesse, a self-proclaimed computer geek. Does Whisper even want to be seen with him, even if he has created a laptop simulation that could help her succeed?  A funny book that will connect with those who enjoy soccer just as much as those who love realistic middle school fiction.

While this is just a small sample of the great sports books out there, I hope they help you make some great decisions for your holiday book-buying!  Stay tuned for another list tomorrow!

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Sure, it’s easy to brush off books in the gift-giving category.  How do you know that recipient hasn’t already read the book(s) in question?  How do you know what genre or authors they like? What if the recipient doesn’t even like to read?  And where do you even begin?  That bookstore is huge and intimidating, right?  But you can do it, I promise!

When it comes to the tweens and middle schoolers in your life, I’m here to help this holiday season.  For the next few weeks I will be posting lists to help you find that perfect book or book gift for the 10-13 year old in your life.  Lists will be categorized according to trends I see in my classroom, so you can count on the fact that the books I recommend will be kid-tested and approved.  

Do the tweens in your life a favor.  Give them the gift of reading this holiday season.  Books are the gifts that you can open again and again, and stories are the gifts that keep giving.  So stay tuned from December 1-12 to find that perfect gift for the middle schooler in your life.  Whether they are are avid readers or only skim their summer reading when forced to, there is something out there for everyone.

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Do you have a sports fan in your life? Check out some of these recommendations from my sixth graders!

The Contender sat on the shelf in my classroom library collecting dust for the last few years. In the early part of this school year one of my boys picked it up and it still hasn’t made its way back to the shelf. I see a different student reading it every few weeks and then they pass it to someone else. All of them are raving about this classic novel that tells the story of a seventeen year old boy from Harlem who dreams of becoming a champion boxer.

Every sports fan should pick up Mike Lupica’s books. Lupica is a sportswriter and his children’s novels are an inside look at sports and families. His latest novel, Million-Dollar Throw, was released last month.

Mention that a children’s author also played in the NFL and you’ll see any middle schooler’s eyes light up. For that reason, Tim Green’s books are always popular with my students. When I shared an ARC of Baseball Great last spring, I had a waiting list a page long. Now, all of my Tim Green novels are constantly moving off the shelf.

Finally, Dairy Queen has found a few new fans among my students this year. This story about a high school girl who decides to tryout for her high school football team brings laughter and tears to its readers!

What sports books do you recommend?