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breathing new life into book clubs with sonja cherry-paul and dana johansesn

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‎Heinemann Podcast: Breathing New Life into Book Clubs with Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansesn on Apple Podcasts

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Managing book clubs can be hard, but authors Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen say that when they work, they create a culture of reading unlike anything else.

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A Practical Guide for Teachers

Essential strategies for creating, sustaining, and improving classroom book clubs.

Sonja and Dana have both a confession and a challenge to teachers. Managing classroom book clubs can be hard. Real hard. But honestly, is there any better way to get students vested in reading? When book clubs work, don't they create a culture of reading unlike anything else? One that brings out the very best in our students?

With both infectious enthusiasm and a realistic perspective, Sonja and Dana take on teachers' doubts and concerns about book clubs, and build a compelling case for their value in every classroom. They provide all the nuts and bolts for creating and managing successful book clubs, including:

Dozens of "pitfalls and pathways" minilessons that address common roadblocks

Tips for using technology to enhance book club work for deeper student engagement

Suggested "book bins" for book club work, organized by grade level and genre.

Whether you're looking to breathe new life into book clubs or begin implementing them in your classroom, Sonja and Dana give you essential strategies to make book clubs work. "Because book clubs," they write, "are where students fall in love with reading."

(click any section below to continue reading)

Contents

1. Creating a Culture of Reading Through Book Clubs
2. Organizing and Setting Up Book Clubs
3. Launching and Managing Book Clubs
4. Lighting the Fire of Discussion
5. Journeying Through Texts with Peers
6. Living with Books All Year Long

Reviews

"Dana and Sonja teach us what years of eavesdropping on my aunts taught me-that book clubs are not merely about books and discussion protocols. They are about the humans that come to them, the people that we become when we are in them, and the powerful people that endure-long after we put the texts down-because we have read together. Dana and Sonja's work is powerful because beyond guiding us into the structures, routines, and lessons that ensure meaningful reading and purposeful talk, they expertly guide us toward crafting the experiences that give children multiple opportunities to live as readers, as thinkers, and as members of a community. Dana and Sonja understand that whenever our society has been confronted with big questions, well-read young people have always been the answer."-Cornelius Minor, from the Foreword

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Essential strategies for creating, sustaining, and improving classroom book clubs. - Heinemann

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Lesson from a college of education course

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Lesson from a college of education course

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Erica Riekert's Portfolio Page | Unit 2: Incorporating Student Agency and Decision-Making in Reading | Lesson 1: Using Choice to Create Lifelong Readers | Unit 3: Incorporating Student Agency and Decision-Making in Writing Essays

Lesson Kickoff

Reflect:

When you hear the words Book Club, what do you imagine? What would one look, feel, and sound like in your classroom?

Connection

Book Clubs are a bibliophile's dream. When I imagine a book club, I see like-minded individuals sitting around someone's living room discussing the book of the month. It's a space for lifelong readers to formulate opinions, examine themes, and discuss stories across a wide array of genres. Book Clubs have become popular in mainstream culture. Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon have book clubs!

The purpose of a book club is to bring a community of like-minded people together to learn from each other. If book clubs are so enjoyable, why wouldn't we incorporate them into our classrooms? Book clubs introduce students to the joy of reading. It allows them to grow into lifelong readers and provides them with the skills necessary to succeed.

Book clubs are an ideal place for students to build autonomy through choice. In the book, Breathing New Life into Book Clubs, Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen explain, "Too often, teachers only envision book clubs where students all read the same text and it's typically fiction. The truth is that book clubs can look many different ways- they don't have to be based around the same text; they don't have to be based around the same genre" (p.17).

In the last lesson, you learned how to guide students into finding "just right books." Book Clubs act as a vehicle for lessons that engage and support students as they read their choice books.

Teaching Point

In this lesson, you will learn how to incorporate a productive book club into your reading curriculum and different ways to assess students as they participate in their book clubs.

Guidelines for a Productive Book Club:

Read Chapter One from the book, Breathing New Life into Book Clubs by Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen.

File:9780325076850 sample.pdf

The Six Reasons Book Clubs are Important:

Engagement: Book clubs provide choice and autonomy in making the reading curriculum more engaging.

Reading Skills: Students can directly apply reading lessons to their book club to strengthen their reading skills.

Critical Literacy: Students learn from different perspectives, critique social norms and constructs, and develop empathy towards others.

Discussion: Book clubs cultivate a forum for in-depth discussions and help students form bonds with one another.

Self-Discovery: Students can see themselves in their reading. They examine their lives and identities.

Technology: Students can use digital spaces to conduct discussions.

The Essential Components for Book Clubs:

Discussion: Students apply lessons to their book club discussions by asking questions, making connections, talking across themes, and setting reading goals.

Planning: Students plan their book club meetings- what they will accomplish, the best use of time, what to discuss, and how much to read before their next meeting. Planning teaches compromise, goal setting, time management, and reflection.

Reading: To create a meaningful and authentic experience, students are allotted time during their book club meetings to read together.

Digital Tools: Teachers use digital platforms (Padlet, Kidblog, Flipgrid) to create a forum for students to share their ideas.

Written Response: Students use sticky notes, digital platforms, and journals to respond to their readings. This process is less formal than writing an essay or report. It allows for the direct transference of skills learned from reading mini-lessons.

Observation: Teachers move around the room to observe student progress and where there is room for improvement. Teachers make informal assessments as they conference with the groups.

Coaching: Opportunities to provide quick feedback or give a suggestion.

Assessment: Through observations and written responses, teachers assess their students' progress.

Watch the following videos to explore book clubs and how they foster student autonomy.

Read the following article and watch the video below from NEA's Read Across America Program called "Book Club Basics."

When building Book Clubs in your classroom, think about your students' interests, not just their reading levels. According to Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen, "we want to caution against forming clubs based solely on reading levels. Our students can always sense if they're being grouped by ability, and this can cause anxiety and disappointment" (p. 17). When we label students by their ability, we deny them opportunities to grow as readers. Grouping student based on their reading level is a detriment to their autonomy and confidence. When students can choose "just right books" for their book clubs, teachers can differentiate instruction among varying reading levels. Students reading at different levels can engage with each other, build their skills, and support one another as they develop a deeper understanding of the text.

Five Types of Book Clubs:

1. Genre-Based Book Clubs

1. Most common book club.

2. Each club reads the same genre. Mini-lessons focus on the reading skills for that particular genre.

3. Members of a book club read the same book, but each book club can read a different book. For example, if the genre is fantasy, one group can read Gregor the Overlander while another reads Ranger's Apprentice.

4. To prepare for this type of book club, teachers need multiple copies of each book.

2. Goals-Based Book Clubs

1. Book club groupings are arranged based on student reading goals.

2. Students take agency over their learning by determining strategies to help them achieve their goals.

3. Students choose their books and set their reading goals.

4. Students support each other and build confidence during the process.

3. Identity-Based Book Clubs

1. A safe space for students to have open conversations about identity.

2. Student clubs are created based on gender, religion, sexual orientation, culture, and race.

3. Identity-based book clubs empower, validate, and help students feel valued.

4. Theme- and Topic-Based Book Clubs

1. Allows students to explore their interests and passions with like-minded peers.

2. When students can choose books based on their interests, they are more likely to remain engaged in lessons and motivated to read.

5. Series- and Author-Based Book Clubs

1. Great opportunity for teachers to incorporate different types of books into their curriculum.

2. When reading series, students become experts on character analysis, motivations, and traits.

3. When reading a particular author, students begin to appreciate the author's craft across their books.

As mentioned above, one of the essential components of a book club is assessment. In student-led book clubs, teachers are the coaches and observers. Teachers often use informal assessments, like student reflection, written responses, and observation to track student progress.

Two Strategies to Assess Student Progress:

Observation: While circulating the room, you can collect artifacts or quick jottings of your observations to help assess student progress. These notes include specific things you hear during discussions and examples from students' written responses. You are looking to see if students are using their time wisely, planning their meetings accordingly, and setting reasonable goals.

Coaching/Conferencing: Based on your observations, you can customize your coaching plan to meet the needs of each book club group. You can also pull students from each group who are experiencing similar challenges. For instance, if you notice students from different groups are struggling with analyzing themes, you can instruct a small group mini-lesson that addresses that particular challenge.

Sample Assessment Materials

Two Sample Artifacts:

Sample Conferencing Form:

Check for Understanding

Use the following quiz to check for understanding.

Active Engagement

Incorporating book clubs into the reading curriculum is an engaging way to support students in becoming lifelong readers. Read the following outline of a reading workshop lesson provided by Park Hill School District focusing on Experience 1. Park Hill Schools use Lucy Calkins's curriculum for reading.

Review the following lesson plan for finding "just right books." This lesson plan uses a template provided by Responsive classroom and modeled after Lucy Calkins's Reader's Workshop.

In lesson 1, you highlighted parts of your lesson where you incorporated student choice. Ask yourself:

What choices did I provide my students (organizational, procedural, cognitive)?

After learning about students selecting "just right books" and book clubs, where in the lesson are there additional opportunities to provide choices for my students?

Apply what you know about choice to create a reading lesson.

Instructions:

1. Review the sample lesson on Fantasy Book Clubs as a guide. This lesson plan is modeled after a Lucy Calkins lesson from Reader's Workshop.

2. Fill in the lesson template provided by Responsive Classroom.

File:Sample Fantasy Book Club Lesson Plan Using Guide.pdf

File:Lesson-Planning-Guide.pdf

Share the lesson you created with other learners using Padlet. Provide positive and constructive feedback on the other lessons posted.

References and Resources

Calkins, L., Cruz, M.C., Ehrenworth, M. (2015). Units of Study for Teaching Reading: Fantasy Book Clubs: Grade 5. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann.

Cherry-Paul, S., Johansen, D. (2019). Breathing New Life into Book Clubs. Heinemann.

Park Hill School District. (2022-2023). Reading Curriculum (Grade 5). [Program of studies]. https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1659710570/parkhillk12mous/jncssblymui1t9ezxmul/5thGradeELA-ReadingCurriculumBOE6-23-2022.pdf

Next Unit: Unit 3: Incorporating Student Agency and Decision-Making in Writing Essays

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Lesson 2: Incorporating Book Clubs into Reading Curriculum

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Erica Riekert's Portfolio Page | Unit 2: Incorporating Student Agency and Decision-Making in Reading | Lesson 1: Using Choice to Create Lifelong Readers | Unit 3: Incorporating Student Agency and Decision-Making in Writing Essays Reflect: When you hear the words Book Club, what do you imagine?

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If you've followed me for any length of time, then you probably know I LOVE using the "speed dating" discussion strategy for everything from persuasion to literary analysis. I'm always looking for an excuse to incorporate some "speed dating" because it's such a fun, student-centered way to get everyone engaged at the exact same time. You can read more about speed debating, speed dating discussion, speed dating peer feedback, and more HERE, but today I want to chat about a different type of speed dating: BOOK SPEED DATING! 🙂

Instead of being paired up with peers to discuss, students are paired up with books for mini "dates." During each speed date with a book, students note their first impressions and take some time to get to know the book and its pages. At the end of each round, students rate the book depending on how interested they are in reading it.

Sound fun? Here's how you can make this engaging activity happen in your ELA classroom!

1. ROUND UP A STACK OF HIGH-INTEREST BOOKS.

The speed dates will only be as good as the books you include, so make sure to round up a stack of quality candidates that you know your students will love! Shoot for high-interest books texts from a variety of genres. You want books that will appeal to a wide range of readers, but also books that will broaden your readers' horizons. Book speed dating is a great way to expose readers to books they might not typically pick up on their own.

Don't have enough books? Facilitating this online without access to physical books? No problem! My Book Speed Dating resource comes with a Google slides "menu" of books already loaded with links to samples where students can preview the cover, a summary, and the first chapter...for free. 🙂

Need some book recommendations? You're in the right place! My Book Speed Dating resource comes stocked with 30+ middle school and 30+ high school book recommendations. You can also stalk my First Chapter Friday Book List blog posts for more ideas: Part 1 HERE & Part 2 HERE. And if you'd like a spring of book recs that will never run out, definitely check out my massive book recommendation brochures: middle school HERE & high school HERE.

Last but not least, I'm always reading, reviewing, and posting about books over on my Instagram, so you can find lots of recs for middle grade and young adult lit over there.

2. CREATE SOME SORT OF RECORDING SHEET OR FORM.

Casually getting to know books is all good and fun, but students need some sort of way to track their first impressions when there are so many fish in the classroom library sea. After all, the goal of book speed dating is to help students find their book match, so a recording sheet or form only makes sense. Not only will it help students keep track of their dates, but it will help you-aka the Book Matchmaker-pair students up with books after the lesson.

A simple graphic organizer worksheet will suffice, as will a Google form! I use both options, depending on my goals, and I like both for different reasons: A paper worksheet is great when I don't want students to be distracted by their Chromebooks. But a Google form is perfect for when I really need all of my book matchmaking data in one place. For example, at the very beginning of the year, when I was still getting to know my students' reading interests and preferences, I used a Google form. It was super helpful because I was able to copy/paste some of their info from the form over to my independent reading master spreadsheet/conference log. Now, I am using a worksheet because a) I already know what students will like & b) many of them are currently in the middle of books. All I have to do is keep the worksheets and pull them back out when students need a new book!

3. CREATE A STUDENT-FRIENDLY RATING SYSTEM.

Make sure you have a way for students to "swipe right" on their favorite books. A simple numerical scale works, but feel free to spice it up with some teen-friendly rating options. Because I am hosting my book speed dating on Valentine's Day, I opted for a candy hearts rating system. I know some students will be thrilled to use the "THANK U, NEXT" option when they meet a book that's just not their type. But I know they'll be equally as excited to shade in the hearts for a full 5-heart "BE MINE" rating when they find THE ONE!

Like I mentioned earlier, if you want Google sheets data, a Google form might be more practical for your purposes. Candy hearts are cute, but if you need all of your info in one spot, choose function over fun! If you're using my Book Speed Dating resource, you can have your cake and eat it, too, because the digital versions feature the same fun rating scale (minus the coloring of the hearts).

4. PLAN OUT THE LOGISTICS OF THE LESSON.

Once you've prepped your books and recording sheet, you'll need to plan out the lesson itself. Here are a few things to consider:

How much time will you give students during each speed date? 4-5 minutes work well, but you can adjust this depending on the number of rounds you think you'll get through!

How many rounds of dates will students get through in your allotted time? Again, it's up to you! I'm planning 6 rounds for our speed dating tomorrow. This will give us our 10 minutes of free reading time and allow for transition time, too.

What kinds of things should students jot down on their recording sheet/form? I like to keep it open-ended to give students the freedom to make their own observations, but it's up to you. For example, if you're doing speed dating for a certain genre or theme, maybe you want students to record certain characteristics or ideas they notice.

How will students get a new book each round? Rotating the books clockwise (or whatever works for your seating arrangement) is a great plan, but you can also give students the freedom to pick their own books for each speed date.

5. SET THE MOOD FOR SPEED DATING.

After the logistics are planned out, it's time for the fun part: Setting the mood for speed dating. Here are a few things you can do, depending on your time, desire, and $$.

Project a fun slide on your board to pique students' curiosity when they walk in.

Play jazz music during the lesson.

Set up a fun ambient room on YouTube. (I love this cherry blossom window scene or this rainy coffee shop ambient room).

Set out fake tealight candles from the Dollar Tree/a craft store.

Provide refreshments: cheap mints or some candy hearts!

Set out doilies and/or fake flowers from the Dollar Tree.

It's okay if you spend 0 money! I've done this kind of activity with all the extra bells and whistles and with nothing but a little music and YouTube, and the result is ultimately the same. The kids will love it no matter what!

6. HOST THE LESSON & WATCH THE MAGIC HAPPEN!

Once it's time to host the lesson, your job is (almost) done. You get to sit back, relax, and watch the magic happen as students fall in love with books! Okay, maybe it's not that simple...but it is magical. Really, all you have to do is keep track of time and signal to students when each speed dating round is over. I like to do this with my phone timer and an old-school bell I have in my room. Every round, I ring the bell to signal it's time to transition. The rest of the time, I usually walk around and chat with the students about the books in their hands. It's fun to connect over books we've read and the books they're excited about reading!

7. MATCH STUDENTS WITH THEIR FAVORITE BOOKS.

When the speed dating is done, the real fun begins...you get to play Book Matchmaker and pair students up with their favorite books. Admittedly, this can be complicated when multiple students are interested in the same book, but that's okay! You can hype up the excitement by raffling off your copy/copies of the book. It's ridiculous, but my middle schoolers go wild for this online spinning wheel: https://pickerwheel.com/. While you're raffling off the hot copies of books, you can teach students how to access their favorite books in other ways. Show them how to use the school library, local library, and Overdrive/Libby. If you're an ELA teacher who doesn't use Overdrive yet...RUN - don't walk - to this blog post because it is a game-changer. And it's even better when you get your student digital library cards and show them how to use it, too!

I hope this blog post helps you host a fun book speed dating lesson in your ELA class! If you don't have time to plan a full book speed dating lesson and want one that's ready to go, you can check out my brand new resource HERE. The resource includes the following:

Thorough Teacher Instructions

Student Recording Sheet

Middle School Book Speed Dating Google Slides w/ Digital Menu

High School Book Speed Dating Google Slides w/ Digital Menu

Student Recording Google Form

Middle School Book Recommendations

High School Book Recommendations

Thanks to the digital version, you can even facilitate book speed dating without books. Yes, as weird as that sounds, that's right. The digital versions include links to book samples so students can get to know each title just like they would during the in-person lesson. 🙂 Just add students!

Want more ideas to help students fall in love with reading? You'll love these blog posts:

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How to Host Book Speed Dating in Middle or High School ELA - Write on With Miss G

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How to host a book speed dating lesson in middle or high school ELA. This fun Valentine's Day activity is a twist on book tastings.

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Humans love stories. In fact, our brains are hardwired for storytelling. A good story can trigger the release of oxytocin, create empathy, and even bring our brains together through "speaker-listener neural coupling." Humans also love Fridays, but I don't think I need to link up any studies to prove that. So what's better than storytelling, oxytocin, or Fridays? The combination of all 3...in other words, First Chapter Friday.

First Chapter Friday is the single best thing I have implemented this school year. In a challenging, unprecedented time, First Chapter Friday is my little spark of joy, my end-of-the-week treat, and my chance to bond with my students over our shared love for good stories.

WHAT IS FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY?

If you're wondering what this magical thing is, it's exactly what it sounds like. Every Friday, you read the first chapter of a different high-interest book to your students. That's it! First Chapter Friday is an uncomplicated, freeing, and just plain fun way to promote a love for reading and advertise books in your classroom. It's every English teacher's dream, so if you're searching for something to remind you why you became a teacher in the first place, I am begging you to try it. It's 2020, and we need all the sparks of joy we can get, even it's just 10 precious minutes of reading for the sake of reading.

But it's 2020, and even though you shouldn't need a reason for "reading for the sake of reading," I know the sad reality is that we often do. It can be challenging to set aside time for the things that matter most, like reading aloud to your students. I get it. For 6 years, I never tried First Chapter Friday because I didn't think I had the time. Now, I regret the time I spent doing anything else on a Friday because I know how powerful this would have been for my former students. They deserved First Chapter Friday! But since I can't time travel, the next best thing I can do is spread the #FCF love to you.

10 Reasons to Try First Chapter Friday

Whether you need the encouragement or want some claims on hand if your admin comes knocking on a Friday, here are 10 reasons to try First Chapter Friday:

10 REASONS TO TRY FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY

1. FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY WILL CULTIVATE A LOVE FOR READING

After all, who doesn't appreciate a good read-aloud? Humans love stories! But it's easy to push this natural craving for stories aside when you're busy teaching 50+ standards to 100+ students. And any high school English teacher can tell you that something happens to our students in between their cherished elementary reading years and the time they show up at our classroom door in high school, declaring to "hate reading." I can't pinpoint precisely when this happens, but I suspect I know why. At some point, students see reading as something they're forced to do, not something they genuinely love to do. Read-alouds are replaced with comprehension questions, and choice reading falls to the wayside. Reading for the sake of reading is lost to standards, skills, and data.

Ugh. This is reality, and the pressure on teachers is real. I don't have a perfect solution to this reading problem, but I do have a starting point: First Chapter Friday. During these precious, safe minutes, you can read for the sake of reading and rekindle your students' love for storytelling.

2. FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY WILL BUILD CLASS COMMUNITY AND MAKE READING COOL AGAIN.

Not only will you help students rediscover their love for reading, but you'll be able to make reading cool again. When you feature an engaging book and you have a handful of students begging to check it out, the excitement is contagious! The First Chapter Friday feels are REAL, and reading becomes cool again. Even though you're only reading the first chapter, you'll build class community during these shared reading experiences. Students will be able to discuss the books, make connections, and bond with their peers who read the same books.

First Chapter Friday is every ELA teacher's dream. I challenge you to read a first chapter with a cliffhanger and just watch your students freak out. There's no better feeling than watching your students fight over a good book. JK, I mean, bond over their shared love for a text. But seriously, it's game-changing, and it's super easy. On First Chapter Friday, good books will do your job for you!

3. FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY WILL HELP YOUR STUDENTS ADD TO THEIR "TO-READ" LISTS.

The one question I always ask after each First Chapter Friday is: "Are you interested in reading this book? Why/why not?" (Students actually answer this on these active listening worksheets during the read-aloud). Lately I've heard lots of "I want to read this book but I'm already reading one" or "I have TOO many books I want to read" after our First Chapter Friday reads. These are good problems to have, I always reply!

By featuring high-interest texts during your First Chapter Friday read-alouds, you can almost eliminate the question of "What should I read next?" With a growing list of books to read and new titles to consider every week, students will learn the important skill of self-selecting books they know they will enjoy. This will make your job easier! Instead of trying to suggest books for every single student who needs one, you'll get more bang for your buck by featuring appealing titles every Friday.

4. READING ALOUD IS ONE THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR STUDENTS!

Yes, even for your "big kids!" In fact, they probably need it more because by the time students reach middle or high school, read-alouds are a relic of the past. Even though some might see reading aloud as a waste of time, that couldn't be further from the truth. Reading aloud is one of the single best things you can do for your students, so think of it as an investment of time in your students' futures! As Jim Trelease mentions in his famous Read-Aloud Handbook, "Reading aloud is the catalyst for the child wanting to read on his own, but it also provides a foundation for nurturing the child's listening comprehension" (9).

Trelease also illustrates how read alouds can also strengthen vocabulary skills, build background knowledge, and even improve academic achievement. So whether you're doing First Chapter Friday for the sheer joy of reading or the researched benefits of read-alouds, just know that there is evidence to support your purpose!

5. FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY WILL EXPOSE YOUR STUDENTS TO MORE BOOKS THAN YOUR CURRICULUM CAN.

First Chapter Friday will open your students' eyes to a world of books that they didn't even know existed...even if they are sitting on the shelves of your classroom library. Exposing students to book spines and covers isn't enough; students need to taste-test the books and hear their words come alive! If you feature a different book every Friday, you will have exposed your students to 36 different books by the end of the year! That's 36 new authors, stories, perspectives, connections, and shared reading experiences. And you can make that happen in just 10 minutes a week!

6. FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY WILL HELP YOU GIVE BETTER BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOUR STUDENTS.

When I moved from high school to middle school this year, I was overwhelmed with the task of familiarizing myself with middle grade literature and giving good book recs to my students. Thankfully, First Chapter Friday has made that daunting task easier. I've been able to explore many high-interest titles, even if I don't have time to read more than the first chapter. After a few First Chapter Fridays, it's easy to see what topics, styles, and genres students love. Then, you can cater future First Chapter Friday picks to their interests (and broaden their horizons with new genres and topics).

When a student is ready for a new book, you can use your First Chapter Friday books as a frame of reference. If the student liked a First Chapter Friday text, you can suggest that book, other books by the same author, or more from the same genre. For example, I have a handful of students reading The Hunger Games, and I know they'll be hungry (get it) for more dystopian lit when they finish, so I've featured books like Scythe and Matched.

7. FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY ALLOWS YOU TO FEATURE A MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE RANGE OF AUTHORS & CHARACTERS.

As an English teacher, it's frustrating to feel limited by the class sets of books that are available to you. Even if you can't change your curriculum, First Chapter Friday is one way that you can make sure your students feel seen and heard through literature. By keeping track of your First Chapter Friday titles/authors, you can make sure you are equitable in the books you share.

Representation matters, and First Chapter Friday is a small but powerful starting point when you have little control over the novels you teach. (It's definitely not a substitute for a representative, anti-racist curriculum, but it's one change that you can implement ASAP.)

8. FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY WILL COMPLEMENT YOUR INDEPENDENT READING PROGRAM.

The most important part of an independent reading program is making sure students are reading books they enjoy! First Chapter Friday is the perfect way to get more good books into the hands of your students. I do First Chapter Friday at the beginning of class before I give my students 10 ten minutes of independent reading time. It's always a beautiful thing when I can read the chapter and immediately pass the book along to an interested student. I've learned to round up multiple copies or at least direct students to an ebook or audiobook version of the text so they can jump right into reading the rest of it.

9. FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY IS LOW-PREP AND HIGH-ENGAGEMENT.

All you have to do is select the books and READ (or find an audio version and press play). When I can, I like to read the entire book ahead of time, but that's not necessary. As long as you've read the first chapter and done research to make sure it's appropriate, you don't need to know everything about the book! I like to use Common Sense Media to help me make decisions on what books are appropriate for my students.

First Chapter Friday is inherently engaging, but if you'd like to help your students actively listen, then check out my bundle of graphic organizers. These are designed to allow students to color, doodle, and jot down their thoughts during reading, so that they can stay focused during the read-aloud. Each worksheet contains a variation of the question "Are you interested in reading the book?" so you can keep track of the titles, authors, and genres you students love. The bundle includes 18 different organizers so you can keep things fresh every First Chapter Friday.

10. FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY IS FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO WORK WHENEVER, WHEREVER (IN PERSON OR ONLINE).

While it's fun on a Friday, the concept of reading a first chapter is flexible. It doesn't have to be on a Friday and it doesn't have to be a live read-aloud. Feel free to do it whenever, wherever! I have to admit that it's most magical in person, but it's doable in a hybrid or fully virtual environment. You can simply record yourself reading the first chapter aloud and share the video with your students.

Better yet, you might be able to find a video of the author reading the first chapter aloud. (Click HERE for a video of Jason Reynolds reading aloud the first chapter of his book Ghost). If you can't record or find a reading, you can send students a link to a sample of the book. You can find ebook and audiobook samples on Overdrive. Audio samples are 5 minutes long, but 5 minutes should be enough to generate interest! Ultimately, First Chapter Friday is all about sharing a sneak-peek of books, so feel free to get creative with how you make this happen.

I hope this post inspires you to give First Chapter Friday a try! To check out my collection of active listening worksheets, click HERE. If you love the idea but can't quite commit to it, then check out my blog post on an engaging and even easier alternative: Book Trailer Tuesday. I actually do both in my classroom, so students are exposed to 72 new books by the end of the year! To follow along with all of Book Trailer Tuesday and First Chapter Friday adventures, follow me over on Instagram!

For more blog posts about teaching reading, check out the links below:

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10 Reasons to Try First Chapter Friday - Write on With Miss G

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Humans love stories. In fact, our brains are hardwired for storytelling. A good story can trigger the release of oxytocin, create empathy, and even bring our brains together through "speaker-listener neural coupling." Humans also love Fridays, but I don't think I need to link up any studies to prove that.

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When it comes to reading, just like eating, some kids have pickier palates than others. The perfect way to pique their appetites for a good read is to have a book tasting! It's a great way to let young readers sample different authors, genres, and series.

Very similar to the popular read-dating activity, book tasting gives students the opportunity to sample some juicy reads in a short period of time and come away with a wish list of titles. No more choruses of "I don't have anything to read!"

Your book tasting can be as simple or as fancy as you'd like. It can be set in your school's media center, cafeteria, or in your classroom. The basic setup is this: Students enter a restaurant-like setting. (Include classical music playing in the background, vases of flowers, tablecloths, place mats, and napkins on the tables, if you're going for a fancy atmosphere.) Each table is set with a book at every plate and an extra stack of books in the center. Students take a seat and "sample" the book in front of them.

Students record the title and genre of their book on a note-catcher (see the resources below for free and low-cost ones). After checking out the front and back covers and inside flaps, students spend a few minutes browsing through the book to develop their first impressions. When time (about 3-5 minutes) is up, students write down observations and make note of whether or not they want to add the book to their wish list.

For the next round, students either return their books and choose another one, rotate seats at the same table, or move to a different table. The process repeats as many times as your total allotted time for the activity allows.

Book tastings are a fun, easy way to get kids out of their comfort zones and engaged in new genres, authors, and styles. After all, books are a lot like food-you won't know if you like something until you try it!

To read about how book tastings worked in other teachers' classrooms, check out these blogs:

See how students reacted to the book-tasting experience in videos from Barrow Media Center.

Finally, for free or low-cost book-tasting resources, check out these blogs and TPT stores:
Have you cooked up a book tasting in your classroom? We'd love to hear about it in our WeAreTeachers Chat group on Facebook. WeAreTeachers Chat is a place to post questions, share a laugh or an idea, and connect with new teacher friends. Main image by @monsterwranglermike on Instagram.

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Expand Your Readers' Palates With a Book Tasting

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When it comes to reading, just like eating, some kids have pickier palates than others. The perfect way to pique their appetites for a good read is to have a book tasting! It's a great way to let young readers sample different authors, genres, and series.

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Lesson Activity: Introduction to Create a Book Character Map- Applied Digital Skills

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Watch an instructional video: Introduction to Create a Book Character Map, a free lesson from Applied Digital Skills using Google Drawings.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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I recently posted about book clubs in my classroom and I have gotten tons of questions about how I run them on both of my posts.

I am going to try and answer them all here.

First and foremost, I try to make Book Clubs and simple as humanly possible. I used to be MUCH more involved in the book clubs when I taught fifth grade, but I only had 24 students then, and I had them all day long... and well, they were in fifth grade. I used the book clubs to support them and teach them as readers.

Now that I have progressed to seventh and eighth grade English, my procedures and management have most definitely changed.

I'm going to keep it as real as humanly possible, because when I first started looking into implementing book clubs at this age, I wanted the real truth.

Here is what I have learned and here are the facts.

HOW DO YOU PUT STUDENTS INTO GROUPS?

1. I don't do it by reading levels. GASP. I know, but honestly, I think that totally ruins the whole point of book clubs. I do it by 90% interest. I briefly show students ALL the options, my personal opinion of the book, who tends to like it, it's genre, and subject. Then they can walk around and look at them all. Then they have to give me their top 5 choices for book club books. It used to be 3, but now with so many students, I had to go to top 5, but I also have A LOT more book club choices.

2. I *try* really hard to put them with their friends. 90% of the time this works in my favor because friends have the same interests and hold each other accountable... the other 10% are a complete disaster (but I can usually predict that).

Sometimes I have kids that I know will make a book club difficult no matter which one I put them in. Not being mean, promise. Some kids just struggle with book clubs. I tend to put those 2-3 students in a book club together. Sometimes they set out to prove themselves and they have great success, or it's a complete disaster. I always have at least one group like this, but I would rather it being one group than 3 or 4 that are a total disaster, so I just prepare myself and check in with them A LOT. If one or some end up proving themselves, they go to different groups next round, which is really what I want anyway.

3. After students have given me their top five choices, I get to work making the groups. I almost always can give them one of their top two choices, but sometimes (due to not enough books, too many people in groups, or dynamics) I do have to give them their third, fourth or fifth choice. I also gave my 8th graders priority.

4. Again, I don't pay too much attention to reading levels, but I do pay attention to stamina. If I know a student struggles to finish books, if he/she has Divergent as an option, but also something like A Long Walk to Water (highly engaging, great book, but also short) then I will give them the shorter book, especially for the first time to set them up for success.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY

1. Wait to do book clubs. My mentor teacher told me to wait at least six weeks into school. SHE IS MORE THAN RIGHT. When I was in elementary that was really hard for me to wait that long because I loved them and management was simple. In middle school, sometimes it hasn't been until second semester, simply because I've had to wait until a point I thought they could handle it, and a point where I thought I could manage it.

2. Some kids will NEVER read and will NEVER do their book club work or homework. Or they will pretend and make up the reading and/or homework. I wish I could tell you 100% of my students do their book club homework, but it's just not reality. I REALLY do not want to give them quizzes, or comprehension activities, or just another thing for them to do. So I don't. I want book clubs to be fun, and to provoke conversations, and to give kids common things and interests to talk about. I make the homework something super simple and designed to help guide their discussions and 95% of the students do just that. I work really hard to get the other 5% to appreciate the process and idea as well. Some come around and some never do. I don't give up on them, but just know that it does happen.

3. Sometimes kids pick books they don't like, and want to quit. This is a tough one. If the whole group is on board after the first week, I will allow them to abandon and come to a new agreement for their book. If it's just one student, I try to have a discussion with them and see what's best or them and their group. Sometimes they abandon, move to another group and have to play catch-up. Sometimes they just have to suck it up. Again, it doesn't happen often, but there are always a few.

4. Some people read ahead. Let them. We as a class always make super strict rules about no "SPOILERS." If you read ahead, you need to review where your group is so you don't reveal information later in the book. They also have to make sure they only do their "homework," for that week's reading.

I mean, who doesn't want to read ahead when a book gets good, and 4 weeks is A REALLY LONG TIME for true readers. Often these kids end up in groups together, end up reading the whole book in a week (I usually tell them not to worry about the homework and just have discussions) and they will devour 3-4 books during the span of 4 weeks. UMMMM..... I call that a success. That's the real goal, so I 100% let the book clubs evolve as they need to.

HOW DO YOU GET ALL YOUR BOOKS?

I probably get this question more than anything. Honestly, I buy them all. I have been buying the sets for the last 5 years, but it's more than worth it to me. I built up a really solid collection for grades 4-6, but then switched to 7th and 8th and have started to have to buy other sets to keep up with their interests and needs.

I could sit here and tell you that I scope out the best books and the highest quality of literature, but I have a couple problems with that thinking.

First of all, I'm not sure who get to decide what "quality" literature is, except the reader... so I don't make the decision. Currently my new school has a big focus on "the classics," so we're getting plenty of that. Third, I just buy what I can get sets of.

Any time books go on sale for $1-$3 on Scholastic, I buy 5-6 copies of them. Over time, you have a pretty good collection of book club sets. Now that I have a solid collection, I focus on getting specific genres, interests to meet my current students' wants, higher reading levels, and now I've put more of a focus on getting some good non-fiction sets.

Also, hate to break it to you, but you REALLY have to read the book club books that your students read. I have read 80-90% of my sets, and if a club picks a new book, then I make sure to read as they are reading. It's not always easy, but it's kind of necessary, because kids know when you haven't read the book.

*The exception is when you have a book clubs form naturally and you know the kids are reading (again, this is the real goal go book clubs, and they don't really need you to much anymore). Sometimes groups bring in their own books and do that for the club. 99% of the time, those self-motivated groups, do it all without me and that's the best thing ever!

WHAT RESOURCES DO YOU USE FOR BOOKS CLUBS?

I almost always start our really structured and then lay off a bit, or we continue with a lot of structure as I see fit.

We use A LOT of interactive notebook pages in my class, but we actually just used the traditional roles in this resource. I used these in sixth, but when I got to seventh and eighth, I wanted something that wasn't as structured, but pushed their thinking.

Interactive Literature Circles from Lovin' Lit.

This is the resource I used this year with my seventh and eighth graders. There are some tough pages, but I LOVED it. The kids liked some pages more than others, but I feel like it really made them think, and they actually helped guide and spark their conversations.

There are pages to make for the students and then there are also "role cards" so students know what their jobs are when they meet with their book club!

HOW DO YOU RUN BOOK CLUBS?

Okay, this changes constantly.

When I taught fifth grade, they decided how much they would read each week, they each had to come to the group with three questions to ask, we would meet (me included, to help run the groups and make them think deeply about the books), discuss the books and our questions, and then we would do it all over again.

In seventh and eighth, I have to have more structure, because I can't meet with all my groups every week, simply because of time constraints. Also, they're in seventh and eighth grade, so I would like them to truly be able to read the books they want, have conversations with each other, and see how book clubs really should be.

Something that I learned from Erin Cobb (Lovin Lit') that I loved, was a time frame for the books. She mapped out how long they had to read the books. For seventh and eighth, they had four weeks, and they just did the math themselves. They just divide the book's number of pages by 4 so they could determine how many pages they had to read each week.

I also tell them about this before hand, so students who think they don't "read fast," know what is expected of them.

Then they are responsible for one "job" each week. I usually give them some time of packet that has 4-5 pages of jobs and they have to do one weeks' reading and one page of the packet.

For example: A group is reading, "Al Capone Does My Shirts" and they had to read 60 pages during week one. Student One would be reading those 60 pages and be responsible for the "Discussion Director" for only those 60 pages, and Student Two would read the same 60 pages and be in the "Plot Profiler," for those 60 pages. The next week, they switch jobs for pages 61-120.

Here's a better example of a groups break-down.

Week One: Read pages 1-60
Week Two: Read page 61-118
Week Three: Read pages 119-183
Week Four: 184-237 (finish book)

Week One:
Mariah: Discussion Director
Richie: Plot Profiler
Mackenzie: Illustrator
Nico: Literary Luminary

Week Two:
Mariah: Plot Profiler
Richie: Illustrator
Mackenzie: Literary Luminary
Nico: Discussion Director

Week Three:
Mariah: Literary Luminary
Richie: Discussion Director
Mackenzie: Plot Profiler
Nico: Illustrator

Week Four:
Mariah: Illustrator
Richie: Literary Luminary
Mackenzie: Discussion Director
Nico: Plot Profiler

HOW DO YOU GRADE BOOK CLUBS?

This is such a tough one, because I don't want to make reading something they hate, so I try to make it all about them and making sure they don't let their book club down. By making book clubs a really big deal and really selling the value and purpose of them (to enjoy books, and have conversations about books, with people who have similar interests) they kind of do the whole disappointed in their peers and classmates thing for me.

I do always have a group or a few who band together and act like they don't care that none of them do the work and/or reading, but the rest of the class tends to think they're lame, and don't join in on their bad attitudes. Just keeping it real. It does happen, but when they all come unprepared, I just say, "That's a bummer. Hope you guys do it next week so you can have a book discussion then." Yes, even eighth graders.

BUT, I do assign grades for the work, simply because I'm a realist.

Students are responsible for reading 1/4 of the week and one page of their packet. I make it 25 points each week... for a total of 100 points.

The packet itself gets turned in at the end of the four weeks and becomes another 100 points. That way if they get behind, miss a page, or have a bad week, they have the opportunity to go back and complete the pages and earn a full 100 points on the packet. They only get the 25 points on the day books clubs meet (it's automatically a zero, if they come unprepared, with no room to make it up, but they can and should do the reading and homework page later for when they turn in the packet).

I do this so they complete the reading later and don't get further and further behind, and because I think it shows their peers something if they mess up, but are willing to do the work to be back in the club.

If they come unprepared more than once, they are "kicked out" and have to finish the novel on their own and write an essay. I didn't have a single students miss work more than once because of this.

I just walk around when they meet (all clubs meet on Mondays) and while they're discussion, give them 25 points or a 0.

After they're done meeting, I talk to my zeros and what they need to do for next week.

Thanks for sticking with me friends! Please ask any other questions you may have and I will try to answer below!

MUAH!

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Book Clubs in the Middle School ELA Classroom

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I recently posted about book clubs in my classroom and I have gotten tons of questions about how I run them on both of my posts. I am going to try and answer them all here. First and foremost, I try to make Book Clubs and simple as humanly possible.

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I love First Chapter Friday so much that I decided we needed to inject some book love into another day of the week. After all, it's 2020, and we need every little spark of joy we can get. I was tired of waiting until First Chapter Friday to celebrate books, so Book Trailer Tuesday was born!

It's as simple as it sounds: Show a book trailer and get kids excited about more books. That's it. Book Trailer Tuesday is all about generating more interest in books, exposing students to new titles, genres, and voices, and cultivating a love for reading. In other words, it's every English teacher's dream.
If you're wondering what a book trailer is, you can go to YouTube and pursue that rabbit hole right now...or you can grab my FREE collection of organized Book Trailer Tuesday links for middle and high school below.
Check out your brand new resource, and then head right back here to make plans for your very first #BTT this Tuesday! Let's get started!

Book trailers are the perfect way to hook students on more books and generate reading interest with almost no prep! Here's why you and your students will love them:

1. Book trailers will expose your students to more books.

No offense to your beautiful classroom library, but book trailers will expose students to books in a way that your bookshelves just can't. Your books are no good if they're just sitting there...so bring them to life on the big screen with book trailers! If you show a book trailer every Tuesday, students will have been exposed to 36 new books by the end of the year! Combine Book Trailer Tuesday with First Chapter Friday, and you'll double that impressive number!

2. Showing book trailers will help you get to know your students as readers and give better book recs.

After showing a few book trailers, you will quickly catch on to the genres, plots, authors, and topics students love. The more you learn about your students' reading preferences, the better books you'll be able to feature every Tuesday! You'll also be able to give better book recs to individual students who come to you when they need a new book. The book trailer titles will be fresh in students' minds, and if your students are anything like mine, they'll be much more likely to pick up a book after watching its trailer. I can host book talks all day, but there's nothing better than pressing play and letting the trailers speak for themselves.

3. Book trailers are low-prep but HIGH-impact.

Seriously, Book Trailer Tuesday couldn't be more easy. It's almost too easy when you consider how much reading interest book trailers generate. The only "work" you have to do is find a new book trailer every Tuesday. Better yet, find a good book trailer playlist on YouTube or ask your students for suggestions. Book Trailer Tuesday is a great option if you can't commit to First Chapter Friday. Think of it like a trial run or condensed version of the joy that is First Chapter Friday.

4. Book Trailer Tuesday works well in ANY environment: traditional, hybrid, or virtual.

Whether you're pressing play in a physical classroom or linking a video in a digital classroom, this is an activity that works well in any setting. Students will always get excited when they hear the word "video," no matter where they are!

5. The entire Book Trailer Tuesday process takes less than 3 minutes.

Yep, you read that right. (More on that in the "HOW" section below). We all have 3 minutes...whether that's at the beginning or end of class. And it doesn't even have to be a Tuesday. Book Flix Friday, anyone? Watch it Wednesday? It's easy to fit this in a busy schedule because it does not take much mental effort or time. If you love the idea of First Chapter Friday but don't have the time to devote to it, Book Trailer Tuesday is an easy alternative. And if you're already doing First Chapter Friday (like we are), Book Trailer Tuesday will complement it perfectly. 3 minutes, people! It is quick, easy, and high-impact, so you have nothing to lose!

Are you convinced yet?! If so, here's how to make Book Trailer Tuesday a success in your classroom. Warning: If it sounds too SIMPLE, that's because it is! 🙂

1. Find engaging book trailers on YouTube or grab my FREE curated list HE R E.

There are plenty of book trailers on YouTube! Many are on publishing company channels, others are independently made, and some are even teacher- and student-created. Here are a few good ones that my students have loved. If you'd like a curated list of tried-and-true book trailers for both middle and high school, you can grab a copy of my FREE resource HERE.

Know of a great book trailer? Let me know in the comments!

2. Briefly introduce the book.

This is optional, but 30 seconds of introduction helps! Show students the cover, highlight the author and any of their popular titles, and generate a little pre-viewing interest. You can read parts of the back cover blurb before or after the trailer if you want to hook students even more.

3. Show the trailer.

Most are around a minute long! Remind students that book trailers are like movie trailers; they're designed to hook you and leave you with unanswered questions. Encourage students to think about those questions and make predictions.

4. Quickly chat about the book.

After the book trailer, ask students if they're interested in reading the book. I have my students record their answers so I can keep track of them, but you don't even have to do that. You can poll the class or facilitate a quick discussion. I keep this part quick - a minute or so.

5. Have a copy of the book on hand (or info on where to find one).

If possible, it's great to have a copy of the book so you can lend it out to students. If a title is really popular, I'll take names to draw in a "book lottery." If you don't have a copy, that's fine. Just make sure you give students information on how they can access it. I always check our school's library, as well as our public library's collection of ebooks and audiobooks.

That's it! If you think it's too good to be true, I can assure you that it's just as low-stress and high-engagement as it sounds! If you try this strategy out, I would love to hear how it goes! Tag me in pics on Instagram @writeonwithmissg and feel free to leave comments here. I would love to know what book trailers you use so I can add them to this blog post! Thanks for reading, and enjoy your first-ever Book Trailer Tuesday! 🙂

Need more engaging teaching ideas? Check out the following blog posts:
20 Strategies to Try in 2020 Engaging Vocabulary Strategies How to Plan Creative Lessons 10 Ideas for Planning Engaging Novel Units

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Book Trailer Tuesday: How to hook students on books in 3 minutes! - Write on With Miss G

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Book Trailer Tuesday: How to use book trailers to expose your students to more books, generate reading interest, and grow a love for reading!

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We kicked off our dystopian book clubs this week and the students are pretty excited. This genre of books is my favorite, and the favorites of many students, and yet there are also some who have never experienced it. For the past month, we have been actively searching for the titles we would offer up to kids, needing as many perspectives as we could find, as well as text challenges. One thing we ran into early on was the seemingly lack of inclusive dystopian science fiction, not because it is isn't out there but because on list after list it didn't seem to be highlighted. So this list is our starting point, we will be continuing our curating of finding more inclusive books that are not centered around a white main character. And if you have suggestions, please share them in the comments! (And yes, some of these are borderline dystopian, but we are navigating that with the students).

Humanity has nearly destroyed its world through global warming, but now an even greater evil lurks. The indigenous people of North America are being hunted and harvested for their bone marrow, which carries the key to recovering something the rest of the population has lost: the ability to dream. In this dark world, Frenchie and his companions struggle to survive as they make their way up north to the old lands. For now, survival means staying hidden-but what they don't know is that one of them holds the secret to defeating the marrow thieves.
The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf by Ambelin Kwaymullina
They're known as Firestarters. Boomers. Skychangers. The government calls them Illegals - children with inexplicable abilities - and detains them in menacing facilities so that society is kept out of harm's way. Ashala Wolf and her Tribe of fellow Illegals have taken refuge in the Firstwood, a forest eerily conscious of its inhabitants, where they do their best to survive and where they are free to practice their abilities. But when Ashala is compelled to venture outside her territory, she is betrayed by a friend and captured by an enemy. Injured and vulnerable, with her own Sleepwalker ability blocked, Ashala is forced to succumb to a machine that will pull secrets from her mind. It's only a matter of time before the machine ferrets out the location of the Tribe. Her betrayer, Justin Connor, is ever-present, saving her life when she wishes to die and watching her every move. Will the Tribe survive the interrogation of Ashala Wolf?
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Giver, the 1994 Newbery Medal winner, has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines-puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.

But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win-and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.
Divergent by Veronica Roth
One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior's society is divided into five factions-Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she's determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous.

MiNRS by Kevin Sylvester - 3rd year on this list!

A boy and his friends must find a way to survive in the mining tunnels after their new space colony is attacked in this gritty action-adventure novel, which School Library Journal called "a solid survival story."

In space. Underground. And out of time.

Christopher Nichols and his family live on a new planet, Perses, as colonists of Melming Mining's Great Mission to save the earth. Dozens of families like Christopher's have relocated, too, like his best friend Elena Rosales.

A communications blackout with Earth hits, and all of Perses is on its own for three months. It's okay, though, because the colonists have prepared, stockpiling food and resources to survive. But they never prepared for an attack.

Landers, as the attackers are called, obliterate the colony to steal the metal and raw ore. Now in a race against time, Christopher, along with a small group of survivors, are forced into the maze of mining tunnels. The kids run. They hide. But can they survive?
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life-and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe-a role that neither wants. These teens must master the "art" of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.
Matched by Ally Condie
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.
Legend by Marie Lu
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke, an illegal third child, has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm in this start to the Shadow Children series from Margaret Peterson Haddix.

Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend.

Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside.

Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows - does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner From Amazon:
If you ain't scared, you ain't human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers-boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out-and no one's ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must race to figure out the clues before the lights go out on Ember forever!
Icebreaker by Lian Tanner
Twelve-year-old Petrel is an outcast, living on an ancient icebreaker that has been following the same ocean course for three hundred years. The ship's crew has forgotten its original purpose and has broken into three warring tribes. Everyone has a tribe except Petrel, whose parents were thrown overboard for alleged crimes. She has survived by living in the dark corners of the ship, and speaking to no one except two large rats, Mister Smoke and Mrs. Slink.

When a boy is discovered on a frozen iceberg, the crew is immediately on alert. Petrel hides him on board, hoping he'll be her friend. What she doesn't know is that the ship guards a secret, held down deep in its belly, and the boy has been sent to seek and destroy it.
Imposters by Scott Westerfield
Frey and Rafi are inseparable . . . two edges of the same knife. But Frey's very existence is a secret.

Frey is Rafi's twin sister-and her body double. Their powerful father has many enemies, and the world has grown dangerous as the old order falls apart. So while Rafi was raised to be the perfect daughter, Frey has been taught to kill. Her only purpose is to protect her sister, to sacrifice herself for Rafi if she must.

When her father sends Frey in Rafi's place as collateral in a precarious deal, she becomes the perfect impostor-as poised and charming as her sister. But Col, the son of a rival leader, is getting close enough to spot the killer inside her. As the deal starts to crumble, Frey must decide if she can trust him with the truth . . . and if she can risk becoming her own person.
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer I guess I always felt even if the world came to an end, McDonald's still would be open.
High school sophomore Miranda's disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to Earth, like "one marble hits another." The result is catastrophic. How can her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis are wiping out the coasts, earthquakes are rocking the continents, and volcanic ash is blocking out the sun? As August turns dark and wintery in northeastern Pennsylvania, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.

Told in a year's worth of journal entries, this heart-pounding story chronicles Miranda's struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all-hope-in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world. An extraordinary series debut!
Nyxia by Scott Reintgen
What would you be willing to risk for a lifetime of fortune?

Emmett Atwater isn't just leaving Detroit; he's leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family.

Forever.

Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden-a planet that Babel has kept hidden-where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.

But Babel's ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won't forever compromise what it means to be human.
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
One touch is all it takes. One touch, and Juliette Ferrars can leave a fully grown man gasping for air. One touch, and she can kill.

No one knows why Juliette has such incredible power. It feels like a curse, a burden that one person alone could never bear. But The Reestablishment sees it as a gift, sees her as an opportunity. An opportunity for a deadly weapon.

Juliette has never fought for herself before. But when she's reunited with the one person who ever cared about her, she finds a strength she never knew she had.
The Selection by Kiera Cass
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape a rigid caste system, live in a palace, and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her, and competing for a crown she doesn't want.

Then America meets Prince Maxon-and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
It's graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about-hope for-is whether she'll be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories of The Testing. Armed with his dire warnings ("Cia, trust no one"), she bravely heads off to Tosu City, far away from friends and family, perhaps forever. Danger, romance-and sheer terror-await.
Uglies by Scott Westerfield
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. In just a few weeks she'll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty. And as a pretty, she'll be catapulted into a high-tech paradise where her only job is to have fun.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to become a pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world-and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally's choice will change her world forever.
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
In America after the Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement: The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, a parent may choose to retroactively get rid of a child through a process called "unwinding." Unwinding ensures that the child's life doesn't "technically" end by transplanting all the organs in the child's body to various recipients. Now a common and accepted practice in society, troublesome or unwanted teens are able to easily be unwound.
Want by Cindy Pon
Jason Zhou survives in a divided society where the elite use their wealth to buy longer lives. The rich wear special suits, protecting them from the pollution and viruses that plague the city, while those without suffer illness and early deaths. Frustrated by his city's corruption and still grieving the loss of his mother who died as a result of it, Zhou is determined to change things, no matter the cost.

With the help of his friends, Zhou infiltrates the lives of the wealthy in hopes of destroying the international Jin Corporation from within. Jin Corp not only manufactures the special suits the rich rely on, but they may also be manufacturing the pollution that makes them necessary.

Yet the deeper Zhou delves into this new world of excess and wealth, the more muddled his plans become. And against his better judgment, Zhou finds himself falling for Daiyu, the daughter of Jin Corp's CEO. Can Zhou save his city without compromising who he is, or destroying his own heart?
Warcross by Marie Lu
For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn't just a game-it's a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships-only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she's going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game's creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year's tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika's whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she's only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.
Freakling by Lana Krumwiede
In twelve-year-old Taemon's city, everyone has a power called psi - the ability to move and manipulate objects with their minds. When Taemon loses his psi in a traumatic accident, he must hide his lack of power by any means possible. But a humiliating incident at a sports tournament exposes his disability, and Taemon is exiled to the powerless colony. The "dud farm" is not what Taemon expected, though: people are kind and open, and they actually seem to enjoy using their hands to work and play and even comfort their children. Taemon adjusts to his new life quickly, making friends and finding unconditional acceptance. But gradually he discovers that for all its openness, there are mysteries at the colony, too - dangerous secrets that would give unchecked power to psi wielders if discovered. When Taemon unwittingly leaks one of these secrets, will he have the courage to repair the damage - even if it means returning to the city and facing the very people who exiled him?
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it's not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite, the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orleans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land.

But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie, that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orleans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide: save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles, or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.
Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh
EAST ASIA, 2199. After a great war, the East Pacific is in ruins. In brutal Neo Seoul, where status comes from success in combat, ex-gang member Lee Jaewon is a talented pilot rising in the academy's ranks. Abandoned as a child in the slums of Old Seoul by his rebel father, Jaewon desires only to escape his past.

When Jaewon is recruited into the most lucrative weapons development division in Neo Seoul, he is eager to claim his best shot at military glory. But the mission becomes more complicated when he meets Tera, a test subject in the government's supersoldier project. Tera was trained for one purpose: to pilot one of the lethal God Machines, massive robots for a never-ending war.

With secret orders to report on Tera, Jaewon becomes Tera's partner, earning her reluctant respect. But as respect turns to love, Jaewon begins to question his loyalty to an oppressive regime that creates weapons out of humans. As the project prepares to go public amidst rumors of a rebellion, Jaewon must decide where he stands-as a soldier of the Republic, or a rebel of the people.
Diverse Energies edited by Tobias S. Buckell and Joe Monti
A collection of dystopian short stories featuring diverse main characters and by authors of color. We are using this for short stories and mentor texts.
A more comprehensive list of fantasy and science fiction books that feature protagonists of color can be found here.
Lee and Low also has this post, it is from 2013 though.

Please share more book ideas!

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We kicked off our dystopian book clubs this week and the students are pretty excited. This genre of books is my favorite, and the favorites of many students, and yet there are also some who have never experienced it. For the past month, we have been actively searching for the titles we would offer up...