books – Nouvelle ELA Teaching Resources: Recent Episodes
None
I have to admit…I am biased toward teaching any dystopian unit.
I find any opportunity I can to have students evaluate how a society becomes a dystopia and whether they can break free from one. This analysis builds a bridge of understanding to real-world dystopian examples–past and present.
As a result, I typically have students engage in a summative mock trial where they convince a jury of their peers whether America is a modern-day dystopia. Although America gives its citizens plenty of dystopian evidence to dissect, this essential question can guide students to be critical of any place.
No matter how you decide to end your unit, I have five compelling dystopian literature examples students can analyze for any dystopian unit!
Resources to introduce your dystopian unitTERMINUS - a digital adventure seriesWhat is it? A four-part digital escape room geared towards 8th & 9th grade students who read below level
How would I incorporate it?
The story is a post-pandemic, found-text adventure
After introducing students to a dystopia, have them play Terminus and identify dystopian characteristics as they play
Why would I use this as a resource?
Helps promote executive function
Kids LOVE it (seriously, my students were sad when they finished)
Skills-aligned & no prep for you
Learn more about TerminusDystopias: definitions & characteristics sheetWhat is it?
A list of dystopian-related definitions & characteristics
How would I incorporate it?
Character analysis for a dystopian protagonist
Identify dystopian society traits & type of dystopian control present in short texts & novel(s)
Why would I use this as a resource?
Scaffolds dystopian learning so it is more accessible when reading it in literature
TED Ed - "How to recognize a dystopia"What is it?
A video that breaks down the meaning and history of dystopias
How would I incorporate it?
As an opportunity to practice note-taking
Ask students to make text-to-world connections to potential modern-day dystopias
Why would I use this as a resource?
Provides students with real-life dystopian moments throughout history
Helps students understand that dystopias are not just fictional accounts
UsingVIDEOSas dystopian literature examplesPixar SparkShorts’“Smash and Grab”
Zeynep Tufecki’s TED Talk
“We’re building a dystopia just to make people click on ads”
What is it?
A non-verbal Pixar Short where two robots break free from their chains
How would I incorporate it?
Have students use the dystopian resource above as a checklist to note off what characteristics of society & the protagonist are present
Where would I incorporate it?
This would be the first short text in my dystopian unit to introduce them to the FEEL of a dystopia
Why would I use this resource?
Tangible, short, and simple way to introduce dystopian characteristics
What is it?
A 22-minute long TED Talk on how AI’s, social media, and advertisement schemes are creating a dystopian society
How would I incorporate it?
I would only incorporate this for higher grade levels
There is a lot to digest here for our students
Where would I incorporate it?
At the end to pair with my summative that asks them to make modern-day dystopian connections
Why would I use this resource?
Relevant to today with conversations sparking AI’s, marketing strategies, etc.
UsingSONGSas dystopian literature examplesH.E.R. “I Can’t Breathe”
What is it?
A 2021 music video highlighting the senseless and brutal murders of Black folks due to police brutality
How would I incorporate it?
Depending on the age of your students, I would use the music video as a visual resource for dystopian characteristics
Pair with a credible article on police brutality against BIPOC communities
Where would I incorporate it?
At the end as a resource to explore modern-day dystopias
Why would I use this resource?
A tool to have important conversations regarding police brutality
What is it?
A music video about the state of the world in/around 2010
How would I incorporate it?
Compare the changes that are visibly shown in this music video and “I Can’t Breathe”
Where would I incorporate it?
At the end as a resource to explore modern-day dystopias
Why would I use this resource?
A tool to explore being critical about our society (note: I always tell my students you can [and should] be critical of things that matter to you, including where you live and how it is run)
The Black Eyed Peas “Where is the love?”
Using aSHORT STORYas a dystopian literature exampleWhat is it?
An allegorical, dystopian short story where aliens arrive & readers examine the humans’ responses
How would I incorporate it?
Use it to teach students: allegory, plot identification, literary devices, etc. along with dystopian traits
Where would I incorporate it?
Prior to novel reading but after some scaffolded media literacy analysis of dystopias
Why would I use this resource?
Representation matters
Talking about immigration rights matters
Final thoughtsWhether you are teaching 1984, The Giver, Fahrenheit 451, or The Hunger Games, these dystopian literature examples will spice up ANY dystopian unit you plan.
Your students will experience…
an increase in engagement
a deepening of their dystopian understanding
stronger text-to-world connections
You can also pair any dystopian unit with the real-life utopian research project. This resource is intended to pair with The Giver.
Lastly, if you have the time, pair your dystopian unit with independent reading. Here are 12 dystopian novel recommendations along with these tips for leading dystopian literature circles!
As always, please share your successes, struggles, & suggestions with me. I am all ears!
Happy teaching
New year, new bookshelf goals! A personal goal of mine this school year is to add more diverse genres and, of course, more diverse YA books to my classroom library.
When I conducted a bookshelf audit to find what was missing on my shelves, I realized I was low on YA fantasy books and YA sci-fi books.
After reading Danielle’s post for 12 diverse YA fantasy books and YA sci-fi books, it inspired me to curate a list of seven more to add to my shelves this year.
Diverse YA Fantasy Books & YA Sci-Fi Books1. Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano (MS)If you’re a fan of…
Coco (who isn’t?),
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (or Sabrina the Teenage Witch for us older folks),
or Harry Potter (sans any transphobia, racism, etc.– read more about it here),
…then you will LOVE this YA fantasy book!
Description:Leo’s family are all bakers, and she longs to join them as they make elaborately decorated treats for the annual Dia Los Muertos festival. After being told that she’s “too young” she sneaks out of her house and down to the bakery where she uncovers a shocking secret: her mother and aunts are all brujas.
Now knowing that she comes from a long line of women with magical powers, Leo decides to try her hand at casting spells. What could go wrong?
2. The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix (HS)Wizards, witches, and LGBTQ+ representation? Sign me up! This darker YA fantasy book is on my #TBR (to-be-read) list because so many of my students highly recommended it.
Description from BookShop: Ranka is tired of death. All she wants now is to be left alone, living out her days in Witchik’s wild north with the coven that raised her, attempting to forget the horrors of her past. But when she is named Bloodwinn, the next treaty bride to the human kingdom of Isodal, her coven sends her south with a single directive: kill him. Easy enough, for a blood-witch whose magic compels her to kill.
Except the prince is gentle, kind, and terrified of her. He doesn’t want to marry Ranka; he doesn’t want to be king at all. And it’s his sister–the wickedly smart, infuriatingly beautiful Princess Aramis–who seems to be the real threat.
But when witches start turning up dead, murdered by a mysterious, magical plague, Aramis makes Ranka an offer: help her develop a cure, and in return, she’ll help Ranka learn to contain her deadly magic. As the coup draws nearer and the plague spreads, Ranka is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her power, her past, and who she’s meant to fight for. Soon, she will have to decide between the coven that raised her and the princess who sees beyond the monster they shaped her to be.
But as the bodies pile up, a monster may be exactly what they need.
3. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (MS/HS)I know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but we all do it. When I first saw Legendborn’s cover, I knew I wanted to read it. There’s little I appreciate more in a YA fantasy book than a protagonist who is a woman of color–that’s right, not a one-dimensional, side-character.
The representation alone in a diverse YA book has the power to draw in reluctant readers, especially if they are a person of color themselves. For this reason and the beauty of the book itself, this is a must-add to your classroom library.
Description from BookShop:After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC-Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape–until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts–and fails–to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.
The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.
She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets–and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down–or join the fight.
4. The Sunbearer Trials by Aidan Thomas (MS/HS)If you enjoyed Cemetery Boys (ummm… who didn’t?), then you can’t go wrong trusting another Thomas read. Their protagonist, a trans character, is so beautifully written, and the representation does not stop there. This YA fantasy book would fly off your shelves!
Description from BookShop:As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the chaotic Obsidian gods at bay. Sol selects ten of the most worthy semidioses to compete in the Sunbearer Trials. The winner carries light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol, but the loser has the greatest honor of all–they will be sacrificed to Sol, their body melted down to refuel the Sun Stones, protecting the world for another ten years.
Teo, a seventeen-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of the goddess of birds, isn’t worried about the Trials . . . at least, not for himself. His best friend, Niya is a Gold semidiós and a shoo-in for the Trials, and while he trusts her abilities, the odds of becoming the sacrifice is one-in-ten.
But then, for the first time in over a century, the impossible happens. Sol chooses not one, but two Jade competitors. Teo, and Xio, the thirteen-year-old child of the god of bad luck. Now they must compete in five trials against Gold opponents who are more powerful and better trained. Worst of all, Teo’s annoyingly handsome ex-best friend and famous semidiós Hero, Aurelio is favored to win. Teo is determined to get himself and his friends through the trials unscathed–for fame, glory, and their own survival.
5. A Thousand Steps Into Night by Traci Chee (MS/HS)If you or your students are like me and LOVE everything Studio Ghibli has ever made, Chee’s YA fantasy book will transport you into an enthralling adventure.
Description from BookShop: In the realm of Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side, Miuko is an ordinary girl resigned to a safe, if uneventful, existence as an innkeeper’s daughter.
But when Miuko is cursed and begins to transform into a demon with a deadly touch, she embarks on a quest to reverse the curse and return to her normal life. Aided by a thieving magpie spirit and continuously thwarted by a demon prince, Miuko must outfox tricksters, escape demon hunters, and negotiate with feral gods if she wants to make it home again.
With her transformation comes power and freedom she never even dreamed of, and she’ll have to decide if saving her soul is worth trying to cram herself back into an ordinary life that no longer fits her… and perhaps never did.
This blog uses affiliate links for your convenience.If you decide to purchase any of the YA fantasy books recommended, please consider doing so through our affiliate links (at no additional cost to you).6. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna (HS)This YA fantasy book recommendation comes from @smalltownela!
In this #YAFantasy Deka lives in fear while waiting for her blood ceremony to decide if she will become a full member of her village. But on the day of her ceremony, everything changes because Deka’s blood runs gold. A mysterious woman comes to save her, and she has to leave the life and family she’s always known. Now that she’s started a new life training in the capital everything she thought she knew changes.
Things you can expect while reading this YA fantasy book: World building: Namina Forna does an amazing job taking this world and really bringing it to life without making it feel forced.
Fantasy elements: Everything you love about a good fantasy/magic system is in this book with a unique twist.
Enemies to Lovers: Need I say more?
Strong Female Characters: This whole book is about Deka understanding her true powers and literally saving everyone. THE.BEST.
Tough themes: While this is a fantasy world, Forna doesn’t hesitate to still dive into tough topics and really present them in a way that readers can understand and process.
If you’re looking for a fun, new, and unique YA fantasy book – then please go pick this one up because it is definitely worth it.
7. This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi (HS)Persian representation? Folklore? Romance? Say less. If you prefer YA dystopian genres over a YA fantasy book, read about another novel of hers I recommend on this post.
Description from BookShop: To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.
The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom–and the world.
Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi.
Wrapping UpYou can’t go wrong adding any (or all) of these YA fantasy book titles to your #TBR book stack and/or your classroom library! These inclusive YA fantasy books and YA sci-fi books offer so much representation and wonder for our young readers.
Looking for other diverse titles to add to your library?
Wondering how you can incorporate independent reading in your secondary ELA students?
Planning to GROW your classroom library?
Happy reading!
Looking for the best YA books of 2022? Look no further! These new releases are all great choices for your classroom library.
Are you looking for book recommendations for your classroom library? I polled my Instagram followers and got their picks for the best YA books of 2022. You’ll love the variety of stories.
Best YA Books of 2022 for the Classroom LibraryThe Getaway by Lamar Giles“Welcome to the funnest spot around . . .
Jay is living his best life at Karloff Country, one of the world’s most famous resorts. He’s got his family, his crew, and an incredible after-school job at the property’s main theme park. Life isn’t so great for the rest of the world, but when people come here to vacation, it’s to get away from all that.
As things outside get worse, trouble starts seeping into Karloff. First, Jay’s friend Connie and her family disappear in the middle of the night and no one will talk about it. Then the richest and most powerful families start arriving, only… they aren’t leaving. Unknown to the employees, the resort has been selling shares in an end-of-the-world oasis. The best of the best at the end of days. And in order to deliver the top-notch customer service the wealthy clientele paid for, the employees will be at their total beck and call.
Whether they like it or not.
Yet Karloff Country didn’t count on Jay and his crew–and just how far they’ll go to find out the truth and save themselves. But what’s more dangerous: the monster you know in your home or the unknown nightmare outside the walls?” – Summary from GoodReads
This book recommendation comes from @mrslakemms. She writes, “Lamar Giles’ writing pulled me in immediately: think Disney World meets The Purge, with a social justice flavor throughout. It’s quick, creepy, and a wild ride to the end!
This book is meant for high school for sure. Although upper middle could be ok – wasn’t any language or overt sexuality. Moderate violence.”
Check out our YA Cafe Podcast episode featuring Lamar Giles.
The Silence that Binds Us by Joanna Ho I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book from @epicreads. I’ve long followed Joanna Ho on Instagram and read her other works. This novel isn’t fluffy, feel-good YA, but rather explores generational trauma and pressures that exist alongside systemic racism. The title absolutely fits perfectly – the notion of a binding silence is apt for this exploration of grief.
Check out more books by Asian American authors here.
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir This recommendation comes from @carlykussen
“There is a reason All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir is collecting all kinds of awards right now! It tackles everything from racism to abuse to loss and grief to drug abuse and so much more. Tahir sheds light on the complex lives children of immigrants are sometimes forced to live while making the reader feel every emotion possible. The main/POV characters, Noor and Sal, feel like real people who I couldn’t help but love and root for and also mourn with and for. Five stars! It also has great playlist potential!”
Enjoying these recommendations of the best YA books of 2022?
Join our monthly YA Reads newsletter to receive lists like this
delivered right to your inbox!
The Summer of Bitter & Sweet by Jen Ferguson
Y’all, go read this book right now! It is beautiful AND will make you want to hunt down the best indie ice cream you can find.
“Lou has enough confusion in front of her this summer. She’ll be working in her family’s ice cream shack with her newly ex-boyfriend—whose kisses never made her feel desire, only discomfort—and her former best friend, King, who is back in their Canadian prairie town after disappearing three years ago without a word.
But when she gets a letter from her biological father—a man she hoped would stay behind bars for the rest of his life—Lou immediately knows that she cannot meet him, no matter how much he insists.
While King’s friendship makes Lou feel safer and warmer than she would have thought possible, when her family’s business comes under threat, she soon realizes that she can’t ignore her father forever.” – Summary from GoodReads
I LOVED this book, and I’m so grateful that Heartdrum Books by @harperkids sent me a review copy.
Check out more Indigenous Lit recommendations at this post by @tiplerteaches and this post by @floury_words.
Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott “For fans of Jason Reynolds and Jacqueline Woodson, this middle-grade novel-in-verse follows two boys in 1980s Brooklyn as they become friends for a season.
Punk rock-loving JJ Pankowski can’t seem to fit in at his new school in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, as one of the only white kids. Pie Velez, a math and history geek by day and graffiti artist by night is eager to follow in his idol, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s, footsteps. The boys stumble into an unlikely friendship, swapping notes on their love of music and art, which sees them through a difficult semester at school and at home. But a run-in with the cops threatens to unravel it all.
Moonwalking is a stunning exploration of class, cross-racial friendships, and two boys’ search for belonging in a city as tumultuous and beautiful as their hearts.”
-Summary from GoodReads
This recommendation comes from @taratara44. She writes, “I really liked this: it was a sweet story of friendship and how relationships don’t always end up how you expect, I also liked the theme of the impact of art. I also loved how these two boys who didn’t quite fit in came together.
Content considerations: edited swears, Spanish swears
Final thoughts
Thanks to all my fellow teachers and Bookstagrammers for their contributions! It helped me add to my ever-growing TBR, and I can’t wait to read them all.
Want to find some more great, recent YA titles you can add to your classroom library? Check out these “best of” posts from 2021, and 2020.
What were your favorite YA books of 2022? Comment below or reach out on IG @nouvelle_ELA, I’d love a recommendation from you
Happy reading!
Looking for text recommendations and engaging resources that you can use during Native American Heritage Month (and year round!), look no further! How many Native American/First Nation voices are present in your curriculum or your classroom library? If you aren’t sure, I have a free tool that allows you to see what’s missing, representation-wise, from your classroom library. Indigenous stories aren’t just underrepresented in schools, they are vastly underrepresented in publishing as well. According to data compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, only 1% of children’s books released in 2018 were written about Indigenous characters. That number deteriorated even further when we looked at how many books were written BY Indigenous authors. Even though there are hundreds of nations and tribal affiliations across Turtle Island – with a variety of diverse experiences, customs, and practices […]
From sci-fi to fantasy to historical fiction, this list of short stories has something to interest every reader during Hispanic Heritage Month! Happy Hispanic Heritage month, y’all! I LOVE using short stories to help make a curriculum more diverse! Why? Because I think their length makes short stories uniquely helpful for helping students gain insight into new perspectives. A student could read several short stories in the same time as one novel, and being exposed to those different authors and different POVs helps emphasize the diversity within a culture or nationality. (If you are familiar with the amazing TED Talk “The Danger of A Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie you’ll know exactly the point I am making.) There isn’t one singular Latinx story or one universal Hispanic perspective, but many. But of course, there […]
Teaching classic literature doesn’t have to be boring! These tips, lesson plans, and low-prep resources will help engage every student. Does your required reading have even you yawning? Chances are your students are getting bored too. I’m here to help! Should classic literature still be taught? With only a few exceptions, my answer is yes! Or more accurately, “yes, and…” I absolutely believe classic literature still has a place in the Secondary ELA classroom, and I think we can make it even more impactful to our students by pairing it with other, modern texts. Many teachers are working to diversify their curriculum to include more voices, and it’s been a big focus for me this year. I’ve been working with Dr. Sheila Frye (from Teaching Literacy) on a project called “Rethinking the Classics” to help […]
Reading conferences that encourage independent reading, while still upholding your standards for comprehension. Your students will thank you! Whether you are trying out reading conferences for the first time, or you are looking for ways to make them more effective, I can help! What makes a good reading conference? Obviously, the main goal of a reading conference is to assess the students’ comprehension of their book choice, but I think a successful reading conference should also strengthen your relationship with the student. In order to make effective book recommendations to them in the future, it might help to take notes (or even create a spreadsheet) with little reminders to yourself, such as, “Harrison loves mysteries but hates anything overly violent,” or “Priya gets bored with long series,’ recommend her standalones or duologies.” I have more […]
Whether you’re hosting a lit circle or adding to your classroom library, these novels in verse will be a big hit with your secondary ELA students. I love incorporating verse novels into the classroom! The fact that they have compelling stories, and easy-to-connect with characters makes verse novels an ideal choice for reluctant poetry readers. Students that aren’t typically interested in poetry, but who are interested in the story, can grow to appreciate the writing style. Keeping a few verse novels in your classroom library is also a great way to let students explore poetry in a “no pressure” setting. In this post, I’ll share some novels in verse for middle and high school ELA, plus some extension/enrichment activities that you can use to accompany the books. If you want to pick up any of […]
One tool for promoting diversity in the classroom is using texts by international authors. Here are 5 texts from around the world your students will love! Note: This is a guest post, written by Abena. She’s a writer and educator who focuses on promoting diversity in the classroom. Check out her blog, DiversityInMind, and follow her on Instagram @diversity_in_mind. Now, enjoy her text recommendations! What is Cultural Diversity In the Classroom? When I taught in the UK, texts from other cultures were part of the curriculum. Often, this meant British-Africa, British-Asian, and so on. It felt like minority cultures were only being validated in part because of their relation to ‘Britishness’ rather than their own individual cultural experiences. (I see this reflected in diverse book lists from other places, like the USA, too.) As time […]
Whether you’re planning a lit circle or you need classroom library recs, I’ve got you covered with this list of YA dystopian novels. Last week, I blogged about how to conduct a Dystopian Literature Circle in your classroom, and as promised, here are my recommendations of YA dystopian novels: Note: If you decide to purchase any of these books for your classroom, please consider using my Bookshop affiliate list. Bookshop’s mission is supporting independent bookstores, and as an affiliate, I receive a small percentage that helps with blog upkeep 🙂 Dystopian Novels for Literature Circles and Beyond: The Program by Suzanne Young Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have […]
Want to have a dystopian literature circle in your classroom? Let me plan it for you! This post has book recs and a step-by-step guide. Students love dystopian literature, and there’s an endless amount of quality texts covering different themes. That’s why I love to do dystopian literature circles with my students. This allows us to compare themes across different settings and characters. If you haven’t tried literature circles in high school, I’ll share some tips about getting started with those as well. Introduction to Dystopian Literature Before we ever start literature circles, we come together as a class and create a common understanding of what dystopian literature is. We discuss four types of control present in dystopian novels: Corporate (Minority Report) Bureaucratic (1984) Technological (The Matrix) Ideological/Religious (The Handmaid’s Tale) As we’re discussing these […]
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is part poetry, part memoir, and part ecological treatise. Here are some ideas for teaching Braiding Sweetgrass in excerpts. “Like Creation stories everywhere, cosmologies are a source of identity and orientation to the world. They tell us who we are. We are inevitably shaped by them no matter how distant they may be from our consciousness.” -from Braiding Sweetgrass I’m a high school English teacher. I’ve taught both mythology and American literature and have used Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer as a tool for teaching different concepts in both classes. Before I begin: it is incorrect to call Indigenous stories “mythology” and I acknowledged that in my teaching of the course. We cannot refer to a group of people’s deeply held beliefs as mythology. Hence, I prefer the […]
In this post, I share tips, ideas, & resources for teaching Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes. My students love this book – yours will too 🙂 In Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes, high school narrators explore themes of identity, family, and community at the new Open “Mike” Friday in Mr. Ward’s class. Each chapter includes a prose section that reads like a journal entry and the narrator’s slam poem. In this post, I’ll be sharing some ideas for teaching Bronx Masquerade that helped me and my students. Why do I love Teaching Bronx Masquerade? As I’ve mentioned before on Instagram and the blog, I had a rough first year of teaching. I was working 70 hours a week and wasn’t sure it was a good fit for me. My school was highly segregated because of a […]
I am thrilled to announce that I’ve got a new puzzle book for kids, Perfectly Challenging Brain Games for Kids!: 100 Games, Puzzles, and Other Brain Benders, and you can order it now. What’s special about this puzzle book? This book contains ten types of puzzles, including word searches, crosswords, mazes, rebus puzzles, and futoshiki all written for kids. The puzzles in each chapter get progressively more complex, meaning that kids build their brain game skills as they progress. The most difficult puzzle in each chapter is a special “Brain Bender” for an extra challenge! Brain Games for Kids 8-12 These brain games are perfect for kids ages 8-12! Each page is colorful and bold and all of the instructions are written in kid-friendly language. Even if kids encounter a new type of puzzle, they’ll […]
No matter what you read, there’s something you’ll love on my list of the best books of 2021! YA, middle-grade, and more! If we’re being honest, I really struggled with the motivation for reading during 2020 and into 2021. But these titles – my personal “best books of 2021” – really helped break me out of my reading slump. (Btw, if you’re struggling to find the time or focus to read, that’s okay! Give yourself some grace. I know as teachers we often put pressure on ourselves to feel a certain way about reading, but I release you that! We can still help our students love books and learning, even if we’re taking a break from books <3) So without further delay, I present my nominations for Best Books of 2021! Amari and the Night […]
Incorporate Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer into your American Literature curriculum as an example of Indigenous literature, poetry, and memoir. This book truly “has it all”! Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) Last year, Victoria from @floury_words recommended several Indigenous texts for Secondary ELA. Among them was Braiding Sweetgrass. Here’s what Victoria said: The Earth on Turtle’s Back/ Skywoman Falling from Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) Sadly, American Literature classes are generally lacking in the Indigenous to the Americas department. Semesters may begin with Onondaga myth “The Earth on Turtle’s Back” but they don’t branch into contemporary Indigenous writing. In her beautiful ode to Indigenous knowledge, Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer, an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, uses an adaptation of the Shenandoah and George […]
Here are five short horror stories to share with your students! If you’re looking for some seriously psychological stuff, this is it. These short horror stories for teenagers are fantastic stories in general, and also great model texts for writing horror fiction. Inclusive Short Horror Stories “The Flowers” by Alice Walker (MS/HS) This is a coming-of-age story about a young Black girl named Myop. While picking flowers and blissfully exploring the woods around her home, she uncovers chilling evidence of a lynching. Since this story broaches a heavy topic, I wouldn’t use this short story without being prepared to engage in a larger discussion of racially motivated violence and the history of lynching in America. Summer as a symbol for youthful innocence is a well trod literary path, but this is an especially effective example. […]
Looking for more books with trans characters to add to your classroom library? I have recommendations for middle & high school in this post. YA & MG Books with Trans Characters Including books by Trans authors (and featuring Trans characters) in your classroom library is a great way to make your classroom a safe space for LGBTQ+ students. I have previously shared my tips on making your classroom a safe space for LGBTQ+ students. One EASY action item for both middle and high school is to include novels by Trans authors and books with Trans characters in your classroom library. And YES, you can do this at a middle school level, too. Here are my top ten books by Trans authors (or strongly centering a Trans character) for middle and high school. If […]
Looking for YA & MG books that will grab (and keep) a students attention? In this post I share 12 of my favorite books for reluctant readers. Raise your hand if you have a student that “hates reading” or says “books are boring.” Although it’s hard to comprehend for a bookworm like me, it’s a common sentiment. The good news is that for many kids, they just haven’t found a book that captivates them, has characters that make them feel seen, or is on a subject they’re interested in. I think it’s vital that we meet these students where they are. Don’t make negative comments about their disinterest or make them feel like they need “fixing.” Some kids, no matter how many books you put in front of them, will never love reading, and that’s […]
Are you teaching The Outsiders? Read this post for tips and projects to help students analyze literary themes. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a staple of many ELA curriculums. It has plenty of literary merit, but very little diversity. You can change that! Today I’ll share resources to help with teaching The Outsiders that work for distance, hybrid, or classroom learning. In this post you’ll find resources to help students understand and analyze themes in The Outsiders. Plus ways to bring in some more, diverse voices. You can find many more ideas in our full Rethinking The Outsiders resource. Resources for teaching The Outsiders with increased flexibility and inclusivity Explore the theme of Self-Expression In this TED Talk, Kaustav Dey, marketing lead for Tommy Hilfiger in India, delivers several interesting examples of people […]
Caution: magic inside this post! Find books for Harry Potter fans that capture the fun of the Potterverse and provide a more inclusive cast. I don’t recommend Harry Potter anymore. If you follow my Instagram, you’ve likely seen me talk about this issue before. Frankly, this isn’t an easy post for me to write. It hurts my heart that something I hold so dear has been tarnished by the actions of its creator. I spent hours of my youth writing Harry Potter fanfiction. My beloved pets – a ginger cat and a big black dog – are named Crookshanks and Padfoot. My wife Amanda and I even spent part of our honeymoon at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando. But you know what’s more important to me than Harry Potter? […]
Hey y’all! I’m blogging some big news today: drumroll please I wrote a second book, called The 100 Best Brain Teasers for Kids! My first book, The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids, came out last year. I really appreciated all of your comments, reviews, and shares about it! If you haven’t read it, you can take a peek inside it here. I’m so excited to share that my newest book, The 100 Best Brain Teasers for Kids, is out now and available for purchase! What kind of books do I write? If you’ve read my first puzzle book, you know that I don’t write plain, generic activity books. My books create a wonderfully-illustrated puzzling adventure. My first book had a host of diverse recurring characters bringing you original riddles as […]
Are you teaching The Great Gatsby during distance learning? Here are 4 tips to make your virtual lessons more inclusive and engaging. Are frozen Zoom calls, glitchy eLearning tools, and distant/distracted students wearing you down? This post is for you. I know it’s tough to keep students engaged for a single virtual class period, much less get them to read and analyze an entire novel. But don’t despair! Today I’ll be sharing some resources and activities for teaching The Great Gatsby during distance learning. These ideas include videos, nonfiction articles, games, discussion prompts, and more! I’ve blogged about teaching Gatsby before, but today’s tips are all shared with distance learning in mind. You can find even more ideas for in my full Rethinking the Classics: The Great Gatsby resource. Expand your students’ background knowledge […]
Want a contemporary novel for your curriculum? Need classroom library suggestions? Check out Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo If you love YA books, you’re probably familiar with Elizabeth Acevedo’s work. Her debut novel The Poet X was a breathtakingly beautiful novel-in-verse, and a breakout success. We featured her follow up novel, With the Fire on High, on the YA Cafe Podcast. WtFoH was an unexpected novel-in-prose, but equally wonderful. With Clap When You Land, Acevedo returns to her poetry roots and gives us another novel-in-verse. If you’re looking to add more Latinx voices to your classroom library, any of Acevedo’s books are a great choice. I also have a blog post featuring my favorite YA books by Latinx authors. Today’s post is written by the amazing […]
Are you teaching To Kill a Mockingbird this year? Whether you view it as a treasured classic, or an outdated relic, I have some tips. Today’s blog post will be a little different. I would typically start by sharing ideas for teaching the novel in question. However, I think To Kill a Mockingbird is ready for a curriculum overhaul. It’s a fictional story sharing the trauma of systemic racism through the eyes of a young White girl. Her father, an immortalized literary hero, didn’t even win the case. Why are we still teaching To Kill a Mockingbird? Why are we holding on to this novel? I recommend NOT teaching To Kill a Mockingbird. Not convinced? Let’s talk about it. While I never connected with TKAM, I know many teachers have fond memories of […]
Looking for classroom library ideas? In this post I’ll show you to audit your shelves and find the missing or under-represented voices. Classroom Library Ideas: Finding What’s Missing A diversity and inclusion audit is one tool you can use to analyze your personal and classroom reading choices. It is a data-driven analysis of the representation in the texts you read. These numbers do not represent the end of your work to be a well-rounded reader, but rather a starting place for reflection. Why Audit? Being able to look at your reading choices or the variety of texts you present to your students at a glance helps you understand the voices you learn from and share. In 2019, Dr. Sheila Frye from Teaching Literacy wrote a guest post on my blog about Creating an Inclusive […]
I love novels in verse, and the new book Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam does not disappoint! The mix of art and poetry on the page is a compelling read that finishes quick but lingers in your heart. Punching the Air The story that I thought was my life didn’t start on the day I was born The story that I think will be my life starts today Amal Shahid has always been an artist and a poet. But even in a diverse art school, he’s seen as disruptive and unmotivated by a biased system. Then one fateful night, an altercation in a gentrifying neighborhood escalates into tragedy. “Boys, just being boys” turns out to be true only when those boys are white. Suddenly, at just sixteen years old, […]
Are you going to teach The Giver during distance learning? Great choice! Here’s how to make your novel unit even more inclusive and engaging. Considered by many to be a modern classic, The Giver is a brilliant choice for middle-schoolers who will instantly connect with the 12-year-old protagonist, Jonas. Today I’ll be sharing some resources and tips to teach The Giver during distance learning, and also how to bring some diverse voices to the conversation. The ideas and resources I am sharing today were all hand-picked with distance learning in mind, but you’ll find many more ideas for teaching The Giver in this full Rethinking The Giver resource. Resources and tips to teach The Giver during distance learning: Research real-life utopias Many dystopian settings first appear to be a utopia, so when my 8th […]
Many of you have asked for recommendations for Indigenous texts for Secondary ELA to help enrichen your curriculum. Last year, I shared a guest post from Megan Tipler featuring Indigenous Literature for the classroom library. Today, Victoria, the English teacher/Bookstagrammer behind @floury_words shares some incredible texts to incorporate into your curriculum. If you haven’t checked out Victoria’s Instagram account, be sure to follow her. She shares beautiful photos of books and baked goods that will make your day! Before we jump in, I wanted to get personal and acknowledge two things. First of all, I wanted to acknowledge that I am on Clatsop lands. Over the past couple years, I’ve been working intentionally to increase my self-reflection and future impact on Indigenous peoples. In addition to buying from Indigenous educators, writers, and artists, I am […]
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month, y’all! We celebrate this every year from September 15th to October 15th, and we can bring it to our bookshelves, too. I recommend visiting the National Hispanic Heritage Month website: they have some great resources for teachers. Keep reading for amazing Latinx YA books that you can share with your students to celebrate. While it’s important to celebrate cultural and national heritage during specific festivals or annual events, how inclusive is your classroom library year-round? Books are both windows and mirrors. Can your students see genuine representations of themselves, or “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes”? Don’t feel discouraged if your classroom library or curriculum isn’t inclusive, yet. Your students are lucky because they have you to advocate for them, and to continue pushing for diversity in the materials that […]
When Liliana Cruz gets an opportunity to go to a school in the Boston suburbs, her immigrant mother is thrilled. She knows it’ll give her first-generation American daughter privileges she isn’t getting at her current school. But Liliana faces pressure as one of a few Latinx kids at her school, and when secrets start to emerge, she’ll have to decide what she stands for and lift up her voice. Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer De Leon Fifteen-year-old Liliana is fine, thank you very much. It’s fine that her best friend, Jade, is all caught up in her new boyfriend lately. It’s fine that her inner-city high school is disorganized and underfunded. It’s fine that her father took off again—okay, maybe that isn’t fine, but what is Liliana supposed to do? She’s […]
I recently finished Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron and it got me thinking about using inclusive YA retellings in Secondary ELA. Retellings (or “reimaginings,” as I like to think of them) involve taking any story and giving it a new spin. This provides the reader a novel (hah!) way to connect with the material. We know that retellings stretch as far back as Shakespeare (he based Romeo and Juliet on a poem by Arthur Brooke). So let’s dig in… why are retellings so important to our collective conscience? Cinderella is Dead is set in a Dystopian fantasy future in which the Cinderella story as we know it has been weaponized against women to bring them into submission. Our LGBTQ+ heroine will not be attending the ball, business as usual. It’s 200 years […]
Are you looking to create a more inclusive classroom library? Are you asking yourself, “What should I read next?” We have many lists of inclusive recommendations and today, we’ll focus on books by Arab and Muslim authors. Before I dive into the book recommendations, I wanted to talk about a few terms that sometimes get used interchangeably: Arab, Muslim, Islamic, Middle-Eastern. The most important takeaway here is that no single book will reflect every experience of one of these groups, so please include as many voices as you can. Arab/Arabic: To put it simply, not all Muslims are Arab, and not all Arabs are Muslim. “Arab is an ethno-linguistic category, identifying people who speak the Arabic language as their mother tongue (or, with immigrants, whose parents or grandparents spoke Arabic as their native language)”, (from […]
Hey y’all! Are you looking for diverse texts for secondary ELA? Do you want to grow your classroom library or find suggestions for a lit circle? Look no further!
I’ve written a lot of YA book reviews and created a lot of book “round-up” lists over the years, so I thought it would be helpful to compile my many recommendations here. Each list, unless otherwise specified, features a range of authors and protagonists, including BIPOC, queer, neuro-divergent voices.
And a final word about diversity and inclusion: no “one text” is going to develop your students’ empathy and thirst for justice. Instead, be sure to include a variety of voices throughout your shelves and curriculum, all year long.
Be sure to bookmark this page as the lists will be continually growing
LGBTQ+ Novel Recs LGBTQ+ Books for Middle Grade
Books Featuring LGBTQ+ Protaganists
YA + MG books with Trans characters
Short texts by LGBTQ+ authors
Book Recs from the YA Cafe Podcast Reviews from our first season
Reviews from our second season
Genre Recommendation Lists Inclusive fantasy/sci-fi novels
Mysteries and thillers
YA books about sports
Horror Stories for Teens
Middle grade fantasy novels
Book Recs to Broaden Horizons YA books by Asian American authors
Books for teaching about immigration
YA lit by Indigenous authors and even MORE Indigenous Texts for Secondary ELA
YA/MG books by Latinx authors
Inclusive fairytale retellings
YA/MG books by Muslim & Arab authors
YA novels with a strong female protagonist
Personal narrative examples by Latinx authors
Inclusive Recommendations for ELA Books to help students fall in love with poetry
Professional development books for ELA teachers
Short story anthologies
Inclusive + engaging nonfiction for teens
YA + MG books for “reluctant readers”
Science fiction poems for ELA
15 Songs to use in ELA and 15 MORE songs to use in ELA
TV episodes to use in ELA and the sequel post, even more TV episodes to use in ELA
TED Talks for young writers
Books and nonfiction for a Social Justice Lit Circle
Short Films for ELA
Contemporary short stories for middle school and high school
And last but not least, a list of my favorite YA reads of 2019 and 2020.
What kind of reviews do you want to see from me in the future? What kinds of diverse texts for Secondary ELA do YOU need? Let me know in the comments, or on IG @nouvelle_ela
The post Diverse Texts for Secondary ELA appeared first on Nouvelle ELA Teaching Resources.
As some of you may already know, I’m now officially a published author! My first book, The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids, releases June 9th (pre-order your copy today!). And y’all, I couldn’t be more excited!
What’s inside? You might be thinking, “All puzzle books are kinda the same, right?” Not true! My goal was to create something totally different when I sat down to write The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids. For one, kids of all different cultures and ethnicities will see themselves in the text, and in the whimsical illustrations.
I remember how fun it was for me to see my name in books or on TV, and as a “Danielle,” I got to feel that joy often. So when I was brainstorming The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids, I wanted to create that opportunity for other kids. And of course, it was also very fun to draw on my circle of friends for name inspirations (Hi, Chaimaa and Achraf!).
Unique format boosts reader engagement Another element that sets this book apart from the crowd and makes it more engaging to students is the cast of recurring characters. Like Jacinta, a girl who loves her many pets, or Walter and Tameka, a hilarious brother/sister duo.
I wrote this book with kids ages 9-12 in mind, but it would definitely work for younger kids who need a challenge, or high-schoolers that need to practice logic and problem-solving. Many of you already love my Team Trivia Collaborative Bellringers (free week available here!), and I think that The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids could make a great bellringer, or end-of-week “reward” activity.
More than “just” fun In a collection of almost 200 riddles, I made sure to include many different types. Some are wordplay riddles, based on puns or double meanings. Some are logic-based brain teasers, requiring more lateral thinking. Novel problem solving like this is thought to help improve executive function. This is something I’ve blogged about before, specifically how escape rooms can help boost students executive functioning skills. There are also some math riddles in the book.
In addition to including many different types of riddles, I also included riddles from all around the world. Puzzles like the Chinese Lantern Riddle pictured here are reproduced in countless books, but few take the time to explain the history and cultural significance behind them.
Why pre-order? Finally, on a personal note, I would like to thank each and every one of you reading this. I get so much wonderful feedback from my blog and on my Instagram (@nouvelle_ela) that inspires me to keep creating new resources like this. If you’re interested in a copy of The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids, please pre-order by June 8th.
Pre-orders are vital to an author’s success. Everything from which book stores will stock it, its placement in the store, to how many copies appear on the shelves are determined in large part by its pre-order sales.
Huge thanks to everyone who has pre-ordered so far, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and reading your reviews
The post Getting to Know “The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids” appeared first on Nouvelle ELA Teaching Resources.
Big news! Please help me welcome The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids to the world!
As y’all know, I love puzzles and riddles and I’m thrilled to share them with you in this new way.
This book of almost 200 riddles is beautifully illustrated and geared towards ages 8-12. It’s perfect for your upper-elementary or middle school classrooms and for family fun at home. One of my favorite aspects is the use of recurring characters. Here are Tameka and Walter, a brother and sister we see throughout the book. Tameka is always pulling the wool over Walter’s eyes.
Over the next couple weeks, I’ll be previewing more of the riddles on Instagram. Be sure to follow me @nouvelle_ela to get those sneak peeks.
How exciting! You can pre-order The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids here.
Happy puzzling,
The post A New Riddle Book for Kids appeared first on Nouvelle ELA Teaching Resources.
Looking for a book rec for your sports loving students? I recently read (and loved) After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay. Here’s my review & teaching ideas.
After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay Summary (from Goodreads):Bunny and Nasir have been best friends forever, but when Bunny accepts an athletic scholarship across town, Nasir feels betrayed. While Bunny tries to fit in with his new, privileged peers, Nasir spends more time with his cousin, Wallace, who is being evicted. Nasir can’t help but wonder why the neighborhood is falling over itself to help Bunny when Wallace is in trouble.
When Wallace makes a bet against Bunny, Nasir faces an impossible decision—maybe a dangerous one.
Told from alternating perspectives, After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay is a heart-pounding story about the responsibilities of great talent and the importance of compassion.
What I Loved Last year, we had the pleasure of reading Patron Saints of Nothing for the YA Cafe Podcast and it was one of our 2019 favorites. I picked up a copy of After the Shot Drops (2018), knowing it would be awesome, too. It didn’t disappoint.
The perfect alternating perspectives book makes you root for both characters and understand their perspectives. Because Nasir and Bunny spend most of this book at odds, the reader develops strong empathy for opposing views. That is an epic accomplishment!
As a person who knows next-to-nothing about basketball, I had to Google terms like “double double”. I love when a book makes me do this for two reasons. First, it helps expand my knowledge and horizons. Second, I can tell that it’s written for those kids in my class who love basketball. They can truly immerse themselves in the narrative voices, because of course these narrators will use jargon.
I also noticed that Ribay built characterization through Bunny’s playing style. That is incredible.
Check out more recommendations
of YA books about sports!
I also loved the supporting cast in this novel. Both kids have families who support them in very different ways, and both feel strong obligations to their families. This is such a good reminder of the weight our students shoulder. Additionally, there is this rug-pulling moment with a girl from Bunny’s new private school that really impressed me. I thought things were going one way (and so did Bunny!), and bam. Wrong. People are complex. Great job, Randy Ribay.
Nonfiction & Research This book presents some topics near-and-dear to Bunny and Nasir that students can investigate. These could be used for writing research papers, argumentative essays, classroom discussions, group-brainstorming, etc. I have some suggested activities under each topic
Payment of college athletes The NCAA has been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism for refusing to permit college athletes to be paid. This refusal comes despite the NCAA making billions off March Madness TV rights alone. In October 2019 the NCAA announced plans to allow college athletes to receive compensation for the use of their names and likeness. While they have yet to announce a timeline or provide details on their plan, this is a huge step. This change was prompted by a recent California law that has started a trend among other states with a big college athletic presence. Athletes will still not receive “pay-for-play”, but many believe this deal is “a step in the right direction”.
Activity: Should student athletes be paid? Have students work in groups (some groups pro/some con) to find articles that support their opinion.
Budget issues Not paying athletes isn’t the only controversy surrounding college sports programs. Many departments are spending more money than they take in. In a Washington Post article athletic directors defend this, saying “Their programs benefit universities in ways that don’t show on athletics financial statements… like media exposure that can cause increased applicants and help fundraising.” Critics say that “the persistent inability of programs to profit despite continually rising income is evidence of systemic, wasteful spending.”
Men’s college basketball coaches earn up to 9 million dollars per year. In some states college coaches are the highest paid public employees, earning far more than their academic colleagues. The pay gap between coaches and teachers also exists in grade school.
Activity: Should there be a cap on coaches’ salaries for public universities? Ask students to write a paragraph on why/why not.
Age requirements Currently the NBA requires that potential draft picks be at least 19 years of age and have completed at least one year of college. But this wasn’t always the case. Prior to 2005 players were eligible to enter the NBA after high school. In fact, when basketball legend Kobe Bryant went to play for the LA Lakers his parents had to cosign on his draft papers since he was only 17.
Activity: The NBA is considering lowering the draft age from 19 to 18. Would this be a good or bad thing? Have students write an argumentative essay on whether they agree with this decision.
Lack of equity in women’s sports Criticisms of adequate compensations for athletes don’t always stop when a student reaches the professional level. Women, even those at the top of their game, are often significantly underpaid compared to their male counterparts. This TeenVogue article is an extensive look at the pay disparity is many sports from soccer, tennis, hockey, and even cheerleading. Did you know that professional NFL cheerleaders are barely making minimum wage?
Activity: Ask students what steps they would take to ensure that female athletes are being treated as equals.
Sign up for our YA Reads Newsletter
for more great recommendations
delivered to your inbox!
Writing & Talking about Writing Randy Ribay is an excellent writer, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity for mentor sentences from this book. Here’s one I love:
“So I let the silence build until it’s like a third person walking between us.”
Isn’t this a beautiful simile? Here’s a metaphor:
“If this school were a kid, it’d be one of those kids so spoiled you want to punch him in the face to toughen him up a little bit.”
Both sentences use figurative language to reveal elements of Nasir’s character. You could use these to inspire students to write their own similes and metaphors… for example, even though Bunny isn’t prone to metaphor in this novel, what would he observe if he were? Or, perhaps students could write from a non-perspective character. What metaphors and similes would Wallace or Keyona create about their worlds? This gives students a great opportunity for Creative Reading.
You could also use this book as a mentor text for creating stakes. Nasir observes:
“Why does one person’s win always mean another person’s loss?”
Ribay does an excellent job of creating high stakes in this novel. In the very first scene, the boys attend a vigil for a kid from their neighborhood caught in a crossfire. We know that they live in a neighborhood where danger is a reality. As soon as Wallace gets into betting, we understand that the stakes are high.
This book is also a good opportunity to have students put themselves in the characters’ shoes. If they were Bunny, would they have told Nasir they were transferring? If they were Nasir, would they have taken Bunny’s phone?
Are you enjoying our recommendations of YA books about sports? Check out the YA Cafe Podcast archive on Radio Public. Final Thoughts: I strongly recommend After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay. Be sure to grab this freebie for your students to use with independent reading.
I got this book for free from @HMHTeen in exchange for an honest review. Here’s more information about how you can get free books for your classroom library.
Happy reading!
The post Book Review: After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay appeared first on Nouvelle ELA Teaching Resources.