From: Lisa Von Drasek <lisav>
Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2006 13:36:27 -0500

There are a few ways to go with this topic. My short answer to teachers is always, subject matter first, reading level second. Often it is non-fiction or what we call information books that are the high-interest material. I encourage teachers to take out stacks of magazines like Kids Discover which don't look "babyish" but have cool content with lots of photographs.
  Graphic format is a win/win situation. The Bone books alone have converted many of a non-reader.
  On the fiction front, last year our 6th, 7th and 8th grade struggling readers had enormous success with the adventure story, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Simple sentence structure, empathetic hero and an easy to follow linear story. It is a big fat book ( comparatively so) with a clean typeface and not-too-long chapters. This would be a terrific book to suggest with additional reading about Greek gods and goddesses and a reading response activity like mapping the hero's journey.
 
  A surprise this year was that 5th and 6th graders really took to Clementine by Sara Pennypacker. The book is illustrated with pen-and-ink drawings (Marla Frazee) and obviously meant for younger children. Both boys and girls identified with her point-of-view and enjoyed her spirited approach to school, friendship and home. Defying all conventional wisdom- younger protagonist, boys won't read about girls, looks like a "baby book" our students, aged 10 and 11 were fighting over copies.
  Lisa
 
 

Lisa Von Drasek Children's Librarian Bank Street College of Education School for Children Pre-K- 8 610 West 112th St NY NY 10025

lisav at bnkst.edu

212 875 4452
Received on Thu 02 Nov 2006 12:36:27 PM CST