How to Select Choice Reading + Our 20 Favorite Classroom Books [S4 E96]

Listen to the full episode below:

Some of the most common questions we get from you are:

What books do you suggest?

What books do your students like?

Which books do you recommend to increase engagement?

Are you sensing a theme here? Basically, it’s multiple versions of, what are your favorite books to use with your students?

Well, you asked and we listened! So today, we have some recommendations of books that have been the most popular in our classrooms. Let’s just say it was a fun list to make!

Most importantly, we want to talk to you about the three things that we keep in mind when curating a list of book choices for a choice reading unit. There really is something to be said about crafting a list of choices that are all linked thematically, and that address a central question.

To review, when we are referring to a literature circle, or choice reading, we're talking about a list of books that we have selected for the students to choose from.

Leading up to students choosing a book, we’ve created an essential question, and then we're going to go do a unit covering that essential question. However, instead of doing a whole class novel, we're doing a bunch of different books, that the students had some varying levels of choice in selecting. Sounds fun, right? It is!

Be sure to check out our book list below! After listening, if you have questions about what steps you need to take next, send us a DM on Instagram @bravenewteaching.

Topics Covered:

  • Our definitions of lit circles and choice reading, plus how it’s difference from independent reading

  • 3 key things that we keep in mind when selecting books for choice reading units

  • Our top book recommendations and reasoning behind our choices

  • Why we close read challenging texts together as a class

Our 20 Favorite Classroom Books:

  1. Columbine by Dave Cullen

  2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky

  3. Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich

  4. A Very Large Expanse of Sea byYes  Tahereh Mafi

  5. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

  6. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

  7. House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

  8. The Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

  9. Unwind by Neal Shusterman

  10. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

  11. Dear Martin by Nic Stone

  12. It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

  13. A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Calletti

  14. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

  15. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne Brown

  16. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

  17. The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

  18.  How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez

  19.  Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena 

  20.  The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Resources

Related Episodes:

More about Brave New Teaching:

Join hosts Amanda Cardenas (Mud & Ink Teaching) and Marie Morris (The Caffeinated Classroom) in discussions about being brave, trying new things, and all things teaching! As seasoned classroom teachers, Amanda and Marie bring their experience, insight, energy, and oh, so many opinions and ideas... It's time for all teachers to take their classroom and teaching practice into their own hands!

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Amanda Cardenas