Books I have read

TEACHING RESOURCES

Comprehension Strategies with worksheets- from

Strategies That Work, Mosaic of Thought, and Reading with Meaning, this page gives
you information on the six comprehension strategies known as making connections,
questioning, visualizing, inferring, determining importance, and synthesizing.
o http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy/comprehension_strategies.html

Edmonton public school teacher resources Has so much

of everything all apply to the curriculum
o http://rds.epsb.net/ht/index.html

FINDING LITERATURE FOR K 12

English Language Arts Authorized Novels and Non-Fiction Annotated ListGrades 4-12 (2005)
o http://www.education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/english/resources/elalist.aspx

The Canadian Childrens BookCentre

o http://www.bookcentre.ca/

CBC Books
o http://www.cbc.ca/books/kids/books.html

Quill and Quire magazine

o Canadian literature
o http://www.quillandquire.com/

Publishers websites

Orca
o Includes leveled reading and rapid reads
o http://www.orcabook.com/

Author websites

Kenneth Oppel- http://www.kennethoppel.ca/indexs.html

CANADIAN PUBLISHERS WEBSITES-CHILDRENS AND YOUNG ADULT

LITERATURE

Annick Press
o http://www.annickpress.com/

Coteau Books
o http://www.coteaubooks.com/

Drawn and Quarterly

o Has texts with a darker subject matter
o http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/

Groundwood
o http://www.groundwoodbooks.com

HarperCollins Canada
o http://www.HarperCollins.ca

Red Deer Press

o http://www.reddeerpress.com/

Tundra Books
o http://www.tundrabooks.com/

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

o http://www.fitzhenry.ca/

The Michael L. Printz Award

o Great contemporary resource for current YA literature
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/printz

TEACHING VISUAL LITERACY

Critical Literacy
o http://www.kidsclick.org/

Visual Messages integrating Imagery into Instruction.

o http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED389662

TEACHERTUBE

http://www.teachertube.com

ReadWriteThink - http://www.readwritethink.org
o Here at ReadWriteThink, our mission is to provide educators, parents, and
afterschool professionals with access to the highest quality practices in
reading and language arts instruction by offering the very best in free
materials.

Basics of Visual Literacy

o http://www.humanities.umd.edu/vislit/basics.php

Visual literacy Toolbox

http://www.humanities.umd.edu/vislit/index.php

Periodic table of visualization methods

http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html

Graphic organizers to help bridge the visual to the

conceptual.
o http://www.writedesignonline.com/organizers/index.html
good for definition of visual literacy etc.

Visual Literacy notes (2005, but excellent for basic steps

and vocabulary
o http://members.shaw.ca/dbrear/visualit.html#anchor1252556

Media Smarts
http://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/media-literacyfundamentals

RANDOM

Best Book Magazine

o Comes out 4 times a year with a list of great Canadian literature

Story online picture books read online with video

o http://www.storylineonline.net/

Stellaluna Board book Aug 1 2007

o by Janell Cannon (Author)

The Silverwing Collection: Silverwing/Sunwing/Firewing Oct 7 2014

o by Kenneth Oppel

Shane Koyczan, "This is my Voice," Words Aloud 2007, Canada

The Book Whisperer, Donalyn Miller

o Reflects on her journey to become a reading teacher and describes how she
inspires and motivates her middle school students to read 40 or more books a
year.
http://bookwhisperer.com/

25 YA NOVELS EVERYONE EVEN ADULTS SHOULD READ (2014)

http://flavorwire.com/434697/25-ya-novels-everyone-even-adults-should-read/viewall

Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling

o We begin with the basics. J.K. Rowlings seven-book epic of The Boy Who Lived combines
unparalleled world building with a simple story about the redemptive power of love and friendship in
the face of evil. Combine that with humor, detail, and a premise that captures every suburban childs

fantasy of finding out theyre special, and its no wonder the wizarding world captured the imagination
of so many in our own, both children and adults.
His Dark Materials trilogy, Philip Pullman
o Philip Pullmans epic trilogy starts as a fantasy world thats almost like our own, but not quite. A ward
of that worlds version of Oxford, Lyra Bellacqua and her shapeshifting spirit companion fall victim to
a ring of child kidnappers, discover a rift in the universe, and begin the storys transition into a
sweeping allegory of none other than The Fall. A fantasy series that tackles religion by adapting Milton
risks being heavy-handed, but the central love story means Pullmans tale packs as much of an
emotional punch as an intellectual one.
Enders Game, Orson Scott Card
o Cards homophobia aside, Enders Game is a touchstone of teen science fiction. Ender Wiggins
universe isnt quite post-apocalyptic, but multiple wars with an alien race have shaken its foundation
enough to prompt the founding of a childrens military academy by a global coalition. Enders tactical
genius prevails, but Enders Game is merely the first book in a deeply philosophical sequence
following Ender into adulthood that includes Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the
Mind.
Enders Shadow, Orson Scott Card
o Published 14 years after Enders Game, Shadow merits separate inclusion on this list as a take on
Enders story from a radically different perspective: that of Bean, his hyper-intelligent best friend from
the military academy. While the first novel is essentially the plot of Game retold from Beans
perspective, the remainder of Beans story remains grounded on Earth where Enders diverges into
space. Books like Shadow of the Hegemon and Shadow Puppets deal with the political machinations of
a future global state, appealing to a more practical-minded reader than Cards other series.
Abhorsen trilogy, Gareth Nix
o Nixs series is the story of the Old Kingdom, a region where technology doesnt work, most magic is
bound up in a Great Charter, and the magic that isnt gets used for necromancy. Its up to the Abhorsen,
with his or her toolkit of seven enchanted bells, to police the divide between life and Death, which in
Nixs universe takes the form of a giant river with seven gates. Though fantasy is as jam-packed a sub
genre as it can get in the world of YA, Nixs trilogy is as original as it is engrossing.
Shades Children, Gareth Nix
o One of Nixs earlier works (and yes, Im totally playing favorites here), Shades Children is the
dystopian story of a world devoid of adults. In the grownups absence, which they may or may not
have caused, the Overlords have taken over, with the help of Creatures assembled from children
brought to the Meat Factory at the age of 14. Resistance is led by Shade, an adult who has survived in
the form of a computerized consciousness. Its pretty bleak, sure, but who said YA couldnt be dark?
Are You There, God? Its Me, Margaret, Judy Blume
o Judy Blume made her name by treating young adulthood with unflinching honesty, long before topics
like menstruation or middle school bullying were considered fit for popular consumption. Are You
There, God? exemplifies Blumes approach, putting the adult in YA with a frank, empathetic story of
a girl dealing with early adolescence. Margaret endures it all: bra shopping, menstruation, the pressure
to conform. Published 44 years ago, Blumes most famous novel endures as a classic even for postsmartphone girls.
The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
o YouTube star and Tumblr darling John Green captured the mainstreams attention with this notorious
tearjerker. Its a love story between two teenage cancer patients, one of whom is an amputee. The
results are predictably tragic, but if youre able to fight your way through the whole thing, youre 300
pages closer to understanding the millions of contemporary preteens who devour Greens work like
candy. The Fault in Our Stars is also the first of two books on this list set to get a film adaptation
starring Shailene Woodley.
The Giver, Lois Lowry
o Lowrys parable on the virtues of choice introduces us to a world where theres no such thing as color
and childrens lives are largely determined for them at the tender age of 11. For Jonas, that means
receiving memories of what life was like before the Sameness from the books title figure. A

haunting exploration of what society stands to lose if it eliminates pain and suffering, The Giver is just
20 years old, but has already worked its way into the pantheon of YA classics.
Divergent, Veronica Roth
o The second book to get the Shailene treatment (you might have seen the trailers while catching up with
this years Oscar hopefuls), Divergent is the latest sci-fi dystopian series to attain massive popularity.
Like a hybrid of The Giver and The Hunger Games, Divergent is about a society where children are
sorted into one of five factions based on their abilities at age 16. Like any good YA protagonist,
Beatrice Prior doesnt fit in. But the series conclusion, and fans reaction to it, is what
sets Divergent apart.
Bartimaeus trilogy, Jonathan Stroud
o Jonathan Stroud figures magic probably wont be as fun as it looks, particularly if it comes in the form
of an entrenched ruling class enslaving a horde of spirits from another dimension. We learn about
Strouds alternate universe, where historical figures like Ptolemy and William Gladstone were actually
powerful summoners, through two protagonists: Nathaniel, a young boy whos gradually corrupted and
becomes a power-hungry magician, and Bartimaeus, a puckish spirit whos witnessed thousands of
years of human history. Eventually, Nathaniel is redeemed, but not before the human-spirit relationship
gets turned entirely on its head.
The Song of the Lioness, Tamora Pierce
o Many a feminist was first indoctrinated by Pierces girl-power tale of a female knight in a medieval
fantasy world thats almost as dominated by men as ours was. Alanna is fierce, intelligent, and
resourceful; in other words, shes everything wed want in a badass female role model. Pierces Circle
of Magic series is also worth reading, but Song of the Lioness is her first and most notable work, set in
the fictional kingdom of Tortall.
The Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins
o If youve been anywhere near a multiplex in the last two years, you know the story of Katniss
Everdeen. But Collins nonetheless deserves credit for the sheer brutality of the series namesake event,
inspired as it may have been by Battle Royale. Whether its interpreted as a metaphor for the
exploitation of the 99 percent or the dangers of a centralized government, The Hunger Games is an
unusually well-executed work of dystopian fiction (and with yet another butt-kicking female
protagonist to boot).
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
o A coming-of-age story set in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, The Perks of Being a Wallflower shows its
protagonist, Charlie, coming into his own through a series of letters. Although theres drug use,
homophobia, and repressed memories of abuse, Perks remains optimistic about Charlies future.
Though he claims to enjoy The Catcher in the Rye when introduced to it by his English teacher-cummentor, Charlies far more tolerable than Holden Caulfield in his exploration of teenage masculinity.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie
o Alexies story of growing up on a reservation takes many of the typical coming-of-age conventions in
YA fiction and transplants them to an all-new location. By delving into alcoholism, poverty, physical
abuse, and other issues rampant in the reservation community, Alexie sheds light on the social
problems afflicting one of Americas most marginalized groups while centering the story around
Arnold Spirit Jr., brought to life by both Alexies prose and illustrator Ellen Forney.
Uglies, Scott Westerfeld
o Beginning with Uglies and continuing with sequels Pretties and Specials, Westerfeld takes the most
universal of all human insecurities and transforms it into the basis for a chilling version of the future.
In a Giver-like decision to deprive the world of individuality, society transforms all 16-year-olds into
brainwashed, ultra-beautiful pretties who live out their youth in hedonistic bliss. Best friends Tally
and Shay buck the system when they run away rather than undergo surgery, and societal upheaval
ensues.
So Yesterday, Scott Westerfeld
o Westerfelds acute brand of social criticism is in particularly high form in So Yesterday, in which he
takes aim at advertising and corporate appropriation of youth culture by setting his story in a universe
barely distinguishable from our own. Like Tally in Uglies, the protagonists worldview is upended by a
new friend who challenges the idea of selling trends to companies desperate to determine whats

cool. Its not quite enough to counteract the flood of marketing Kids These Days constantly
consume, but its a start.
Holes, Louis Sachar
o Before it was a Disney-produced Shia LaBeouf vehicle, Holes was the simple story of Stanley Yelnats,
a kid from a poor family sentenced to dig a hole a day at Camp Green Lake for a crime he didnt
commit. There, Stanley dives into his family history and bonds with his fellow inmates, creating a
story that reaches back across generations to create a fairy tale-like narrative of loss and miraculous
recovery.
Just Listen, Sarah Dessen
o Dessens novel might be easily dismissed by some as teen chick lit, but her work is reminiscent of Judy
Blumes in its willingness to address topics traditionally viewed as not for kids. Protagonist Annabel
Greene deals with sexual assault, a sisters eating disorder, and a domineering mother; her love
interest, Owen, has been through anger management classes. By becoming closer with Owen, Annabel
learns to assert herself, both to her mother and to her peers.
Feed, M.T. Anderson
o In a genre full of dystopian visions of the future, Feeds might be the darkest of all. The government
has been almost entirely replaced by corporations, the environment has been almost completely
devastated, and human communication takes place almost solely via feed, a sort of in-brain social
medium that allows text messages and ads to get beamed straight into our thoughts. Against this
backdrop, teenagers Titus and Violet fall in love. Predictably, it doesnt end well. A sharp cautionary
tale against the dangers of Google Glass.
The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
o The Book Thief is a Holocaust novel with an unusual narrator: Death himself. Its the story of Liesel, a
bookish (obviously) child sent to foster care after her brothers passing. Liesel begins to borrow
books from the well-provisioned home library of the mayors wife and share them with Max, a Jew
living in hiding in her foster parents basement. The film adaptation that premiered in November didnt
get great reviews, but youll almost certainly cry before the end of one of the rare works of fiction to
translate the darker side of World War II for young adults.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Ann Brashares
o A magical pair of pants that fits four completely different bodies holds a group of suburban girls
together as their lives go their separate ways, first during a series of high school summer vacations and
then in college and beyond. Brashares captures adolescent female friendships like no other, twisting
one magical element into a story of unparalleled realism. Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen go through
the full gamut of adolescent crises, but their connection (and magical pants) ultimately prevails.
A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine LEngle
o LEngles deeply strange work of fantasy tells the story of Meg Murry, a 14-year-old girl who saves her
father with the help of her brothers, her high school classmate Calvin, and the Mrs. Ws. But the
deep emotion of Megs journey transcends the sheer weirdness of LEngles invented universe,
explaining how Wrinkle and its sequels have remained unassailable classics for upwards of half a
century.
Monster, Walter Dean Myers
o Written from the perspective of 16-year-old Steve Harmon, Monster narrates a story most readers
hopefully cant relate to: Steves trial for murder following the robbery of a convenience store.
Presented in the style of a screenplay, his story is a coming-of-age set far away from the affluent,
largely white suburbs where most YA novels take place.
Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell
o One of the most recent books on this list, Rainbow Rowells story of a school bus romance follows an
interracial relationship in 1980s Nebraska. Smart, heartfelt, and beautifully written, Eleanor & Park is
a reminder that YA is a constantly evolving genre, and an encouraging reassurance that there are great
books added to its canon every year.