This episode offers insight into different kinds of series books followed by recommendations of truly memorable series and companion books that will hook teen readers and stand the test of time.
Making Sense of Series Books in Young Adult Literature
Books Worth Owning
In this episode, you'll hear about those qualities along with a wide range of great new titles including adventure books, historical fiction, coming of age books, and story collections.
Celebrating the NCTE African American Read-In
Tune in for recommendations of both old and new titles by distinguished African American authors who write for teens.
Gay and Lesbian Characters in Young Adult Literature
Tune in to hear about the many ways in which contemporary authors are including gay, lesbian, and transgender characters in their novels for teens, and listen for recommendations of new titles on these topics.
Teen Literature and Technology
In this episode, you'll hear about books that "break the rules of writing" by telling stories in the form of emails, blog entries, and instant messages.
An Introduction to Graphic Novels
Tune in to hear some background about graphic novels as well as specific recommendations of fantasy epics, memoirs, biographies, and adventure thriller stories, all presented in the form of a graphic novel.
Nonfiction Books for Teens
In this episode, you'll hear about new nonfiction books that explore the role of women in the NASA space program, the Civil Rights Movement, and the experiences of Arab American youth in the post-9/11 era.
Teens as Writers
In honor of NCTE's National Day on Writing, tune in to hear about the growing number of books featuring teens who write.
New and Noteworthy Books for Teens
Tune in to hear book talks on some of the best titles published in 2009-titles that will keep teens reading once summer is over.
Celebrate National Library Week!
Students learn more about libraries as part of National Library Week.
Today is D.E.A.R. Day!
April 12 is known as D.E.A.R Day! D.E.A.R. stands for "Drop Everything and Read," a national month-long celebration of reading designed to remind folks of all ages to make reading a priority activity in their lives.
Music in Our Schools Month is in March.
Students explore the effects of music on a story by reading a story, novel, or play, viewing the musical version, and comparing the two. Students can then select a text read in class and create a musical adaptation.
Celebrate the 100th day of school!
As a class, students work in small groups to create a "100th Day" book.
César Chávez was born on this day in 1927.
Students work in small groups to research a civil rights leader and do a creative writing piece, followed by a short story, with their group.
Today, the American Library Association announces its annual book award winners.
Students research different awards given by the ALA and do an activity based on one of the awards.
F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, was born in 1896.
After reading The Great Gatsby, students work in pairs, select a chapter from the novel, and rewrite it from the point of view of a different character.
Their Eyes Were Watching God was published in 1937.
Students brainstorm the kinds of stories they know and where these stories come from. Students return to these questions as they begin reading Hurston's novel.
In 1952, Paul Fleischman was born on this day.
Some of Fleishman's memories in his essay "My House of Voices" are shared with the class. Students then write a descriptive essay that gives a tour of the voices in their homes, school, etc.
Telling My Story: Make a Bio-Cube
Let children explore an interesting subject—themselves. An online tool will teach them to summarize and organize information as they write.
Explore Your Reading Self
In this activity teens are encouraged to explore their reading history as they remember books they liked reading as children and then revisit these old favorites.