I am Visiting a Middle School. I Have 20 Minutes to Suggest Books for Everyone. Is This List a Good Use of Time?

11/2/2021

I don't visit classrooms as much as I would like. But to day I get to visit two 8th grade ELA classes in which the teacher has created an environment of choice, self-regulation, and project based learning. He asked if I would take a few minutes to suggest a few books.

I decided to introduce 20 authors in 20 minutes. I hope I can do it. I decided to pick 10 males and 10 female authors. I also decided each author had to have at least 3 books (some have many more). I also tried to pick both old and new authors. I also wanted to pick authors that matched the diversity of the students in the school. This includes White, African American, and LatinX students. I also wanted to pick some that might appeal to the reluctant reader as well as a couple that might attract a more experienced reader.

Sure, there are many others that might be included. As soon as I landed on these authors, 20 more came to mind. All in all this is a set of authors that I would hope to see in a classroom library. I would love to chat with students about these authors and their books.

Let's hope it goes well.

1. Gary Paulson

2. Meg Medina

3. Will Hobbs

4. Pam Munoz Ryan

5. Patrick Ness

6. K. A. Holt

7. Jack Gantos

8. Bethany C. Morrow

9. Greg Howard

10. Brittany Morris

11. Kwame Alexander

12. Ryan Graudin

13. Kwame Mbalia

14. Ellen Hopkins

15. Matt de la Pena

16. Maggie Stiefvater

17. Francisco X. Stork

18. Rainbow Rowell

19. Ben Michaelson

20. Sharon G. Flake

Until Next Time.

Dr. Steve Bickmore
Creator and Curator

Dr. Bickmore is a Professor of English Education at UNLV. He is a scholar of Young Adult Literature and past editor of The ALAN Review and a past president of ALAN. He is a available for speaking engagements at schools, conferences, book festivals, and parent organizations. More information can be found on the Contact page and the About page.

Dr. Gretchen Rumohr
Co-Curator

Gretchen Rumohr is a professor of English and writing program administrator at Aquinas College, where she teaches writing and language arts methods. She is also a Co-Director of the UNLV Summit on the Research and Teaching of Young Adult Literature. She lives with her four girls and a five-pound Yorkshire Terrier in west Michigan.

Bickmore's
Co-Edited Books

Meet
Evangile Dufitumukiza!

Evangile is a native of Kigali, Rwanda. He is a college student that Steve meet while working in Rwanda as a missionary. In fact, Evangile was one of the first people who translated his English into Kinyarwanda.

Steve recruited him to help promote Dr. Bickmore's YA Wednesday on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media while Steve is doing his mission work.

He helps Dr. Bickmore promote his academic books and sometimes send out emails in his behalf.

You will notice that while he speaks fluent English, it often does look like an "American" version of English. That is because it isn't. His English is heavily influence by British English and different versions of Eastern and Central African English that is prominent in his home country of Rwanda.

Welcome Evangile into the YA Wednesday community as he learns about Young Adult Literature and all of the wild slang of American English vs the slang and language of the English he has mastered in his beautiful country of Rwanda.

While in Rwanda, Steve has learned that it is a poor English speaker who can only master one dialect and/or set of idioms in this complicated language.

Blogs to Follow

Mr B

11/4/2021 10:38:12 am

Dr Bickmore's presentation was out of this world!
After his presentation, a couple of students, Wow, I actually might read a book!
Some of the students asked me if they could read a certain book. Yes! Don't rely on teachers to tell you which books to read. Read! Have Fun!

Ptat Fleming

11/17/2021 01:44:59 am

I love me some Nightjohn. That's a heck of a list you put together. Missing some Julius Lester, methinks. When Dad Killed Mom is unputdownable.

Sharon McCarthy

3/20/2022 06:50:11 am

Christopher Paul Curtis and S.E. Hinton are the other two authors that are also must reads. The Outsiders and Bud Not Buddy in particular. Looking forward to reading Julius Lester.

Kathleen Decker

9/2/2023 10:30:56 pm

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