Back to School Books for All

Libraries and bookstores have been my favorite places since I was young. I love books, and as each school year begins, I look to new discoveries and old favorites for ideas, inspiration and entertainment.

I’ve used a wide variety of titles to start the year off strong. After identifying the books I am going to share, I set aside time for silent reading, literature circles, shared class reading, class book discussions, and creative reading projects. Each title presents its own curriculum connections, but there are a range of other benefits as well:

• They allow students a safe environment to delve into life questions.
• They offer an opportunity to model problem solving or introduce/extend a discussion on social issues.
• They set the tone for extension activities, lessons, and units of study.
• They provide an outlet for escape and contemplation.

What follows are some of the titles on my must read, read again, and share lists.

Indispensable Books for Teachers

While everyone has their favorites, here are a few insightful books about teaching.

• Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire by Rafe Esquith is an uplifting guide to innovation and engagement in the classroom. Award winning and beloved teacher, Rafe Esquith, mixes practical advice, insightful anecdotes, and powerful introspection into the field of education, making this book a page turner and a motivating tool for teachers and parents.

• Quantum Teaching:Orchestrating Student Success by Bobbi Deporter, Mark Reardon, and Sarah Singer-Nourie is broken into easy to digest sections that can help any instructor become a powerful “edutainer.” They explore key elements of curriculum, teaching practice, and environment, presenting effective and efficient ways to get the most out of every moment in the classroom.

• First Days of School: How to Be an Efffective Teacher by Harry Wong is the classic and quintessential guide to stepping into the classroom as an effective educator. The layout allows new and veteran teachers the chance to explore or revisit the topics they need, or are interested in improving. Offered on CD as well, this tome covers all the basics and more with topics ranging from how to introduce yourself to how to manage a classroom.

Primary Back to School Reading List

Here are a few favorites that are bound to pique your students' interest in reading.

• If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff is a fun romp about a student who brings a small and curious new friend to school.

• Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes is a delightful illustration of how even the most loved teacher can become the focus of a student’s fury. The adventure explores students' feelings about school.

• David Goes to School by D. Shannon is a colorful laugh out loud exploration of what not to do in school.

• Miss Nelson is Missing! by Harry Allard is a classic picture book depicting the consequences of taking advantage of your teacher. Miss Nelson’s students quickly learn not to take her for granted after being faced with a less than friendly substitute.

Intermediate Back to School Reading List

Here are some books that will speak to the trials and tribulations of the upper elementary/middle school student.

• Amelia’s Notebook by Marissa Moss is an artistic introduction to the thoughts and feelings of a fifth grader. The series chronicles Amelia’s life and adventures through her journal.

• Diary of A Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney is a fun new take on the dear diary concept. Each book in the series follows Greg Heffley as he navigates through the ups and downs of his middle school experience.
• Wayside School series by Louis Sachar is a fantastic journey through the crazy adventures of an unusual school and its inhabitants.
• Frindle by Andrew Clements is an engaging and light-hearted look at the lengths one fifth grader will go to liven up the school day and push his teacher's buttons.

High School Back to School Reading List

Here are some reading suggestions for high school students.

• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink explores the mystery behind motivation and looks at the applications this can have for the work places of today and tomorrow.

• Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin inspires readers to look at their own lives as they are pulled into the journey of a young woman who loses her memory in an accident.

• My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George has always been my favorite survival tale. My students enjoy making survival guides for junior high and high school after reading how the main character adapted to a new existence in the wild.

• Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton is the inspiration behind the well-known blockbuster. It can be read for entertainment, for its literary devices, and as a unique way to facilitate the creation of fictional summer vacation stories. My students have done storyteller circles and written tales involving unbelievable imaginary summers.  

 

Check out our complete Back to School Guide