Wednesday, August 18, 2010

My Adolescent Lit Course Reading List (F '10)

I'm finally done! The reading list for my adolescent lit course is complete. It was a fun but really tough journey picking from the loooong list of wonderful recently released adolescent lit novels out there to trim it down to the "little" (heehee) reading list you see below. If you're a former student-o-mine...I KNOW, I had FUN revamping the course. If you're one of my students this coming term, prepare to get your minds blown with some awesome stories! Happy reading, all!

Novel #1 = Three very different YA novels based in Hawai'i (Sign up for a group)
Group A: Written in the Sky -- Matthew Kaopio
Group B: The Twins of Kashal: Book One of Ki -- Dakan Allison, Hezar Blue, & Jana Joy
Group C: Healing Water: A Hawaiian Story -- Joyce Moyer Hostetter

Novel #2 = The wonderful world of dystopias (Sign up for a group)
Group A: Hunger Games -- Suzanne Collins
Group B: Gone -- Michael Grant
Group C: Epitah Road -- David Patneaude
Group D: Incarceron -- Catherine Fisher
Group E: The Maze Runner -- James Dashner

Novel #3 = Book Share (Choose one novel from list -- everyone must read a diff. novel)
Dirty Little Secrets -- Cynthia Omololu
Eyes Like Stars: Theatre Illuminata -- Lisa Mantchev
Ophelia -- Lisa M. Klein
The Night Tourist -- Katherine Marsh
Bamboo People -- Mitali Perkins
We Were Here -- Matt de la Pena
The Duff -- Kody Keplinger
Almost Home -- Jessica Blank
If I Stay -- Gayle Foreman
Before I Fall -- Lauren Oliver
Saving Juliet -- Suzanne Selfors
Oh. My Gods -- Tera Lynn Childs
The Everafter -- Amy Huntley
Split -- Swati Avasthi (this author will be a guest interviewee in the course!)
The Sky is Everywhere -- Jandy Nelson
Red Hood's Revenge -- Jim C. Hines
In the Name of God -- Paula Jolin
Halo -- Alexandra Ardonetto
Personal Demons -- Lisa Desrochers
Prophecy of Days: The Daykeeper's Grimoire -- Christy Raedeke
Return the Heart -- T.K. Richardson
*OR you can suggest your own novel published after 2008 -- e.g. Lisa Shroeder and Ellen Hopkins both have great new verse novels (incredibly moving multi-voice stories).

Novel #4 & #5 = Teaching apples with oranges (sign up for one group--read both books)
Group A: When You Reach Me -- Rebecca Stead & Mudville -- Kurtis Scaletta
Group B: Jellicoe Road -- Melina Marchetta & Every Soul a Star -- Wendy Mass
Group C: One Crazy Summer -- Rita Williams Garcia & Will Grayson, Will Grayson -- John Green and David Levithan

*Rubbing hands eagerly*

Can't wait for the students to start the reading extravaganza!

11 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for including Split :-)

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  2. Swati,

    Oh geez, I'm swooning. (= Thank YOU for writing SPLIT!!!

    Can't wait to read your next novel...

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  3. Justine ChristopherAugust 20, 2010 at 7:28 AM

    Great book list! I'm jealous. I'm sooo jealous! Our adolescent lit course didn't have anything written recently and our professor didn't seem to have her finger on the pulse of real and current YA/middle grade literature like you do. To your students who lurk here...you are all SO LUCKY! That is all.
    :)

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  4. I like how you made a category for dystopian this year and a whole bunch more middle grade books. Nice! Great choices too. I never even heard of two of those Hawaii books so thanks for the rec!
    Adding these to the to-read stack now.
    Happy 3-day weekend!

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  5. Oh my! I am so excited to see Prophecy of Days on your list!

    I'm always happy to answer questions, so if your students come up with any, please feel free to email me for answers @ "christy at christyraedeke dot com".

    Cheers!

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  6. Hi Justine,

    Hee. I'll be sure to print out your comment and give it to my students. (=

    How's everything after the move???

    Nina

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  7. Hey Jon,
    I've got a bunch of other MG books I'm putting on an exclusive pile of to-read's -- I'll email you the list later.
    (=
    NN

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  8. Christy,

    I had to pick my jaw up off the ground (I feel like starstruck teens around y'all). You YA authors are just so fabulous! I'll definitely let my students know!

    (=
    Nina

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  9. I am so honored that you included Return the Heart! I, too, would love to answer any questions from your students. http://tkrichardson.com/Contact.html

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  10. Aw, thanks TK! (= I saw RTH going worldwide!!! Congrats! Have a great Q&A session on goodreads.
    (=
    Nina

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  11. Hi Dr. Nina,

    I read Written in the Sky because my husband was reading it for your class. It would work really well for my 2 credit classes on social issues. Is there any curriculum out there to support it, or would the teacher have to create all the materials herself?

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