I've done searches for this, but I haven't quite found what I'm looking for. So, I thought I would ask. I'm going to be teaching at an inner city high school this year and they want me to teach a young adult literature as an elective class. I've been told I can choose a few different books and they'll get me class sets. I want something fairly new, but it can't be Hunger Games since another teacher is teaching that. If you could teach any young adult lit book, what would it be and why?
First off, what a cool class to get to teach. Second, sucks that you didn't get Hunger Games before she did! Boo! A really good series that I recently read (some young adult lit is really good!) is the first too books in the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver. The first book is called Delirium and the second book is called Pandemonium. REALLY good. The third hasn't come out yet! Are Twilight and Harry Potter too old? Haha, or do teenagers not want to admit they might actually like these?
Divergent by Veronica Roth is quite similar to Hunger Games (dystopian fiction). It's a trilogy as well, but the third book is not out yet.
Wonder by RJ Palacio and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green are two great books I've read recently with my daughter.
I taught Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson for a few years and my old job and I always loved it and the kids did too. I pinned this the other day - some good choices for boys here. http://www.readkiddoread.com/uploads/ihatedtoreadtilireadthisbooksforboys.php I also pinned this - what to read next after Hunger Games. Since you can't do that one, you can still do something in that genre. I would LOVE to teach a class like this. http://2busybrunettes.com/2012/03/23/25-series-to-read-if-you-love-the-hunger-games/
I read the Life as We Knew It trilogy early this past school year and really enjoyed it. If I was still teaching Grade 7 and 8, I would use the first book.
I am once again going to shill for The Knife of Never Letting Go. It's the first in the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness. It is awesome. The next two aren't as good as the first one but the trilogy over all is pretty good. Plus, the main character is a boy and it's really about colonization and slavery which may appeal to your kids.
Anything by Sharon Draper or Walter Dean Myers (sp?). I taught both to inner city kids with great results. Ellen Hopkins was much loved by my girls last year. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian was also a favorite with the guys.
Thank you all for your wonderful ideas. I've got a date with the bookstore and will be getting the ones you all suggested that I can find. I'm really looking forward to teaching the class, it really is my dream class. I think I'm just a little overwhelmed with all the power I suddenly have to create it the way I want to.
