English teachers are inevitably the first ones to schedule library time for students to choose their independent novel study.
Some students linger among the stacks, pulling books, browsing recent young adult publications, reading summaries, and chatting with friends about their recent reads. But then, there are other students who reluctantly wander the space gazing at hundreds of book spines not knowing where to start.
The requirement might be a fiction book that is at least 250 pages and that is exactly what they want: a 250-page book. It doesn’t matter what it is about as long as it is the shortest book possible to meet the criterion.
Preferred genre?
Some students don’t know; they haven’t read sufficiently to determine their own likes and dislikes.
Enter the keen librarian and avid reader, who is determined to find everyone a book that they will enjoy.
What I draw their attention to are some of our collection’s contemporary YA where the narrative isn’t as traditional; they are fast-paced and engaging. Think for example, Nicola Yoon’s Everything, Everything; Elizabeth Acevedo’s Clap When You Land; or Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam’s Punch the Air. These are a few among many YA books that engage with a variety of relevant and contemporary social issues that resonate with our youth and have the potential to transform reluctant readers into joyful ones.
Minimum reading isn’t the objective; rather, engagement is and I hope I continue to
experience success in inspiring adolescent readers.
Tracey McKinley
Teacher librarian
Keswick H.S.