Top Ten Books All Teens Should Read

Sorry that I've been MIA!! I was in Mississippi at my grandmother's house, and I got tired of fighting with 3G to be able to use the internet.  Now I'm chaperoning a week of church camp, so I don't have time for pictures today!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

TOP TEN BOOKS THAT ALL TEENS SHOULD READ!  My big theme here is getting teens to recognize that not everyone is just like them.  Everyone is different, but everyone has problems, and it's important for us to realize that the person sitting next to you on the bus may have a totally different life than you, but they still feel the same emotions: love, anger, fear, resentent, hope, etc.

10.  Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli: Stargirl is a total wacko free spirit, and we could all use a little bit of her in our lives.

9.  In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez: Reading this book really exposed me to just one tiny slice of Latin American history, but it was a good start.  It features love, action, and AWESOME heroines.

8.  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: First of all, this is a really GOOD book.  Second, it illustrates the effects of racism in the US on both whites and blacks. Third, it shows kids that while some adults do things that are wrong, other adults can be trusted.

7.  Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson:  This book really opens your eyes up to the issue of sexual assault and rape.  It makes people (both male and female) consider a tough topic and recognize their role in preventing rape and helping victims recover.

6.  The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros:  This book is short and easy to read, and it has both beautiful and heartbreaking silhouettes of people who could be your neighbors.

5.  Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce:  Alanna really struggles with gender roles and how others perceive her.  Plus the action and fantasy aspect is super cool.

4. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling:  Most of us know what it was like to read this series- remember the excitement, the fear, the heartache, and the desire to read, read, read?  Harry Potter is an excellent way to engage kids in a true story just for the fun of it (Plus, you can tie in the good vs. evil aspect and references to mythology and Latin and the Bible...)

3. Push by Sapphire: This is the book the movie Precious is based on.  Although its fiction, as a teacher it made me realize that I need to look behind the student I see in class and try to imagine their life outside of school.

2.  Divergent by Veronica Roth:  Another book that is SO FUN to read... I love that it features a strong heroine and a choose your own path message.

1.  The Giver by Lois Lowry:  This book allows kids to see what would happen if our government had too much power or if we "elimated" all of the bad things about life.  It also shows that adults can be wrong, and that it's okay for kids to question the way things are.