I love watching my new crop of students develop their reading love. While some come to me as voracious readers, others are more hesitant, still searching for that one book that will convince them that maybe reading is not quite as terrible as they thought it was. Whatever the case, there are a few books that have been flying off our shelves since the moment they were book talked. Here they are in no particular order.
MINrS by Kevin Sylvester has been a hit with a broad group of students. This action packed new series is great for the kids that are eagerly awaiting a new series they can become invested in.
We love Raina Telgemeier, who doesn’t? So with her re-imaging of the Babysitters Club a whole new generation of kids are discovering these classic tales from Ann M. Martin.
If you have not added Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan to your library yet, your students are missing out. Both copies have been checked out since the first day of school because of the fantastic storytelling in this book.
The students all know of my deep admiration for the work of Jason Reynolds by now because I cannot stop talking about this book, All American Boys written by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds. This is also a Global Read Aloud contender.
The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black flew off my shelves, so it is no wonder that the sequel to the book The Copper Gauntlet does as well. The series is such a great add to our library.
I am not sure I can write this post without mentioning the amazing Fish In A Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. I am using it as our Global Read Aloud book and the students cannot wait for me to read more. Several have also asked to read it on their own.
There are also some “older” staples that continue to fly off our shelves.
I have watched her every day, picking up a book, reading, kind of, and then at the end of class casually placing it into the return bin of our classroom. Another book abandoned. Another story given up. In the past, I would have grabbed that book and handed it back to her. ” Give it another day or so. This one you’re sticking with.” But not now. Not anymore.
I used to think that when a child abandoned a book, they simple had not given it enough of a chance. That the act of abandonment was a badge of honor; look at how I am not reading! That they abandoned books because it was a way to not read, after all, you cannot read when you do not have a book.
So I helped them by creating rules… You cannot abandon a book until you are 50 pages in. You can only abandon one book, then the next one you have to read. You must tell me when you abandon a book so we can discuss why. The rules were meant to discourage it, to make abandoning a book a hassle, to inspire students to give the book a proper chance. And they kind of followed them, or I thought they did, until I noticed that the students were no longer abandoning books, instead they were fake reading, getting the timing just right of their meticulous page turns, yet their eyes were not on the page. My helpful rules had thus created a bigger problem; children who would rather sit and do nothing but turn a page rather than read a boring book.
Yet, I now know that book abandonment is a sign of a larger problem. That it is not something most students pride themselves on but instead becomes yet another sign that reading is seemingly not for them. That book abandonment becomes proof of their failures as readers. And the students seem to not know what to do about it. So if teaching 7th graders (and 5th graders, and 4th graders) has taught me anything it is that we have to face it head on. So I had to find a new approach, we had to bring book abandonment into the limelight and embrace it for the reading beast it is. Therefore, in our classroom, we…
Share our own abondenments. I celebrate my book abandoning because it tells the students that I am reader who knows herself. That I am tuned in to my own reading needs to find a book that works for me at that moment. And that those needs change depending on what is going on in my life. Students need an abandonment role model so that the stigma can be removed and the conversations can begin. Because that is what we need; more discussion. More reflection. I never tear a book apart, I instead explain why it is not a great fit for me right now, and then offer it up to others. Most of the time someone grabs it and proves me wrong.
Log it. No, not a reading log, I don’t need to know minutes or pages read, but instead a list of books they have finished and books they have abandoned. They have a readers notebook in our classroom that has a section for this so they can easily do it in class. Students need to have a way to examine their own actions, and so the simple sheet with the title on it helps them do just, which leads to the next thing.
Ask why. Assume that all students abandon books, not just the “bad” readers and then ask them why they abandoned that book specifically. Have them examine their own habits so that they can figure out who they are as a reader. My students reflect on their reading habits several times a quarter so that they can see patterns. They look at their list of books they loved and books they didn’t so they can get clues to what they like to read, and then start to pay attention to it. They need to study themselves, and be given the time to do so, so they can learn from this rather than just view it as an inevitable part of their reading habits.
Ask “Now what?” Too often our students expect us to come up with the answer, to hand them the next book. I have learned that while we should support their book browsing, we also need to pull back to let them become “Wild readers” as Donalyn Miller says. Readers who know who they are and what they like. So when a child abandons a book and ask me for another recommendation, I ask them to look at their To-Be-Read list, to think for a moment about what they need right now, what their life looks like, and how much energy they have. They then have to find a stack of books to browse through so they can find their next read. They usually let me know at the end what they pick, not because they have to, but because they want to share their find.
Practice total honesty. I ask my students to be completely honest in their reading habits, whether when we speak or when they reflect, because if they are not I cannot help them. They have to trust me to not punish them or somehow degrade their answers. And I don’t. Total honesty is paramount to how we work in our classroom. And that starts with me; I do not sugarcoat my own habits. If I did not read the night before they know. If I am dragging in a book, they know. And they also know my reading goals because I set them right alongside them.
Ask probing questions. I will ask a child the harder questions, I will ask them if they are just giving up because they are in a pattern of giving up. I will ask them if they think they should try a few more pages or if they have given it careful thought. That does not mean there are rules for when you abandon, but I do want to make sure that the decision to abandon is one that they know should be carefully considered. That yes, sometimes we know after 1 page that we do not want to read a book, and that is perfectly fine, as long as we know why we don’t want to read anymore.
Have an enticing library. Many researchers have solidified the need for incredible classroom libraries, and yes, I know that means that we probably pay for the books out-of-pocket. But it is worth it. Having students be able to immediately try to find another book can be both a blessing and a curse, but in the end, I would rather have a child that is faced with many choices than one who has to wait for a pass or our scheduled time to go to the library to get one.
Creating classrooms where students are passionate about reading, requires many things; a great classroom library, time to read, choice, and also the courage to break some of the rules that surround traditional reading instruction. That includes facing book abandonment head on. What have you tried that has worked?
PS: For ideas on how to get reluctant readers to read, read this.
One of the main texts we use to guide our reading instruction is the amazing Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst. This book provides us with the foundation for having deeper reading conversations and a common language as we develop our thoughts. While the book has excellent text ideas to use as mentor texts, I thought it would be nice for my students to use picture books on the very first day of a new strategy before we delve into the longer text excerpts. I have therefore looked for picture books I could use with the different strategies and will publish posts as I have them for the 6 different strategies since I cannot be the only one looking for ideas.
The first post was on Contrast & Contradictions, then followed Aha Moments, then Tough Questions, and now Words of the Wiser – a great strategy for noticing when life advice is given. I loved revisiting some older picture books but also finding some new favorites to share. Again, there are definite repeats here from the other lists, perhaps at the end, I will compile a list of picture books that can be used to teach more than one signpost.
The aha moment is mixed in with words of the wiser from Emmanuel’s mother and is embedded into the story. This is a good book to use when it may not be as obvious.
I have had a Peter H. Reynolds book on every list so far, I am pretty sure you can teach all 6 signposts using his books. The North Star will always be one of my favorites.
Many of Patricia Polacco’s books can be used for words of the wiser, here I chose Mr. Wayne’s Masterpiece.
Zero by Kathryn Otoshi is a picture book that can be used for many things, teaching words of the wiser is definitely one of them.
When the students wonder when they will finally get tall, this is a great book to pull out You’ll Grow Soon, Alexby Andrea Shavick and Russell Ayto has great wisdom.
Our Gracie Aunt by Jacqueline Woodson is the book I am using with my students to teach the strategy. It is a beautiful story that will start discussion in our classroom for sure. Each Kindness also by Woodson is another amazing example. In fact, many of her books can be used for this strategy.
We seem to be run by the rules of what came before us. We seem to be trying to uphold traditions that were started all in the spirit of becoming better reading teachers. And yet, I think it is time for us to break some rules, to become reading warriors, and to speak up and say no; this is not what reading will look like in our classroom. This is not the reading experience that my students will have, this is not what will make students fall in love with reading. So I present you with some rules that seem to perpetuate much of our reading instruction and encourage you to break them just like I have and so many others before me.
Rule number 1: You must read X number of pages before you abandon a book.
I used to enforce this; give it 30 pages, give it 50, then I read the False Prince and I told them to keep reading to page 88 where it gets so, so so good. But that is not how adult readers read. I sometimes abandon books after a chapter, after a page, after a paragraph. I listen to the voice inside that tells me that there is just something wrong, that this book is slowing down my reading love and that it is not the right fit at this particular moment. In our classroom, we practice free book abandonment, but we also reflect on why we are giving up on a book. It offers students a wonderful chance to learn more about their own reading identity. So when we see a child serial hop from book to book, don’t stop them, instead ask them why. And when they tell you that they don’t like the book, ask them why again.
Rule number 2: You must read a book from every genre.
I used to have students read books from certain genres so that they had been exposed to them all, and yet, most students hated it. So now instead I make sure that our book shopping is varied, that I book talk many genres, and also that they have access to many genres. There is no requirement to read outside of a genre, but only gentle recommendations. We need to celebrate the students that have identified themselves as lovers of a certain genre, after all we do as adults, rather than force them into thinking that somehow they are not true readers because they are not exposing themselves.
Rule number 3: You must fill out a reading log.
My biggest problem (and I have several!) with reading logs is that it inherently shows students that we do no trust them. By asking them to record how much they have read outside of our classrooms, we are telling them that their word is not enough. When we ask parents to sign, our message is even stronger; you may have said this but I only know it is true because your parents agreed to sign this. Is that really what we want to tell our students? And as a parent who has forged her signature on a summer reading challenge, I can tell you, I would do it again if it means that my child does not have to distill her love of reading books into minutes or pages. Her reading love deserved better than that.
Rule number 4: Reading is only something you do with your eyes.
I used to tell students that for a book to count for their book challenge that it had to be read. And reading means they do it with their eyes. Now I know that reading can also be auditory, whether by listening to an audio book or being read aloud to. That students can still experience a deep connection with a text even if their eyes have not processed it, and that audio books level the playing field for so many of our students who feel like they are bad readers. Reading is many things, let’s make sure that in our rush to define it, we do not alienate the students that need alternative methods the most.
Rule number 5: You must only read books at your level.
Levels were never meant to confine or define a child, but instead meant as a tool for a teacher to select text for guided reading instruction. Yet our obsession with placing children in boxes has made levels prevalent in our schools and in the minds of students. If our goal is to create students who identify as readers outside of our classrooms then they need to know themselves as readers. They need to know what they prefer, what they can read, and also what type of book they need at that very moment. That changes based on their life, and not just their growth, just like it does for us adults. Having students select books based on a level robs them of the chance to figure this out, and in turn, counteracts everything we are trying to teach them.
Rule number 6: You are too old to read this book.
If I only read books that fit my age then I would never read a YA or children’s book again, and that goes for our students as well. Reading books that may be too young is a way for students to relax, to build confidence, and to read a book they feel like reading. How often does our helpful rules really just hinder a child from reading?
Rule number 7: You must create something after you finish a book.
When I finish a book, I often hand it to a friend. Sometimes I book talk it to my class, sometimes I write a review, other times I quietly place it in a bin. I do not write a journal entry, I do not create a book report, nor do I make something to show off the theme. When students finish a book they should have an opportunity to discuss the book, to recommend it to a classmate, to share their love of it with the world, if they want. They should not have to choose from a long list of projects to prove that they, indeed, did read it.
Rule number 8: Picture books are for little kids.
Every day, almost, we read a picture book in our classroom. In fact, picture books are serious business here, as I use them to teach students how to infer, how to closely read, how to think deeply about a text and then be able to discuss it with others. We use them as mentor texts as we work on our writing craft. We use them as we build our community. And yes, we use them because picture books make the world a better place and they remind students that reading is meant to be fun and magical. A student told me the other day, “Mrs. Ripp, I am not so sure picture books are for little kids anymore…” And I knew exactly what he meant, because a text that rich should not just be reserved for young kids.
Rule number 9: Graphic novels are not real books.
Graphic novels can be just as complex as the hardest chapter books. In our classroom, graphic novels can be a lifeline; a way to reach the kid that swears they will never love reading, a way to reach a child that cannot get through a chapter book. I have students using graphic novels to find the signposts from Notice and Note at the moment. I have students finally connecting on a deep level with a book that happens to be in the format of a graphic novel. I am so thankful to all of the authors out there creating these magnificent books that prove once again to my students that great books do not just look like one thing.
Rule number 10: You must reward reading.
Reading is it’s own reward to quote the fantastic Teri Lesesne. The minute you attach a reward to reading you have diminished the act of reading itself. Think hard about the stickers, the prizes, the special events based on pages read and instead find a way to celebrate the very act of reading by getting more books, by finding more time to read.
Rule number 11: You must not judge a book by its cover.
I do it all the time. We all do. What we need to teach kids though is that covers are not the only way we should judge a book. That even if a book has a terrible cover, which some amazing books truly do, that they then should move on to checking it in other ways; by reading the back, by skimming a few pages, by asking a friend. For students to see us as reading role models we must not hide the true habits we have but instead celebrate them and share what we do. Students do not need to see how we pretend adults pick books, instead they should see how we really pick books, and that includes judging a book by its cover.
I could have gone on, but these are the rules that stood out to me. I shudder at how many of these I have had in my own classroom and am grateful to the people that have shown me a better way. We can create classrooms where students fall in love with reading, the choice is ours.
On Sunday night, I cried in my airplane seat. I held the book in my hands and cried not because it was sad, but because it was so true. Because the words I had just finished reading made me think about my own privilege, about the conversations Brandon and I will never have to have with our son, Oskar. About the thousands of boys whose everyday life can be changed in a single second. And how I have no idea what to do about it other than continue to ask questions, continue to have the conversations in our classroom, and continue to place books like this in the hands of my students even if they make me feel so incredibly uncomfortable. Because this book should do exactly that. And not only that, it should make us weep at the society that we live in and the ways that we perceive each other. It should make us angry and ashamed.
So today, I handed the book to another teacher and then promptly ordered another copy. I know that for some of my students it is too mature, but for others it will be the book that they pass on from kid to kid. It will be the book that makes them question the society that we live in, and for that I am so grateful. We need books like this. We need to cry in our airplane seats more often at the injustice that we participate in.
I am packing right now, on my way to the Mt. Lebanon school district in Pennsylvania, where I get to have the immense honor of working with their elementary staff for a whole day. My focus for the day is, of course, all about creating passionate learners – everything I have written about in my book, and I cannot wait to see the thinking, discussion, and ideas that will happen. I always get so inspired working with other teachers as well, what a great way to spend a Monday.
In the spirit of learning from others, I thought it would be great to give away a physical copy of my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. I will even sign the winning copy! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment and tell me why you would like to read the book. (Your email does not need to be included as long as you put it in the comment box). I will pull a winner this Friday night, October 9th and will then send you the book.
So what is my book about? Here is the excerpt from the back.
Would you want to be a student in your own classroom? In Passionate Learners: How to Engage and Empower Your Students, author Pernille Ripp challenges both novice and seasoned teachers to create a positive, interactive learning environment where students drive their own academic achievement. You’ll discover how to make fundamental changes to your classroom so learning becomes an exciting challenge rather than a frustrating ordeal. Based on the author’s personal experience of transforming her approach to teaching, this book outlines how to:
• Build a working relationship with your students based on mutual trust, respect, and appreciation.
• Be attentive to your students’ needs and share ownership of the classroom with them.
• Break out of the vicious cycle of punishment and reward to control student behaviour.
• Use innovative and creative lesson plans to get your students to become more engaged and intellectually-invested learners, while still meeting your state standards.
• Limit homework and abandon traditional grading so that your students can make the most of their learning experiences without unnecessary stress.
Pernille Ripp 