More Booktalking April 10, 2007
I’m going booktalking next month to four 8th grade classes and I just realized that I can’t think of many contemporary realistic fiction titles for guys this age that I can booktalk. Maybe No More Dead Dogs and I’m debating whether or not to take Black and White, but that’s about it. All the other guy fiction I’m planning on taking is fantasy or contemporary-but-not-particularly-realistic (like Stormbreaker).
The reading levels of the students range from 3rd to 12th grade (!), and from what I understand, the teachers prefer newer books. So, any suggestions?
You MUST do Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar. It’s wonderful and funny. (ok, that wasn’t an order, just an impassioned suggestion…
Knights of the Hill Country would probably go over quite well, too.
No More Dead Dogs is a great idea. I haven’t read Black & White.
How about Son of the Mob? Also by Gordon Korman, come to think of it…
Okay–a few others:
Al Capone Does my Shirts, by Lisa Choldenko –historical (1930’s), but very realistic and a terrific book
Just about anything by Jack Gantos
Tribute to Another Dead Rock Star, by Randy Powell (though it might be considered too edgy depending on the class/school/community–it’s totally clean but his mom was a rock star who ied of a drug overdose, and there might be some swearing, don’t remember.)
Maybe something by Will Hobbs?
I just thought of a couple. Dead Connection by Charlie Price(mystery) and The Amazing Life of Birds(humor) by Gary Paulsen.
Thanks for the suggestions!