Diversity of representation is important for a lot of reasons; everyone needs someone they can relate to or that will allow them to learn more about others. As a queer teenager, LGBTQ+ representation is especially important to me. Luckily, if you know where to look in YA lit, you can find characters all over the […]
Category Archives: Top Ten Lists
April
07
Top Ten Picture Books for Secondary Students by Brett Vogelsinger
posted by CBethM
Today’s Top Ten list shies away from graphic novels, as book lists on this topic have already appeared on this blog. Instead, it explores wordless picture books, creativity manuals, engineering or nature explorations, and books that feature primarily photography. I call this shelf in my ninth-grade classroom library “Illustration, Photography, and Design.” 100 Diagrams That […]
March
31
Top 10 Girls of Irrepressible Spunk by Melissa Cairns
posted by CBethM
Over the past few years, it has come to light how few widely acclaimed children’s books have strong, vocal female characters. As cited in a startling video by Rebel Girls about the lack of girl power in kid’s books, only 53 of Time’s best 100 Children’s books of all time have female characters that even […]
March
24
Top Ten Middle Grade Novels in Verse by Kaitlyn Ilinitch
posted by CBethM
I absolutely love novels in verse. I can’t get enough of this genre, and I am always on the lookout for new titles. As a student, I had always been drawn to poetry, but ever since I read Brown Girl Dreaming in 2015, my love for poetry has grown immensely. What is so great about […]
March
17
A Mistake Is Only a Mistake If You Don’t Learn From It, Ten Books to Use with Children in a Restorative Approach by Stacey Sawyer
posted by CBethM
My students strive to follow our school Code of Conduct but even on the best of days mistakes happen and someone is hurt by the actions of another. My goal is always to resolve relationship-damaging incidents and also to prevent them from happening again. I use a restorative approach while working with disciplinary issues. Restorative […]
March
10
Top Ten Books as Additions to Your Ethnic Studies by Valinda Kimmel
posted by CBethM
Those of us from minority backgrounds often fail to see ourselves in our school texts, let alone have opportunities to engage with the kinds of knowledge that meaningful representation makes possible. By that we mean representation that transcends mere depiction to encourage meaningful engagement with and reflection on diverse experiences and ways of knowing. As […]
March
04
Showering Students with Short Texts—Top 10 Poetry Books For Any Day, Not Just a Rainy Day in April by Dionna N. Roberts
posted by CBethM
In honor of February being the shortest month of the year, I would like to dedicate this top ten list to poetry—one of my favorite forms of short text. Short texts are sure to engage and inspire readers of all ages. There’s something about rhythm and rhyme that engages young people and causes them to […]
March
03
Pick Of The Litter-Ten Perfect Picture Book Pooches by Hayley Barrett
posted by CBethM
My husband possesses many sterling qualities—his paella-making proficiency comes to mind—but he’s not the bookish sort. We don’t talk about books. I didn’t expect we ever would. Then something happened. I mentioned I was compiling a list of dog-centered books for The Nerdy Book Club’s blog, and he instantly inquired, “Like Sounder?” I […]
March
02
31 New Picture Book Biographies to Celebrate Women’s History Month by Kate Hannigan
posted by CBethM
Like any great creation, Women’s History Month traces its roots to the tiniest seed of an idea—or in this case, a single date on the calendar: National Woman’s Day. First observed on February 28, 1909, it was organized by the Socialist Party of America to call for equal rights for women on the job and […]
February
24
10 Books for Teaching Empathy with Diverse Authors by Megan Fink Brevard
posted by CBethM
The many pleasures of reading are a joy to those adults and students who find the reading allows you to enjoy losing yourself in a book and finding a window into another person’s life. As a school librarian, I also see the wisdom of using books to teach empathy to children and teens. Reading about […]
