> One More Stamp: Top Ten Books the Kids in My Book Club Would Not Shut Up About

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Top Ten Books the Kids in My Book Club Would Not Shut Up About

Top Ten Tuesday is a brilliant meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
Ah, Middle Schoolers.  I run a weekly book club for middle schoolers.  They come to me instead of going to lunch.  The commitment is strong with these kids.  I have never had as much fun in my life as watching 12 year old swoon over books.  You know how people are constantly moaning about the state of children and the future.  Let me tell you that we are in good hands my friends.  
Because I teach in an international school in China almost all of my students are bilingual and many are trilingual or more.  They have come up with the idea of reading the same book in two different languages and then comparing the reading experiences.  I cannot even explain how much I love this idea.  #TheseKidsAreAmazing
One thing that I find particularly interesting is the amount of older books that the kids read.  Sometimes the covers are fresh and they don't even know.  This week alone I have seen someone reading Tigereyes,  We were talking about realistic fiction the other day and all of them told me that they are sick to death of MG books about bullying.  
But they do get fixated.  There were more than a few books that got brought up (by the same kids mind you) over and over and over again.  Seriously, it was like Groundhog day.  Here are the books that they wouldn't shut up about. 
Every Soul a Star
by Wendy Mass
Goodreads Amazon
I finally had to read it to see if it lived up to the book club hype.  It pretty much did.  It is a story about an eclipse and three middle school children whose lives are changing.  Adorable and uplifting. See my full review here.
The Maze Runner
James Dashner

Goodreads Amazon
This book was so popular with the students that the Design teacher made a whole unit about it.  Basically, all the kids are making digital 3D mazes.  That they will be able to  use VR goggles to navigate.  I know. I want to make one too.  

Divergent Series
by Veronica Roth
GoodreadsAmazon

It is interesting that this is the series that caught their interest.  They aren't anti Hunger Hunger Games by any means but this is the series that they want to talk about.  I actually like the writing in this series much more.
Harry Potter Series 
by J.K Rowling
GoodreadsAmazon

Harry is in no danger of being abandoned any time soon.  They once spent an entire hour sorting themselves into houses. Of course it made this list.  At least one of the Harry Potter books is an answer to any Top Ten Tuesday.  By the way has anyone read the illustrated versions?  I have the first one and it was gorgeous.  Almost like getting to read the book for the first time again.


Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater
Goodreads Amazon

I have to approve this addition to the list as I am a fan of all things Maggie Stiefvater.  I am rereading it at the moment because it was such a perfect Halloween book.  Atmospheric and with incredible creepy horses.  I love this author with all of my heart.

The Book Thief
By Markus Zusak
GoodreadsAmazon

This book gets brought up and all the kids chime in with variations of, "Yes". So do I.  This book is amazing.  Death is the narrator and it is set in Germany during WWII.  Some of the phrases in the book are almost poetry. Just Beautiful.  Just be prepared to cry all the tears.

Once
By Morris Gleitzman
GoodreadsAmazon

I feel as if the main characters total denial of what is happening to him even as his life before more and more dangerous is a valid response to being swept up in the Holocaust.  



I, Funny
By James Patterson
GoodreadsAmazon

Middle School boys.  What else can I say?  I could do with not hearing about this book for a week.


Stay Where you are and then Leave
By John Boyne
GoodreadsAmazon

This books get extra points for the title.  I love it.  This is by the same author as The Boy with the Striped Pajamas.  This book is about WWI and a boy being left behind by his father.  It wasn't terrible but wasn't my favorite book either.

Awkward
by Svetlana Chmakova 
GoodreadsAmazon

A Graphic novel about the art of getting through middle school and figuring out how to fit in.  This is also a story about a girl who is new to school which is something that these international school kids know all about.  Much identification with the characters.

So there is my list for all of you who want your books #MiddleSchoolerApproved.  
What do you mean that that isn't something that is in demand? *sigh

What kinds of books do you remember reading in middle school?

18 comments:

  1. You had 1 year olds read Scorpio Races. Wow. I would think that was a bit mature for those kids. What a fun way to spend lunch. I'd be interested in how you do it. Do you provide enough books for everyone or how does that work?
    My TTT Book Club Choices

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    1. The club is set up where everyone reads a book in a theme (kind of like TTT!) and they just keep choosing these books! We have a different theme every other week and I make a list with books that fit the theme. Because they have various levels of English and reading levels we decided right away that everyone reading the same book wouldn't work for our group. We have been really happy with the results. The challenge has been to make it a non spoiler zone. I also bake so that attracts 'em as well!

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  2. They have such great choices! My favourite on this list is really The Book Thief. It's such an amazing story, and it made me cry so hard.

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    1. I think that it is one of the greatest YA novels of all time! Every couple of years I forget how much it tears out your heart and I read it again and remember.

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  3. What an amazing list! Lovely to know that they are reading such rich, intriguing books. :-)

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    1. It is great when you see kids as readers. It is like having a secret language to speak with them.

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  4. Kids and books and the enthusiasm they can have is one of the best things. I love that they're making mazes! How cool. Divergent too would be thought provoking I would think for teens, And The Scorpio Races- I have heard so much about Stiefvater, and even though Halloween is over now it sounds intriguing.

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    1. Maggie Stiefvater is amazing and you should read everything that she has ever written. The mazes are so cool. They have these virtual reality goggles that work with smartphones. I can't wait til they are done and I get to try them!

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  5. Those kids do sound amazing!! I love several of these books too. Harry Potter, of course! I also love all things Maggie Stiefvater. The Scorpio Races is amazing. <3 Great list!

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  6. My daughter is obssesed with HP! she is reading the last book now. She was Luna Lovegood for Halloween.
    My TTT.

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    1. I was just thinking that the first Harry Potter was published 20 years ago this year. It certainly stays fresh!

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  7. I love running kids book clubs, they're so much fun, especially when the kids find books they're passionate about, whether it's passionate love or hate! We get some really fun discussions. :)

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    1. Yes! It is amazing how well you get to know someone when you talk books with them.

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  8. The kids have excellent taste in books. I’m glad they like The Book Thief. I wrote my grad school thesis on that novel.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. Now that would be an interesting thesis to write! What made you choose The Book Thief? Aside from it's general awesomeness?

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  9. I like the Divergent story much better than THG though I've not read the books (I have two of THG). Also, didn't love The Maze Runner movie. But maybe the books are different. :) Thanks so much for visiting Finding Wonderland, Tara.

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    1. I wasn't a huge fan of The Maze Runner. The book or the movie. It wasn't terrible but I have definitely read better!

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