So, it's rare that I grab a book by a male author. It's not on purpose - honest! It just so happens that I tend to be drawn more to subjects written about by female authors. However, I just happened to pick up a book by the author Chris Crutcher (check him out at http://www.chriscrutcher.com/) and was hooked instantly. The book was titled Period.8 and it has an opening scene that is a what I consider a little bit of a "sidebar" to grab the reader and suck him/her in for the remainder of the book. I couldn't put it down for a minute and even though I pretty much figured out the general overview of it about 2/3 of the way through, I had to read to find out if I was RIGHT (which I only sort of was). Crutcher does his research. He totally "gets" the teenage kid. He was a teacher at an alternative school and a family therapist for 25 years. His characters are dead on for at least one kid we've all met, and the characters in this book are no different. Paulie - the main character - is such a 'good' kid and respected by his peers. His home life is kind of a drag but he manages to do well in school, excel at a sport he loves and maintain an after school job. But this is not just your run of the mill "boy has crappy home life and overcomes it" book. In fact, it's not really about his life at all but more so about those around him and how things aren't always what they seem. This book is fantastic for both boys and girls alike. Already handed it off to a student who has almost finished it! I may even consider reading another one by Crutcher!
So, when I was in 8th, maybe 9th grade (yes, they had books back then), I read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. And in just a few short pages I fell in love with the narrator, Ponyboy, despite his quirky name. He was just a regular kid with a crappy home life. He just wanted the best for his family and his friends and would do what needed to be done to do it. This was one of those books that you read and were angry when the teacher said, "Do NOT read past chapter #x" - You would anyhow and then hope that you wouldn't slip up during class discussions and give it away that you cheated and read ahead . In just one book I encountered the best of characters, a detailed but simple (and sad) plot, some love twists and a touch of violence all while having to reach for the tissues by the end. It's written for all readers - boys and girls alike. I LOVED it. Still do. And don't even get me started on the movie in which every "hot" actor of my time had a part - some of whom are still making movies and wowing audiences today! (That's the cover to the right)
Imagine my delight when I found out I actually would be teaching this novel to my classes. My enthusiasm freaked out my students at first, but they quickly understood why, after "several" years beyond junior high, this book still stole my heart. I NEVER had a kid who didn't do the assigned reading. I NEVER had a kid complain about reading it - the only complaint I had was that I, like my own English teacher, asked them not to read ahead knowing full well many of them would. Imagine their surprise when I told them it was written by a 16-year old GIRL who failed English class because her teacher didn't appreciate her creative writing.
The Outsiders is timeless. It will be reaching students for many, many years to come. I hope my own kids read it some day and it becomes a classic all its own. It's a quick read but it leaves one heck of an impression and it's my "go-to" book for those readers who come in to my library saying they don't like to read. I should get more copies of it for my library. It's just that good! So, if you're wondering what you should read next, give The Outsiders a try, and if you like it, be sure to pay it forward and share it with a friend! Ponyboy would like that!
My library is full of books that I'll never have time to read, but one book I have read and have repeatedly recommended to students is The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams. This is the kind of book that you'll hold and read while you eat your meals and brush your teeth. I honest to Pete could not put the book down. My stomach hurt just reading about the emotional turmoil that Kyra endures when she learns that she must become the seventh wife of her sixty-something uncle. Perhaps I also like Kyra because she has learned of life beyond the walls of her "compound" via a bookmobile that visits just on the other side of the forbidden borders. She risks all to spend a few precious moments reading a book about anything she can. But that's not what will grab you if you opt to try this book. You'll be shocked to read just how horrible the restrictions are on this girl and what she must risk to escape a life she knows just "isn't right." You urge her on when she must make the choice to leave for a better life or stay with her young mother and siblings. You hate the rules imposed on her and truly want to run in and save the day! Williams will literally drag you through this book from beginning to end...trust me. You'll finish it in a day!
Another book by Williams I have ripped through in the course of a few hours is Waiting. From the beginning the reader knows London's older brother is dead, but you don't know why. Using the style of verse to tell London's story, the reader must piece together the past to help realize the reasons behind London's feelings. Her now dysfunctional family struggles to deal with Zach's sudden death, and London is caught in the middle. When you finally realize the why and the how of the tragedy, you'll probably do what I did - cry a little, gasp and whip through the remainder of the book.
I have two more of her books in my library - Glimpse and Miles from Ordinary both with subjects that will most likely keep me reading through the night. I'll post something once I finish them all. If you're looking for a page-turner that reads like a movie, check out her books...I'll make a bet you're back of another in under a week!
