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Jul
23
The Staples of a Reading Life
2010 at 5am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
When I met Belle Boggs a few weeks ago, we chatted quite a bit about how her experiences as a teacher informed her writing of Mattaponi Queen, which I LOVED. This led to a discussion of ways to expose readers to new material, and since I know many of you haven’t quite come around to short fiction, it only made sense to ask Belle to write a guest post about the books and short stories she loves, in hopes that you’ll give them—and, of course, Mattaponi Queen—a try. So get out your TBR lists—here’s the lovely Belle Boggs with an annotated reading list for you!
My day job, if you could call it that, is teaching—not university teaching, but up-at-six, detention-giving, bulletin-board stapling, where’s-your-homework schoolteaching. I always have a few Crayola markers and stacks of Post-it notes in my pocketbook, and during the school year you can often find me at Staples, buying chart paper.
Even though teaching can be an exhausting job, I get a lot of energy and perspective from my students and their parents. Mattaponi Queen includes a few school settings—there’s the (almost) all-girl art room in “Deer Season,” the high school football field in “Homecoming,” and the ill-conceived elementary school career day in “Opportunity.”
Rebecca and I thought it might be fun (and hopefully useful) if I put together a list of books I love for the classroom. Post-MFA, I’ve taught everything from first grade to GED classes, so my list is pretty broad, but these are books and stories I love (or look forward to) sharing with students, and that I can read again and again.
Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. This series is mentioned in “Opportunity,” when Lila, a lonely elementary school principal, compares herself to Frog: If she really thought about it, she was not much like Frog at all. Frog was always quietly right. He was self-contained; he didn’t gossip. He went barefoot and swam with no clothes on. I can’t say enough about the wisdom and gentle humor of Arnold Lobel, whose Mouse Tales and Owl at Home are also wonderful. One reason I would like to have (my own) children someday is so that I can read these books to them.
Holes by Louis Sachar. A friend of mine once described Louis Sachar as Kurt Vonnegut for kids, and I think that about sums his work up—funny, clever, incisive. Holes is also a masterfully plotted novel.
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. I read this with a group of advanced fifth-grade girls a few years ago. Completely on their own, they mapped the secret annex, made their own diaries, and dissected Anne’s honest, searching, sometimes sarcastic appraisals of her family and housemates. I was astounded by the depth of their discussions, which included the profound and sad realization that Anne might have written so much more had she survived.
In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall. A few years ago, I read most of this book aloud to my fifth graders, then took them to see Jane Goodall speak. She was amazing, and this book is amazing—and a great example of science writing and true environmental activism.
I Remember by Joe Brainard. Reading aloud just a snippet of this quirky book, which is part-memoir, part prose-poem, is a great way to get people writing with detail about their adolescence.
A Hope in the Unseen by Ron Suskind. This nonfiction book traces Cedric Jennings’s journey from a public high school in Southeast D.C. to Brown University. It’s honest, gripping, and beautifully written, and a great way to generate discussion in a high school class about the sometimes-difficult path to college.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. I’m hoping to teach this book in an interdisciplinary science-history-journalism unit this year. Skloot’s story of the Lacks family and their quest to know more about their mother and her immortal cells will spark conversation about injustice, health care, race, education, and family.
Seriously Funny: Poems about Love, Death, Religion, Art, Politics, Sex, and Everything Else, edited by Barbara Hamby and David Kirby. I picked up this anthology for my husband but was soon devouring it myself; I plan to use a few of the great, irreverent poems with my classes next year. The title says it all–students should know that poems can be funny and serious at the same time.
“I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen and “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid. These short stories are wonderful to read with high schoolers, both for the different perspectives they provide on mother-daughter relationships and for their forms and point of view. I also like to notice, with my students, how long it took Olsen to write “I Stand Here Ironing”: two years.
“The Heavenly Animal” by Jayne Anne Phillips. Kids who have been through divorce seem to relate strongly to this one, and the imagery is fantastic.
“Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie. List-like or formally unconventional works seem to open up reluctant writers, so this is a great place to start reading Alexie.
The stories of The Moth and The Monti. These aren’t books, but I’m excited to teach using some of the recorded personal narratives from both of these sites. You have to screen them for language and content, of course, but both sites allow you to download or stream brief true stories from the famous and the unknown, and oral storytelling is a wonderful way to talk about the craft of story—how to grab and audience and hold them, how to take them somewhere surprising.
And here are a few books for teachers:
Lessons That Change Writers and Naming the World by Nancie Atwell. If you teach writing to middle grades or above, these books will make your life a lot easier (and going to hear Nancie Atwell speak might just change the whole way you teach). Naming the World, in particular, includes a poem for every day of the school year, along with helpful annotations for starting discussions or writing exercises.
Write Beside Them by Penny Kittle. I love Kittle’s ideas for quick-writes, book talks, and mixed-genre writing.
Third Mind: Creative Writing Through Visual Art. This anthology, from the wonderful Teachers and Writers Collaborative, features essays about incorporating art into the reading and writing K-12 classroom.
Sing the Sun Up: Creative Writing Ideas from African American Literature. Another TWC classic, this collection of 20 essays includes great ideas for K-12 writing lessons.
And if you’re a teacher or someone who works with kids and you haven’t read it, I think you owe it to yourself to read Suskind’s A Hope in the Unseen. Please share your favorite picks for the classroom in the comments—I’d love to read them!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rebecca Schinsky and Tracey, Jennifer Sylvor. Jennifer Sylvor said: Great list of books for teachers/readers from author Belle Boggs via @bookladysblog http://bit.ly/b4DhMo [...]
I have not had experience with teaching books in classrooms, but a few I have read that I thought would make good discussion are: Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie. He explores history, gender roles, and cultural assumptions in the style of magic realism. I think that there would be a lot to discuss. The other book I think would be interesting to read and discuss as part of a class is Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver which is about missionaries in Congo. I love how the book interweaves personal stories with question about religion and gives insight and a different perspective on cultural imperialism. Anyway, I really enjoyed your post and thank that your students are lucky to have you!
beastmomma´s last blog ..Acts to Diminish Cranky Pants Status- Sweet Gifts from Road Trips
I taught at the university level and in the sciences, so I have not had the opportunity to bring books to students. I like the list you’ve given here, and there are a couple I need to track down.
Beth F´s last blog ..Review- Major Pettigrews Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Truly a fabulous post. I have enjoyed many of these books, and I see some ideas I can use in my own teaching. Thanks for this, Belle and Rebecca!
Andi´s last blog ..Outspoken Interview- Lucy Knisley- author of French Milk
[...] about books and stories I love in the classroom (and on my bedside table) in The Book Lady’s Blog today. My picks include Frog and Toad by [...]
I am so excited to find these books & begin devouring them. I taught high school English for three years, then have been in the social work field for approximately three, but in a couple of weeks I’m returning to the classroom full-time, for an entirely new experience with 7th and 8th graders. As I’m teaching grammar and writing, this list will come in handy! Thanks for sharing — and I can’t wait to read Mattiponi Queen.
Joanna @ A Worn Path´s last blog ..Two Fantastic Reads I Just Couldnt Finish For Now- Anyway
[...] A Hope in the Unseen by Ron Suskind thanks to a guest post on The Book Lady’s Blog. [...]
What a great idea for a post! I love the shout-out to The Moth. I don’t listen to it regularly, but the couple of stories I’ve heard from it just really stick in my mind. Most recently, I heard a fantastic story about a man who survived a vicious stabbing and the story ends with what he said to his primary attacker in court, which I don’t want to say what it was, but it was just incredible.
Christy´s last blog ..DNF – All-American Girl and Children of the New Forest
I’m surprised how few of these books I’ve read or heard of! Some of the authors ring a book, but this is like a list of books that I’ve totally overlooked. Silly me. I found this to be such a great guest post, especially since I’m really considering jumping into the teaching profession. Its so inspiring to hear about the different ways that teachers connect with their students.