Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.
—Sir Francis Bacon
Required Reading?
I grew up surrounded by cornfields as a product of a slow Midwest childhood. My mom was the librarian at our small town library, and I read copious books and magazines my whole life, with stacks towering in the summer. There was always time to read. Then I went to Indiana University.
I was an English minor, and I hated being told what to read. I rebelled, often refusing to read the assigned texts. Is it possible for an English minor to not read assigned texts and still receive a degree? It is. I am proof.
I found my rebellious self in a secondary language arts classroom where I was the one in charge of assigning texts. It didn’t feel right; I didn’t like it. I wondered how many of my students were not reading.
Although I didn’t read the assigned texts, I found myself reading almost anything else. It was those years of reading random books from my library and my undergrad years of following interests and suggestions of people from around the globe, I became an eclectic reader in topic and format and genre.
Yet, my aversion to required reading remains alive and well. Even today, my first reaction is to balk at being told I should read a book. I know this is silly; I am overcoming it. For example, if Christy Rush-Levine says I should read a book, I do it.
And I’m never sorry.
It turns out that one of the most meaningful gifts someone can give me is a text that reminds them of me. My book stack and “Oh! I’ve Read That” list are filled with books that others have suggested remind them of me. Poetry, picture books, middle grade novels, narrative nonfiction, memoir, and magazine articles are all some “required reading” from friends that have changed my life.
The next few issues of the Big Fresh are dedicated to booklists. It has been soul work to curate these issues. I hope you see them as recommendations from friends who know you well enough to suggest a few perfect reads to add to your book stack.
Shine on,
Ruth Ayres
Editor in Chief
Gretchen Schroeder is a high school English teacher in rural Ohio, teaching everything from Advanced Placement Literature to a poetry workshop elective. Her passions include helping students find their voices through writing and introducing them to books they love. You can find her sharing books on Instagram @mrs_schroeders_shelves.
The Choice Literacy Book Club is reading The Tree in Me by Corinna Luyken. Don’t miss Gretchen Schroeder’s book talk. You’ll definitely want to add this book to your summer reading list! Just click here.
The Nerdy Book Club is a must-read for all educators. Make a plan to join this community of readers. If you love books, then you are already a member of the Nerdy Book Club. Trust me, you belong…and I think you should consider writing a blog post for the Nerdy Book Club.
Scholastic shares 25 picture books that were chosen by teachers and students that everyone should read.
Tara Smith shares some of her favorite resources for keeping up with new books, as well as organizing tips for classroom libraries. Download the book-tracking form. This article was first published in 2016.
Jump in the Pool: Playing Around with Readers’ Notebooks with Christy Rush-Levine is a new Process Play course that guides us to teach students how to create thoughtful and meaningful responses to text. This course is included with the Literacy Leadership and Literacy Team memberships and available to purchase for others.
It isn’t a secret that writing meaningful responses to text is important. The question is how to empower students to engage in creating substantive responses and deep analysis of text. Christy Rush-Levine cracks open her own notebook to guide us in creating thoughtful responses to text. By sharing over 20 of her own mentor entries, as well as inspiring texts, Christy adds a splash to reading response that no one can resist.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Bitsy Parks shares the process of building a booklist to deepen the connections and synthesis of culture, family structure, and experiences. Use this booklist of 10 picture books to lead a powerful conversation in your classroom and empower young students to grow in their analysis.
Stephanie Affinito offers five picture books to encourage teachers to relax and consider how to prioritize their own wellness.
Josie Stewart and Hannah Tills share a robust booklist for transitional chapter books. There is more incidental representation than ever, and a variety of formats welcome young readers to chapter books.
In this encore video, Christy Rush-Levine pairs Brenna Thummler’s books Sheets and Delicates in this book talk for her sixth-grade class.
New members-only content is added each week to the Choice Literacy website. If you’re not yet a member, click here to explore membership options.
Tara Barnett and Kate Mills create space for teachers to think about charts more strategically in a PLC meeting. The reality is that thinking about charts can feel like one more thing, especially when premade charts feel like they get the job done. Kate and Tara make chart-making valuable and collaborative.
Stella Villalba shares her top professional book recommendations. These titles will make an impact and widen your lens for meeting the needs of students.
Elizabeth Mulvahill shares 13 classic professional development books that stand the test of time.
Quote It:
Readers are made, not born. Few students spring out of the ground fully formed as readers. They need help, and we cannot assume that they will get it from home, but they should always get it from us, their teachers.
—Donalyn Miller
That’s all for this week!
