Read this excerpt from an interview with young adult author Gary D. Schmidt and then try to tell me that I waste time having kids read books in my High School English classroom. Getting GOOD books (not necessarily difficult books) in front of kids helps them become confident readers!
If you have a middle school or high school boy who doesn’t enjoy reading, these books might do the trick! Girls would love them too even though the stories are usually told from a boy’s point of view.
My favorite Gary D. Schmidt books
- Orbiting Jupiter (Level: 8th-12th; Themes: foster care, teen pregnancy, family; prepare for your heart to be ripped out and trampled on!)
- The Wednesday Wars (Level: 4th-12th; Every person who grew up in the 60s and every English teacher in training should read this!)
- Okay For Now (Level: 6th-12th; explores the life of one of the characters in The Wednesday Wars; will also rip your heart out)
Reading Fully 