My classroom door is always open (quite literally because it gets really warm in there in the morning) to anyone coming in to observe me. Because of this policy, I’ve had fellow teachers stop by, but I have also had college students/teachers-in-training and student teachers come through my door as well. I welcome them all because I enjoy the wonderings and questions I get from each of them. I love to see my class and my teaching through the eyes of someone else so I can stay fresh and always keep “why do that?” in my mind.
That said, one of the biggest draws to my classroom is my library. I’ve got about a thousand titles that I’ve painstakingly collected through my own purchases and many many many donations. Everyone wants to lay eyes on this glorious wall-o-books, and the question that is always asked is, “what would you suggest to get first? If I was going to start a library, what books are good ones to start with?”
This answer changes every year as new books come out and student interest changes, but I think I can make a Top Twenty Starter Pack list for anyone wanting to either start a classroom library, or start reading YA Lit for the first time.
Here is my list in no particular order (keeping in mind that I am cheating a bit and just naming authors so I can cover more than just twenty. What? I’m addicted!).
- Winger by Andrew Smith (and then Standoff because it’s the sequel. And then, well, let’s just put Andrew Smith books at the top of the list. But read Winger first.)
- Absolutely True Diary of A Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (ok, again, just read everything he’s written, but this is his newest and it’s incredible)
- The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
- Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (she is another one that you should just invest in all her books)
- Me, Earl, & The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews (seriously inappropriately funny)
- Lily & Dunkin by Donna Gephart
- Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- La Linea by Ann Jaramillo
- A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
- Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (again…just get everything she’s written)
- Everything Walter Dean Myers has written, but specifically get Monster- both the novel and the graphic novel
- Yummy by G Neri
- All of Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novels
- Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick
- Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
- Any (or all) of the Blueford High Books–kids LOVE them because they are accessible and high interest. I suggest starting with Brothers in Arms
- Wonder by RJ Palacio
Oh gosh…I really could keep going. This is really just a very small start. Other authors you should really read include Ellen Hopkins, Matt de la Pena, Ibi Zoboi, Neil Shusterman, and so SO many more.
Happy reading!
