Choosing to Read—Connecting Middle Schoolers to Books

"They aren't going to read A Tale of Two Cities no matter how many times we assign it. Put Dickens away for a bit and try some books that will turn your students into real readers." -Joan Schroeder Kindig

What do we ultimately want from our students as readers? More than just becoming readers, we want them to want to read.

Drawing on her personal experiences as a professor of reading education and a children's literature specialist, Joan Schroeder Kindig shares the secrets of how to turn your reading program into one that allows for student choice, entices children with books that are relevant to their lives, and turns kids into real readers. This conversational text has everything you need to jump-start kids reading by harnessing their social life and providing meaningful texts, including: dynamite book lists, organized by topic, that will spark all readers interests 15 easy steps on how to become a children's literature expert along with guiding principles for identifying books kids will read quick and easy assessments, including the running record and five-finger rule, to identify each student's independent, instructional, and frustration reading levels. PLUS! Essays on student choice and relevance from eight of the hottest young adult authors.

Reading is a choice. Motivate your students to read by connecting them to books they can relate to.

Joan Schroeder Kindig is Associate Professor of reading and both children's and adolescent literature at James Madison University. She is co-author of the Reading Advantage series, a supplemental reading series for struggling, older readers and has served on numerous ALA committees including the Caldecott and Newbery committees and is currently serving on Teachers' Choice for IRA. Joan is on the editorial board of Capitol Choices, a book selection committee that creates a list of noteworthy books for children from preschool through high school. In addition, she compiles an annual "best of the year" list designed for teachers and parents, Best Bets for the Classroom, which is available on the Virginia State Reading Association, Follett and Mackin websites.