It is important to introduce young people to quality writing and good story telling. I have reprinted the following article Three Book Choices for Middle School Boys by Rebekah Kogelschatz. Good stories encourage children to read. As a children’s writer, promoting reading is what I desire to achieve. Enjoy the article.
As a middle school teacher of students in advanced academics programs, I had the opportunity to read a selection of books for middle grade readers that were published in 2007. The books were selected because of their potential to be Newberry contenders. Although none of them were awarded the highest honor, they are well worth the time for your middle school student to read. These three selections may be of particular interest to boys, but also would be great for any girls to read also.
Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson (Random House): Leepike Ridge is an exciting adventure of Tom and his quest to survive. After hearing the potential wedding plans of his mother and her boyfriend, Tom leaves his home to escape the thought of the marriage. He chooses to float down the nearby stream to clear his head. After a brief sleep, he finds himself slipping into an underground cavern in complete darkness. The story continues with Tom's determination to get out of the cavern alive and the many obstacles he encounters along the way. This story is a page turner with one exciting event after another.
The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt (Clarion Books): The Wednesday Wars was a Newberry Honor book for 2007. Based in 60's, a 7th grade boy, Holling Hoodhood, is sentenced to Wednesday afternoons with his teacher while the other students attend religious training. At first, what seems like a curse of a unlikable teacher turns into a loving friendship and a great amount of learning about life and education. Holling's antics and situations will make any child laugh. With talk of baseball greats and rats running rampant through the school, any boy is certain to enjoy this story.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Carson Ellis (Little, Brown, and Company): The Mysterious Benedict Society is a longer book, but well worth reading all the way to the end. It follows a group of extremely gifted students that are hand selected to save the world from an evil man trying to control the minds of everyone in the world. The children have to go undercover in a boarding school to discover and foil the plans of Mr. Curtain with the assistance of Mr. Benedict. While trying to be selected to the coveted Messenger position, Kate, Constance, Stickie, and Reynie discover the world is not as easy to figure out even with the highest of intelligence. There are many plot changes and surprises throughout the book that makes the ending even better.
Encouraging boys to read is easy with a great book. Try one of these with your middle school boy or girl and be prepared for some excitement about reading.
Rebekah Kogelschatz is a gifted education teacher. She has taught all grades from pre-school to 8th grade in all subject areas. She is a co-founder of the site http://www.smartmoms-smartbusiness.com/ and the founder of a preschool resource site http://www.preschool-activities-everyday.com/ You can learn more about Rebekah by visiting her blog, http://the-day-of-a-mom.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rebekah_Kogelschatz
Write it down,
Carma
