If Teens Want to Listen, Why Do We Shut Up?

Reading aloud to teens is the highlight of my job. These sessions get me up close and personal with the students in my school, and allow me to open the world of contemporary literature for them. I serve up material that will appeal to teens even if their lives are too busy, cramped, and conflicted to make time for pleasure reading.

Adventure, suspense, drama, witty dialogue, and humor are the ingredients that fuel successful read-alouds. Master writers use humor to explore multiple levels of emotional complexity. Sophisticated reading comprehension, vocabulary proficiency, and verbal pronunciation develop through exposure to literary context and content when students are listening. Sharp dialogue or quirky behavior serves to reinforce characters’ armor during difficult times.

Boys are the well-documented endangered readers in our culture. According to Michael Sullivan, author of Connecting Boys with Books: What Libraries Can Do (American Library Association, 2003), statistics show that they are more apt to struggle in school. More high school dropouts are male, as are the vast majority of kids coded for ADHD. Boys who are beleaguered by independent silent reading arrive to a read-aloud class excited and enthusiastic. Endangered readers become engaged listeners, ready to enjoy literature on a level playing field with their peers.

Good literature will cause people to think, question, and, thus, disturb the status quo. Avoiding young adult (YA) literature because it contains profanity is unfair to teens. Quality literature that contains profanity for illustrative voice, authenticity, and personal connection is a risk worth taking. Here’s my standard class preface: “You are mature secondary students who have heard these words before; I read all the text aloud, as it is written, because I respect the author’s body of work as well as your ability to appreciate it. I do not condone profanity–either in my voice or yours.” If sexually suggestive material is too awkward and/or intimate, skip those sections and tell students that they may read them independently. This is a great way to get them to pick up these books on their own.

The following titles are my tried-and-true favorites. If introduced to stories within a group environment, students will be motivated and empowered to search out other selections for their own enjoyment. Promise.

APPELT, Kathi. Kissing Tennessee: And Other Stories from the Stardust Dance. Harcourt. 2000. Tr $15. ISBN 0-15-202249-X; pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-15-205127-9.

Gr 6-9 –Teens prepare with starry-eyed anticipation for their eighth-grade dance in these related stories. Underneath the stardust are some dark and starless moments. A tyrannical father equates lipstick with hell, a young woman faces the shattering aftermath of date rape, and yet another teen questions his sexual orientation and, thus, his friendships. A book dusted with romance and tempered by reality.

CREECH, Sharon. Heartbeat. HarperCollins. 2004. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-06-054022-2; PLB $16.89. ISBN 0-06-054023-0; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-06-054024-9.

Gr 6-9 –This novel-in-verse exhibits the art of poetry and still appeals to teens. When her art teacher asks Annie to draw 100 sketches of an apple as it changes day by day, the project comes to symbolize the cycles of life, reflecting her yet-to-be-born baby brother with a lifetime ahead and her elderly grandfather with only frail heartbeats left. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

CRUTCHER, Chris. Athletic Shorts. HarperCollins. 1991. Tr $17.99. ISBN 0-688-10816-4; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-06-050783-7.

Gr 7 Up –Action and sports with time out given for conscience and consideration–these short stories address psychological and physical abuse, gender, racism, death, and AIDS. Many characters resurface from Crutcher’s earlier novels, but the issues and/or themes have changed. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

CRUTCHER, Chris. King of the Mild Frontier: An Ill-Advised Autobiography. HarperCollins. 2003. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-06-050249-5; PLB $17.89. ISBN 0-06-050250-9; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-06-050251-7.

Gr 7-9 –Trying to impress the girl of his dreams, young Crutcher got his teeth batted out. When his big brother says, “Wanna do something neat?” he can’t resist. From peeing into the living-room space heater to running back and forth like a shooting-gallery duck for his brother to take aim at with a BB gun, the author answers the rhetorical question: If your brother told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it? Of course! Audio version available from Listening Library.

FLAGG, Fannie. Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man. Ballantine. 2005. pap. $13.95. ISBN 0-345-48560-2.

Adult/High School –Through the protagonist’s journal entries, readers observe the wacky and whimsical life of a girl growing up in 1950s Mississippi, the only child of a prim and proper mother who spoils the fun of an irresponsible and nutty father. While Daisy has a blast with her Dad despite his unscrupulous antics, it’s her own upbeat and hilarious take on life that steals the show.

GALLO, Donald R., ed. First Crossing: Stories about Teen Immigrants. Candlewick. 2004. RTE $16.99. ISBN 0-7636-2249-4.

Gr 7 Up –Some of the best YA authors in contemporary literature, including Minfong Ho, Marie G. Lee, and Rita Williams-Garcia, are featured in this collection. David Lubar writes tongue-in-cheek of a Transylvanian immigrant plunked in Alaska’s dark zone. Pam Muñoz Ryan’s title story reveals a father’s and son’s humiliation and the horrific risks they face while being smuggled across the Mexican border.

GANTOS, Jack. Jack’s New Power: Stories from a Caribbean Year. Farrar. 1995. Tr $16. ISBN 0-374-33657-1; pap. $6.95. ISBN 0-374-43715-7.

Gr 7 Up –Through his growing independence, Jack Henry becomes increasingly irrepressible and irreverent while wielding his power with words. He tests, thwarts, and targets his parents and siblings. Compare it to Gantos’s other “Jack” titles to demonstrate the development of character and schism of family life.

GRIMES, Nikki. Bronx Masquerade. Dial. 2002. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-8037-2569-8; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-250189-1.

Gr 8 Up –This is a multicultural bonanza. Eighteen teen voices speak their minds and expose their souls through open-mike poetry readings. A must for getting students into the groove of the three Rs—reading, ’riting, and rapping. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

HASSLER, Jon. Four Miles to Pinecone. Ballantine. 1989. pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-449-70323-1.

Gr 9 Up –Tom witnesses his friend robbing a store, but he won’t tell a soul. He has the summer to probe his conscience about “doing the right thing.” Then, when he is at the receiving end of a crime, his perspective shifts. Credible characters populate a fast-paced novel that’s riveting and suspenseful.

HAYES, Daniel. The Trouble with Lemons. Ballantine. 1992. pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-449-70416-5.

Gr 6-9 –Two boys take an evening dip in the quarry that ends in a panicked retreat when they encounter a dead body. The story pivots around Tyler, a hyper-allergic boy just getting over the death of his father. With strong suspicions about the murderer, he must combat his fear to talk to the police. Witty dialogue and self-deprecating teen humor contribute to this page-turning mystery.

JOHNSON, Angela. The First Part Last. S & S. 2003. RTE $15.95. ISBN 0-689-84922-2; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-689-84923-0.

Gr 9 Up –Narrated by 16-year-old Bobby, this novel-in-verse shows a single teen father caring for and bonding with his baby. The poetry, life’s hard lessons, and the original plotline all add up to an unusual, tender, and poignantly inspirational read-aloud. Audio version available from Listening Library.

KIDD, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees. Viking. 2002. Tr $24.95. ISBN 0-670-89460-5; pap. $14. ISBN 0-14-200174-0.

Adult/High School –It’s 1964 and racism is prevalent in the Deep South. Lily, 14, is suffering from 10 years of guilt and a father who blames her for the death of her mother. When she springs her black caregiver from an unjust judicial system, the two runaways find sanctuary with a trio of eccentric beekeeping sisters. Kidd offers a heap of wisdom about nature, mothers, daughters, and affirming the inner soul. Audio version available from Books on Tape.

LEVITHAN, David. The Realm of Possibility. Knopf. 2004. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-375-82845-1; PLB $17.99. ISBN 0-375-92845-6.

Gr 8 Up –This novel-in-verse revels in the yearnings and possibilities of youth. Carried along by a main narrator, diverse high school students contribute voices linked by themes of tenderness and passion. Romance that defines, and sometimes undermines or overwhelms, the various relationships pulsates throughout.

MATTHEWS, L. S. Fish. Delacorte. 2004. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-385-73180-9; PLB $16.99. ISBN 0-385-90217-4; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-440-42021-0.

Gr 7 Up –An allegorical tale about assuming responsibility for the vulnerable, defenseless, and reliant. As a missionary family escapes a war-torn land, the youngest member rescues a fish from an evaporating puddle. During the family’s pilgrimage to safety, the care of the fish–through thirst, hunger, and danger–exemplifies the heart of survival. Audio version available from Listening Library.

MCKISSACK, Patricia. The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural. Knopf. 1992. Tr $18.95. ISBN 0-679-81863-4; PLB $20.99. ISBN 0-679-91863-9; pap. $12. ISBN 0-679-88335-5.

Gr 7-10 –Rooted in African-American history and told with a keen ear for traditional oral storytelling, these scary tales explore the haunting misdeeds of racism and the impact of supernatural forces. A touch of Southern dialect and vernacular enriches the narratives.

MOSHER, Howard Frank. Northern Borders. Houghton. 2002. pap. $13. ISBN 0-618-24009-8.

Adult/High School –In 1948, six-year-old Austen is sent to live with his grandparents in primitive Kingdom County, VT. Filled with eccentric, eclectic, and enchanting characters, this novel scoffs at a stereotypical life with grandparents, instead accentuating spitfire tempers, lifetime feuds, and bohemian tendencies. Mosher deftly balances discord and reverence to produce a bittersweet family portrait.

PARK, Barbara. Mick Harte Was Here. Knopf. 1995. pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-679-88203-0.

Gr 6 Up –Mick isn’t wearing his bike helmet when he is hit and killed by a truck. Through the eyes of his 13-year-old sister, the story celebrates the short life of a very funny boy. Students love this book. I ask them to explain: How can such a sad story be so funny? Audio version available from Listening Library.

PAULSEN, Gary. How Angel Peterson Got His Name: And Other Outrageous Tales about Extreme Sports. Random. 2003. Tr $12.95. ISBN 0-385-72949-9; PLB $14.99. ISBN 0-385-90090-2; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-440-22935-9.

Gr 6-8 –This wacky autobiographical account of Paulsen’s 13th year is filled with the antics one would expect from a pack of imaginative and adventurous boys. In one episode, he describes snow skiing–on flat terrain–by holding onto a rope tied to the bumper of a car speeding down a roadway.

PLUM-UCCI, Carol. The Body of Christopher Creed. Harcourt. 2000. Tr $17. ISBN 0-15-202388-7.

Gr 8-10 –Stumbling over a decayed body pushes Torey over the edge. His mental recovery entails recounting a series of strange events that ruined his junior year–most especially, the disappearance of a schoolmate, Chris Creed. Chris is an annoying misfit, the strange odd-man-out whom every bully targets and everyone else avoids. A cryptic note is all that’s left of him–that, and a haunting mystery. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

RIORDAN, Rick. The Lightning Thief. Hyperion. 2005. RTE $17.95. ISBN 0-7868-5629-7; pap. $7.99. ISBN 0-7868-3865-5.

Gr 7-9 –Boarding-school student Percy Jackson has learning disorders, behavioral issues, and a bullying stepfather. Upon discovering that he’s actually the son of Poseidon, he’s increasingly vexed. Littered with enough Greek paraphernalia to honor the gods and intrigue the kids, this is a book that self-proclaimed nonreaders will rave about. Audio version available from Listening Library.

SALISBURY, Graham. Island Boyz: Short Stories. Random. 2002. Tr $16.95. ISBN 0-385-72970-7; PLB $18.99. ISBN 0-385-90037-6; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-440-22955-3.

Gr 7 Up –Eclectic, exotic, and, at times, a tad erotic, this collection doesn’t shy away from exposing the dark side of youthful fallacies and fantasy. Set in Hawaii, the tales are at once rich and raw with adventurous male innocence and real-life experiences ranging from nostalgic romps with a post-Pearl Harbor serviceman to friends who try to shame a boy into plunging off cliffs into a pool.

SCIESZKA, Jon. Guys Write for Guys Read: Boys’ Favorite Authors Write about Being Boys. Viking. 2005. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-670-06007-0; pap. $10.99. ISBN 0-670-06027-5.

Gr 6 Up –These illustrations, essays, and short stories, contributions from 96 of the who’s who of guys in the YA market, are enjoyable for guys and gals alike. Every read-aloud class will want this collection for stand-in moments and stand-up comedy.

SINGER, Marilyn, ed. Make Me Over: 11 Original Stories about Transforming Ourselves. Dutton. 2005. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-525-47480-3.

Gr 6-9 –Eclectic and literary, from fantasy to sci-fi to realistic fiction, these stories explore the theme of escaping to become something, or someone, else. Distress about body image, using promiscuity to achieve goals, dealing with an overbearing nut-case parent, and shedding the pangs of adolescence are all here.

SPINELLI, Jerry. Space Station Seventh Grade. Little, Brown. pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-316-80804-0.

Gr 7 Up –Jason is contending with crisis after crisis: from pimples to pubic hair; from girls to grown-ups; from pranks to predicaments, and he’s botching up more than he’s getting right. An honest, candid, and hilarious look at the unsettled time in a teen’s life, this is true Spinelli, unplugged and explosive, and complete with some dicey profanity. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

STERN, Jerome, ed. Micro Fiction: An Anthology of Really Short Stories. Norton. 1996. Tr $22.50. ISBN 0-393-03968-4; pap. $11.95. ISBN 0-393-31432-4.

Gr 9 Up– This book evolved from a contest offered for the shortest of short stories–almost all are only two small pages long. Demonstrating how brevity can pack a punch, they deal with the drama and emotions of day-to-day incidents and will appeal to more mature students. These also work well for teachers as examples of creative writing.

WALLS, Jeannette. The Glass Castle: A Memoir. S & S. 2005. Tr $25. ISBN 0-7432-4753-1; pap. $14. ISBN 0-7432-4754-X.

Adult/High School–Rex and Rose Mary give new meaning to the term “free spirits.” Rex, steeped in delusions and alcohol, keeps his family on the run from bill collectors and child-protection agencies. Rose Mary, a self-indulged artist, paints her own rosy picture of their existence, washed in excuses and devoid of responsibility. Living without electricity; running water; or adequate heat, food, or shelter, their four children bond together and steer through their parents’ mayhem. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

WOLFF, Virginia Euwer. Make Lemonade. Holt. 1993. Tr $17.95. ISBN 0-8050-2228-7; pap. $6.95. ISBN 0-8050-8070-8.

Gr 6-9 –A pioneer in the novel-in-verse format, this book continues to hold its own in content and poetic excellence. Jolly is an unwed inner-city teen mother with a baby, a toddler, and no job in sight. Compassionate 14-year-old LaVaughn offers to babysit to help bad-luck Jolly gain the skills she needs to become a responsible parent. The experience works to define and solidify LaVaughn’s own educational aspirations. Audio version available from Listening Library.

WYNNE-JONES, Tim. The Boy in the Burning House. Farrar. 2003. pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-374-40887-4.

Gr 7-9 –A community has the wool pulled over its eyes by the “reputable” minister, Father Fisher, in a murder mystery where bad things happen to good people and where seemingly good people–aren’t. Two teens help one another; one is recovering from a haunted past, the other must be protected from a stalking future. Murder, mystery, and intrigue, all presented with a metaphorical flare.