What Are They Reading for Fun?
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compiled by Marlene Charnizon -- School Library Journal, 3/12/2008
In Wheatfield, IN, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders enjoy talking about books, with all of the students wanting their favorites to head the list of titles they are passionate about. A selection follows.
Sylvia Feicht, Kankakee Valley Intermediate School, Wheatfield, IN:
The nearest bookstore is a 40-minute drive, but our public and school libraries are strong. The kids were excited that someone from outside our rural area was interested in us. The titles here have been whittled down from a long list of their recommendations. Cynthia Kadohata’s Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam (S & S, 2007), Mike Lupica’s Heat (Philomel, 2006), and Gennifer Choldenko’s Al Capone Does My Shirts (Putnam, 2004) are favorites. Students are constantly asking when the next books by Andrew Clements, Peg Kehret, Gordon Korman, Jerry Spinelli, Louis Sachar, and Dav Pilkey are coming out. Popular series include Jim Benton’s “Dear Dumb Diary” books (Scholastic). Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (HarperCollins) is still popular, but not as much as in previous years.
Esther Moberg, Creswell Library, OR:
Kids in this small public library (28,000 items) relish Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio’s Man Eating Bugs: The Art and Science of Eating Insects (Ten Speed, 1998). They are reading about immigrant miners in Pat Hughes’s The Breaker Boys (Farrar, 2004) and Sharon E. Heisel’s Precious Gold, Precious Jade (Holiday House, 2000), set in southern Oregon. Younger children absolutely love Judy Schachner’s “Skippyjon Jones” (Dutton) and Mo Willems–especially There Is a Bird on Your Head (Hyperion, 2007)–and Tracey West’s “Pokémon” books (Scholastic) are popular. Some favorites in the teen section are Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell (Scholastic, 2007), Nancy Farmer’s The Sea of Trolls (2004) and The Land of the Silver Apples (2007, both S & S), and Kiyohiko Azuma’s “Yotsuba &!” (ADV Manga) and Natsuki Takaya’s “Fruits Basket” (Tokyopop).
Corinda J. Humphrey, Los Angeles Public Library, CA:
In our medium-size urban branch, children and teens have several main interests. Dr. Seuss (Random), Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick’s “I Spy” (Scholastic), and Martin Handford’s “Where’s Waldo?” (Candlewick) books are staples. Manga and graphic novels are very popular in the Teen Room. Masashi Kishimoto’s “Naruto” and Tite Kubo’s “Bleach” (both VIZ Media) are a hit with tween boys, along with Matt Groening’s “The Simpsons” comics (HarperCollins) and anything about wrestling. Older teen girls are interested in urban fiction, including Sister Souljah’s The Coldest Winter Ever (Pocket Star, 2006), as well as true-life stories by Dave Pelzer, beginning with A Child Called "It" (HCI, 1995). Luis J. Rodriguez’s Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. (Touchstone, 2005) and books about graffiti and skateboarding are popular with the young men.
