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READALICIOUS! Books for Tweens

More ARC Reviews: Tweens Tell ME Which Books are "Suitable"

The moment I open a fresh box of unpublished books, a box that has been sitting around mysteriously in plain view to build anticipation and pique curiosity, I let my squad of volunteer have at it. A reading frenzy!

The sixth graders in my Advanced Reader Club (ARC) get to choose which books they want to read, screen, and recommend (or not) for my FREADom Classroom Library.*

But, not every review copy finds a reader and not every chosen book gets a review.

A great cover, an intriguing title, a favorite author, an exciting plot description, an addictive genre can all compel tweens to dive into a book. But will they sail through to the end? Or abandon ship?

Unchosen and unfinished books get tossed back into the box.

Here, in this third post on the 2017 selections, are seven books that made it past the first two hurdles—pick me, read me (ALL of me).  Read More 

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ARC Reviews: My Tweens Take on the World's Bestselling Author

The world's bestselling author, James Patterson. (Photo from Jimmy Books website.)

On JIMMY Patterson dot org, the middle grade website of author JAMES Patterson, who claims to be the world's bestselling author (350+ million sold, a Guinness record), the mission is clear:

We want every kid who finishes a Jimmy book to say, "Please give me another book."

That's one of my missions, too, of course, but it's easier said than done. Do "Jimmy books" measure up in the eyes of sixth graders? Three of my ARC (Advanced Reader Club) screeners weighed in on three titles under this relatively new imprint.

Here's what they reported to me, when asked if I should include the books in my ultra-picky FREADom Classroom Library (little space, niche focus on ages 10.5-12, books that are worthy and suitable).  Read More 

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The 2017 ARC Reviews Are In! Just in Time for Censorship Week

Two years ago, in 2015, I started the ARC, the Advanced Reader Club in my classroom, which quickly expanded to include other sixth graders, at all reading levels, and then, last year, even my principal!

My trustworthy sixth graders (and principal) were granted privileged access to advanced reader copies of books yet to be published (thank you, publishers, especially Scholastic) in exchange for telling me whether the books are suitable for my locally famous FREADom classroom library.

Beyond a mere book report, I hoped they would give me the thumbs up, thumbs down on putting a NEW book on my classroom shelves, likely in place of another OLD book since space is limited.

Suitable? What do I mean? What can sixth graders handle? What CAN'T they handle? Questions abounded, good ones, interesting ones... questions that we probe each year during our Book Censorship Unit in September. I love it.

As I start the new school year, I have a box full of ARC reviews from my former brilliant readers who are now seventh graders and thus out of my sphere of influence. THANK YOU, to all who voluntarily participated.

Now, with pride and uncertainty (I have not read all the books), I'd like to report to you, internet at large, their findings.

Which books are safe, intriguing, appropriate, WORTHY of my classroom library, which is resurrected and curated each year with painstaking care?

Let's start with a report from good student Leah...  Read More 
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