Teacher- What should I read?

[Megan]

Hello,

I just finished school to be a teacher, and could be teaching any grade, so I am trying to brush up on my YA and children's lit. I love to read, but I think I am missing some of the newer popular books.

What books are teens reading? What books changed your life when you were a teenager? What books should I know and recommend to students?

Thanks for any input.

[Catamorandi]

I found The Wind in the Willows to be a classic when I was growing up. I read it many times. That was one of three books I read without having to until I went to college, where I still hated to read because books were still being thrust upon me.

[Ashley]

Megan, congratulations on finishing school and becoming a teacher. I wish you the best of luck. I am in school myself studying to be an elementary teacher.

[Catamorandi]

I'm sorry, Megan. I also congratulate you on finishing school. I never could. Good luck with teaching, whichever grade you teach. Ashley, good luck with your studies. I think it is great that you are both going to be teachers. I feel that being a teacher is not only hard work, but rewarding work as well.

[Oceanwaves]

Oh, that's so cool!! Drizzle's thinking of being a teacher too!

[Allie]

I'd say Night, by Elie Wisel, but not for younger students. It's about the Holocaust, and a sort of easy read but really intense and sad. I just think everyone should know about the Holocaust and it's sad when I meet people who don't. I'd definatley say reading it changed my life (even tho i'm really young- :P)

[Felicity/Rosestar]

OH I read that in Eighth grade allie! SO good!

Animal Farm. It's really good, probably best for grades five and up. It's about animals running a farm and how communism rules in the end. The pigs run it.

[Amira]

To be honest, teenagers still read all the classics - The Catcher in the Rye; To Kill A Mockingbird; Great Expectations; Of Mice and Men; A Clockwork Orange. Although, I'd also recommend John Green's novels, most of Jaqueline Wilson's books, and maybe some Stephen King (for older kids, obviously). However, my most worshipped book is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

[Catamorandi]

I agree with Amira about The Book Thief. That is my favorite teenagers book. It is a classic as far as I am concerned. There are, of course, still all of the classics that they will have to prod through. You know, though, reading them out of a classroom setting makes you see why they are classics. They are actually good!

[Allie]

John Greens books r really good! But they r pretty mature,so 4 older kids.

[Megan]

I just read th Book Thief last month and loved it. I am also reading The Uglies, but I am just not motivated to read it.

Thank you all for the recs and the congrats!

[Court]

I like a lot of Neal Shusterman, Laurie Halse Anderson, Meg Cabot, J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer(The Host is amazing).
BTW, Congrats on your schooling.