Re: recommended nonfiction list

[jimjceleb@aol.com]

A lot depends on your use or intent. I know that kids really like Child Called It and Pelzer's other books, but they are not the easiest if you are trying to use them as whole class instruction. Some scenes are much too graphic for many parents. Requiring them for reading is next to impossible. However, it is also next to impossible to keep them on the library shelves because they go out so often.

Left for Dead is a great book for those looking to get involved with History Day and its allied presentation formats. This traces a young man and his project that ultimately led to his testimony to a Congressional committee that got the captain of the ship cleared.

Hitler Youth was great because it played into som many common themes among our studetns such as th eimpact of bullying adn the strength of peer influence. 

Zlata's Diary is quite appropriate but there are those who do not like the dairy format whether it is by Zlata or Anne Frank.

The Boys War fascinated some of my students studying the Civil War. This went especailly well paired with Paulsen's Soldier's Heart.

Murphy's books have won so many awards that it is hard to count. If there is interest in the topic of the book , they will be read voraciously. They are well written if you seek a pattern for exemplar writing in that format.

Warriros Don't Cry was used for several years for a whole class reading and discussion about the civil rights movement. Most of the students read well ahead in the book out of pleasure. 

Phineas Gage is in the picture book format, but once they got by that format they found it fascinating as the beginning of brain study. The accident alone was enough to capture boys interest in the gruesome.

Those are the ones on the list that I have read, shared or used with students.
Jim Johnston


-----Original Message-----
From: Lori Davis <ldavis@scnc.deerfield.k12.mi.us>
To: middle-lit@interversity.org
Sent: Wed, 23 May 2007 11:49 am
Subject: Re: [middle-lit] recommended nonfiction list



Carol, I haven't read any of the titles I just purchased, but from the
looks of them, I would think most of them would be appropriate for 7th and
8th graders.  Some of them are pretty good sized volumes!

Lori
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