Tag: reading

12 Must Read Books for Teens

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I said earlier that I would create my own list of 12 books to read before you turn 12. I can’t do it. I have given it a lot of thought and as I teacher I am constantly referring students to books. Mind you, my students are generally between the ages of 12- 16. I have to know a young person before I could suggest a book for them. I have read a lot of books for young adults. There is such an amazing variety. So I am going to pass on this list. I have mentioned many books that I love for young people. There are 46 blog posts on this blog about young adult reading. This however is only for the last 35 months that I’ve been blogging. I’ve read heaps before I started blogging. It’s just too hard.

My Shakey Reading Memories
I can’t really remember what I read before I turned 12 with any accuracy, but I know Enid Blyton was big for me. I also read a whole series about a nurse called Sue Barton. It was responsible for me thinking I was going to be a nurse when I grew up. In reality I hate the sight of blood though. I loved ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ and lots of fairy tales. Some of my favourites were ‘The Princess and the Pea’ and ‘Rapunzel’. Milly Molly Mandy, Pollyanna, Anne of Green Gables were some others I loved. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and lots of school readers I can recall. I remember wishing there were books written by Australians about Australians because the books I read had the seasons and landscape all wrong. I would love to hear from others what they read around these times. I was born in 1965.

‘To the Boy in Berlin’ by Elizabeth Honey and Heike Brandt

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‘To the Boy in Berlin‘ was shortlisted for the CBCA Awards Younger Readers category. Elizabeth Honey teams up with Heike Brandt to create a compassionate and tolerant duo of mystery solvers. The characters based in Australia and Germany email one another to satisfy the curiosity of Henni who has found some old things and began asking questions about the past. The kids share their current lives and the uncovering of the past. In usual Elizabeth Honey style the characters are powerful, proactive young people who use their resources and their communities to get their mission accomplished. It is also a very funny read.
Elizabeth Honey’s Books
The character Henni, was earlier seen in the Stella Street books, which are among my favourite kids books. ‘Remote Man‘ has been taught at our school to year 7 students and although I have read it to classes for over 7 years, I still get fresh insights from it. I enjoy the way Elizabeth Honey’s characters use technology in empowering and positive ways. I love that they overcome distance to learn from kids in other countries. I always laugh and smile along the way.
Melbourne Writers Festival
Heike Brandt and Elizabeth Honey are at the ‘Melbourne Writers Festival Schools Program’ tomorrow, as well as at other events, but they are speaking at the grade 5/6 level. I won’t get to listen, but I would love to hear about their processes. Heike Brandt is a German author/translator, among other things, so their work would have been a great collaboration just like the characters in Honey’s books. They write about their exchanges at the end of the book.

Melbourne Writers Festival

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On Monday I’m travelling with some year 9 and 10 students to the “Melbourne Writers Festival – Schools Program”. I look forward to this for a number of reasons. I always enjoy taking the students on excursions, because they are always engaged and at their best. We can only take a small number of students, so only those who are really passionate about reading and writing have gone to the effort, or been selected by their English teachers. I expect this will make for great conversation on the 2 hour + bus trip. I will also enjoy listening to the authors speak about their books. I’m not sure yet, which sessions I will be attending, but I will be sure to tell you after I’ve been.
For those who live a little closer, “Melbourne Writers Festival” is for adults also and there are plenty of sessions to cater for all. Check out the program on the webpage.

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