The BC Teachers’ Federation is compiling a list of the best books for BC students – with an elementary category and a secondary category. I know that a good book (whatever genre, fiction or nonfiction, graphic or print, poetry and picture) can make a bad day turn good … or at least take me away from it for a while.
So I’m curious: what are the books that you love? What should every elementary student read? What should every secondary student read? What should everyone who likes [insert genre here] read? Tell me your favourite books and authors, the ones you go back to and the ones that you read once but treasure.
And tell me what makes them so good. Why should I – or anyone – read this book?
I highly recommend 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher for the Secondary category. It is one of my most favorite and treasured reads. It holds so much meaning that one needs to read and experience to understand, but in the end, everyone takes away a lesson from it. I had never cried before this book, but there is a first for everything.
For the secondary category I suggest Watchmen by Alan Moore. It takes a hard look at cold war era mindsets in America, and has some interesting dilemmas involving morality and power.
For elementary school level, you’ll have to get someone else to give suggestions. I read way too much smut/graphic novels and childrens books are a bit out of my wheelhouse.
That being said, the only two true forms of art are funk music and illustrated childrens books.
For elementary students, I would recommend “The Cay” by Theodore Taylor, about a blind boy who becomes stranded on an island with an elderly black man and their struggle to survive. The story takes place during WWII, and so it’s interesting to note the racism that’s initially present because of the boy and the mans difference in skin color, and the bond that forms between them. It’s an excellent read from start to finish, and it was one of the books that got me into reading.
If I were to suggest a book series for younger kids (and even secondary school students), I would suggest “A Series of Unfortunate Events” by Lemony Snicket, by far my favorite book series. I started reading them in grade five with no intention of reading the entire series (there were thirteen novels- an intimidatingly large number for a child), but I found myself racing through them. The plot slowly but surely thickens, and the characters are developed incredibly well. The storyline for each book is the same: the orphans are adopted by a new caretaker, Count Olaf shows up in a disguise and tries to take the kids, the orphans attempt to expose him for who he really is, and just as they are about to do so he manages to escape, promising to return. One would think the repetition would get tiresome and annoying, but each novel is entirely unique with different characters and settings. Even as a seventeen year old, I would go back and read the series again.
For a secondary student, I would recommend “Such a Pretty Girl” by Laura Wiess. The story is about a teenage girl who must face the reality that her father (who molested both her and other children) is getting an early release from prison and is returning home, much to her disgust but her *blind* mother’s joy. Left to her own devices, she mist find a way to live with her father and later on, expose him to show he will act again.
The story was such a great read for me because it evokes SO much emotion. Disgust towards the father, anger towards the mother who is so COMPLETELY blind, sympathy and sadness for the girl, this story is guaranteed to make you feel these emotions in new ways.
Personally, for elementary students (maybe more for grades 6 or 7, possibly 8 – around that range) I would definitely recommend reading “The Search for Wondla,” “A Hero for Wondla,” and “The Battle for Wondla,” written by Tony Diterlizzi. It’s a wonderful trilogy with a creative set of characters and a moving plot that spells out a deeply set theme. It was an amazing read and I constantly come back to the books. The main character is a strong female lead who lives underground with a robot mother. She complains about not being able to go up and see the world as she is stuck underground and learns about animals and plant life but is not able to go out and see it for herself. After a brutal attack on her sanctuary, she is forced to the world above and she realizes that it’s nothing like what she learned about. On her journey, she must learn to adapt to her new surroundings, make connections with alien races and discover her purpose in the world she grew up in. The story and the friends she made in it absolutely blew me away and I’ve never felt so satisfied from a book before. It was amazing watching the main character age into a mature girl and change from her almost “ungrateful” former-self.