Popular Books for Teens

Over the past year, these books have been the most popular in my classroom. Some are newer releases and some are older classics. But all have been either requested or checked out numerous times.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (or ANYTHING by John Green!)
Students who like TFiOS will probably check out his other books: Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, An Abundance of Katherines

Students who like John Green books also seem to like the following reads:

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

FanGirl and Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

Every Day by David Levithan

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs


It by Stephen King is a perennial favorite. Students also love Carrie and Christine.

Students who like Stephen King also seem to like:

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

The Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Crank Series by Ellen Hopkins

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare (ALL of these books are popular and she continues to publish new ones)

The Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare (Same with this series!)

Students who like Cassandra Clare's books also seem to love the following:

Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead

Beautiful Creatures Series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Angel Burn Series by L.A. Weatherly (Angel Fire and Angel Fever)

(Not shown): Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, or the Shiver Series by Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver, Linger, and Forever)

On preorder (out July 1, 2014): Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater, which continues the Shiver story.


The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins is, of course, one of the most popular series in recent years. Even those who read the books in middle school love re-reading them in high school.

Students who like The Hunger Games also seem to like the following:

Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth

The Program by Suzanne Young

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu

Dust Lands Series by Moira Young

The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner

Ender's Game by Orson Card Scott

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

Ashfall Trilogy by Mike Mullin

Delirium Trilogy by Lauren Oliver

The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking Trilogy) by Patrick Ness


A classic novel students read in 7th or 8th grade is The Contender by Robert Lipsyte.

Students who like The Contender also seem to like:

Jude by Kate Morgenroth

Gone by Michael Grant


The girls can't seem to get enough Nicholas Sparks novels. Favorites are:

The Notebook, Safe Haven, The Lucky One, and The Longest Ride

Students who like Nicholas Sparks also seem to like:

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

The Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie

and any books by Sarah Dessen (not pictured).


For additional books that teens favor, check out these titles released yesterday by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA):

Top Picks for 2014

Which books do your students like? 

Leave a comment with your picks below. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Divergent Movie Review (with Spoilers)

Patience should really be a virtue when writing a script for a movie. For example, if the third and final book of the series is not released yet, you should probably hold off on re-writing the scenes. Why? Well, you may cut or completely botch some of the crucial foreshadowing points. Like they did in "Divergent."

Along with my colleague, we took our senior English students to see "Divergent" on Friday. Even though I had seen it Thursday night, I was anxious to see it again with people who had read the book to see if I was making a big deal out of nothing with some of the little changes that were made.

Some of them were OK with the changes, and some felt the same as me: pretty ticked off. Although, since many of us didn't really like Allegiant, maybe making the changes means they are going to completely change the story, which might be a good thing. ;)

Things That Really Bugged Me About the Movie...
Please be warned there are spoilers here as I go through my biggest pet peeves of the movie (this has spoilers to Insurgent and Allegiant, as well):

1. What's up with Tris shooting her family in her final fear landscape exam? This is completely ridiculous! She would never shoot her family. She refuses to shoot them and instead tells Jeanine to kill her instead. She even recalls Tobias saying "Selflessness and bravery aren't that different..." (page 396). Her worst fear is that her family will die and she will be responsible. So she can't shoot one of them! Let's pretend that she shoots Jeanine instead in the movie (it never really shows WHO she shoots, after all.) How will this foreshadow the climax of Allegiant? Will Tris shoot someone instead of sacrificing herself for her brother? It doesn't quite have the same effect. I actually like that she sacrifices herself for Caleb, even though he almost killed her in Insurgent. It shows her divergence; it shows that she will NOT conform to the "faction before blood" mentality.
  Did they do this because they showed her do this same thing with Tobias when they are trying to shut down the simulation? Perhaps. It is a little overkill in the book. I get that. But...it still really botches the foreshadowing in Allegiant, in my opinion.

2. Four is NOT a rapist! Another fear landscape debacle: Four is portrayed as a guy who just wants to get down with Tris and she fights him off to overcome her fear. Ummm...no. That is not how it happens! Yes, he is kissing her, but she says she doesn't want to sleep with him in a hallucination. Then she pushes him against the bedpost and starts kissing and grabbing him...then she moves on to her final fear. Why change this? I felt like it was a bad portrayal of Four.

3. Where's the Dauntless cake? How hard would it be to slip a little bit of chocolate Dauntless cake in there? Seriously.

4. Tris' mother's death is less sacrificial and more accidental. While this part was still sad and touching, I don't think it's because of the changes that were made. I think Shailene's gut-wrenching cry when her mother dies was so emotionally gripping that the fact that her mother's death was shown as more of an accident was overshadowed. Again, why change this scene? OK, I get that she needed to be holding her mother for that part to register with movie-viewers, but couldn't her mother still sacrifice herself and still take down the Dauntless soldiers and Shailene still grip her mother's body and wail? Yes! So why make it seem like Shailene is doing the dirty work in the scene instead?

5. I can't tell Will and Al apart! This was very annoying. I felt those two actors looked a little too much alike in the movie. I thought Al would be much bigger than Will...and everyone.

6. Peter is not quite as evil as he is portrayed in the novel. I kind of like some of Peter's dialogue in the movie and I guess this part doesn't quite bug me as much as others. But why not show that he attacked Tris along with Al? Or just even more of a jerk? Though, I'm actually glad he didn't stab Edward in the eye. I don't think I could have handled that part. 

7. No Trust Fall... Why not include the trust fall at the end of Tris' zip line experience? That was kind of important, considering it helped her bond with the Dauntless-born.

8. Where's the Bean? While many Chicago landmarks are shown, Cloud Gate (aka the "Bean") is missing, along with the sculpture the Dauntless members slide and play on (I really wanted to know which sculpture it was - the Picasso? The Calder? Come on...!). Also missing was Navy Pier's carousel during the capture the flag game. As someone who has visited Chicago numerous times and seen these things, it really bugged me. What else did you notice missing? (I'm sure there's more.)

I'm sure there are more pet peeves I have, but I want to switch to some of the things I actually did enjoy:

1. Did you spot the author in the movie? One of the things I noticed the second time around was seeing Veronica Roth (the author of the series) in a couple of the scenes. I saw her as an Erudite at the Choosing Ceremony and again as a Dauntless member running up to the top of the John Hancock building to zip line. Perhaps she was in more scenes, but those were the only two I noticed.

2. Theo James is Perfect as Four. As I said in my previous review, Theo James was great. I thought he was perfect as Four. And I was OK with Shailene Woodley as Tris and then she had that moment after her mom died and I was WOWed! Plus, I liked her little comments about people underestimating her character. Those were perfect little bits of humor.

3. Uriah IS in the Movie. I was heartbroken when I heard Uriah wasn't cast in the movie. However, you may have caught a glimpse of his name on the leaderboard scenes. He was toward the top, usually around 3rd place after Edward and Peter. This makes me happy that he WILL be cast in "Insurgent."

4. Thank you for fixing the illogical scenes from the book, like the ending: It never made sense to me WHY Jeanine Matthews would ever leave the simulation control in the hands of Four when she doesn't even know if the simulation serum is going to work on him! Why leave him alone in the Dauntless compound control room? She is supposed to be smart. I am glad that this was changed in the movie. It makes much more sense.

5. Tris doesn't finish first in her class after her mother warns her to stay in the middle: This was another part in the book that I never understood. Why would Tris brush off her mother's warnings and shoot to the top of the leaderboard? It just never made sense to me to have her finish first. It's not as though they find out she's divergent and punish her right then and there. (Which, they should have so that teens reading it see what happens when you don't listen to your mother!)

Overall, I really did enjoy the movie. I thought the setting was well done and it moved at a good pace. What did you think? Did you love it or hate it? Do you think the parts they changed will affect the other two movies? Am I making too big of a deal about those parts? Comment below!

Divergent Movie Lives Up to the Hype

If you've followed my blog for a while, you know that I wasn't the biggest fan of the Divergent book initially. I felt the story line had some flaws and the ending was way too rushed. And a little illogical.

But one thing I have maintained: I really felt the book would make a great movie.

I was not disappointed tonight.

I don't want to give any spoilers, but I will say that Theo James is amazing and Shailene Woodley is not as annoying as I thought she would be. She's actually pretty good.

Yes, there are some major changes from the book. But be open-minded. Think of how illogical some of the parts of the book are and be happy they made the changes they did in the movie.

I'll write a more in-depth review later. I have to catch some z's so I can wake up and take my class to see it in the morning. :)

We got free posters when I picked up my tickets. Yay!

What did you think? Post whether you liked the ending or not below. 

Do You Need Teaching Resources for Divergent by Veronica Roth?

If your students are yearning for another trilogy after reading The Hunger Games, consider teaching Divergent by Veronica Roth. The novel has started to grow on me the more times I read it...enough so that I started using it in class. Over the past year I've created several resources for teachers and recently posted them.

You can pick and choose which items you need, or buy them all in one bundle with my complete Divergent novel unit.

What you will find in my teaching unit:

• Chapter questions pack (This is comparable to my Student Survival Guide for The Hunger Games): It contains an introduction activity, vocabulary exercises, chapter questions, and integrated Common Core language, reading, and writing practice.

• Final Exam: 60 pages of Common Core assessments and answer key, plus it includes an editable Microsoft Word copy.

• Final Review Game: 30 questions covering characters, vocabulary in context, literary elements, figurative language, and plot (important events) from the novel.

• Factions Graphic Organizers: Reading aids for keeping track of each faction and their interactions.

• Research and Mapping Project: Have students research the city of Chicago, mapping the locations of each faction headquarters. This can be used with all three novels in the trilogy (Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant).

• Movie vs. the Book Activity Pack: Includes over 20 different exercises (some don't even require viewing the movie to complete). Great for using with the upcoming March release of the movie "Divergent." (Which is produced by our friends at Lions Gate®.)

• Create a New Faction & Write a Manifesto Activity: Let your students get creative while practicing their writing and critical-thinking skills.

• FREE Bookmarks: Print and distribute these Divergent-themed bookmarks to your students. One side includes each chapter and the pages

Many teachers were waiting for me to post this and I apologize that it took so long. I wanted to make sure the activities were relevant and completely aligned with the Common Core State Standards. Plus, I teach full-time, so...that tends to cut into my writing time. ;)

I hope you'll find my unit to fit perfectly into your curriculum. It is versatile for grade 7 all the way up through seniors. I cover almost all of the reading literature standards, as well as many of the language and writing standards. You don't have to worry about being "brave" going into this unit; I've got your back. Enjoy!

Need an AFFORDABLE option for classroom books? I purchased mine through Amazon, below. They are only $5.24 each and free shipping if you are a Prime member.

Divergent: The Next Hunger Games?

Divergent by Veronica Roth has been touted as the "next Hunger Games" and I've even seen reviews that claim it's better than The Hunger Games. Could it be? Could there be a new novel that will engage your students as well and leave them thirsty for more? As much as I hoped there would be, I was disappointed.

Perhaps my expectations were too high for Veronica Roth's debut novel Divergent. After reading numerous rave reviews and hearing that this book is better than The Hunger Games, I expected so much more. I expected to fall in love with the characters. I expected that once I started reading it I wouldn't want to stop. I expected to feel more emotion while reading the story. And I expected to be yearning for more once I was finished. But I felt none of these things.

I do think Roth is a go...morePerhaps my expectations were too high for Roth's debut novel. After reading numerous rave reviews, I expected so much more. I expected to fall in love with the characters. I expected that once I started reading it I wouldn't want to stop. I expected to feel more emotion while reading the story. And I expected to be yearning for more once I was finished. But I felt none of these things.

I do think Roth is a good writer and I am sure she will improve as she continues to write the series. The story is interesting, and I liked picturing Chicago in the future (though scary, still fascinating). But when it comes to telling a story, Roth is no Suzanne Collins. Collins has the ability to keep you on edge, want to turn the page, cry when a character dies, and practically drive yourself insane waiting for her next novel. But Divergent does not even come close. And, believe me, I would love to read a novel even better. I didn't think I'd like a series as well as Harry Potter until Twilight. Then THG came along and all was good.
 
I do like the characters even though the story was predictable. But there was no strong connection. And Tris is pretty tough, but sometimes pretty cruel. The way she goes back and forth from being selfish and selfless is a little annoying and her feelings for Four aren't really expressed in way that made me interested to see what would happen between them. Will I change how I feel about Tris and Four when I read the next book? Maybe. But right now, I'm definitely not hungry for the next installment in the trilogy.

On the bright side, Roth is only 22 years old. Yes, just 22. She has many, many years to perfect her already good writing style. 

You can learn more about Divergent on Veronica Roth's blog: http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/
Find out which faction you would belong to here: http://www.facebook.com/DivergentSeries?sk=app_203946119628644
Where would I belong? Results showed me Amity, which didn't surprise me. Peace-out. :)

Spring Break = Reading for Pleasure!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Even though I could spend my spring break cleaning my house (which needs it), catching up on laundry, or organizing closets, I probably won't. Why? Well, for starters I hate to clean or do housework. But more importantly, there are too many great books that I've been wanting to read but never have time during the school year.

One book I plan to start today is Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I've heard great things abut this book, so hopefully it will live up to its reputation. If I could get a copy of an arc of Divergent by Veronica Roth, I'd probably read that first since I heard great things about that novel, as well. But, unless I win the contest hosted by Writing Jewels (which ends tomorrow, by the way), I will have to wait for the May release.

The amazing Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness.

I did happen to finish the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness this weekend and, oh my, is it good! I'll be writing about The Knife of Never Letting Go (which is book #1 in the series) soon. I am developing materials for teachers right now and am going to see if this is a book I might want to read with one of my English classes. Next year I'll be teaching a small group of seniors and I could see reading the entire trilogy with them. If you are interested in materials for your students, I hope to have some posted by the end of the week. In the meantime, you can download a FREE prequel to the series called The New World. I don't own a Kindle, but I use the Kindle for Mac program (which is a free download) to download. Since my students all have MacBooks, this will be a great introduction to the series. If you own a PC,  you can use the Kindle for PC program.

Another book I'd like to read over break is Matched by Ally Condie, but I do believe one of my students has it checked out (which is great; I do love that they read my books!). I've already pre-ordered Crossed on Amazon based on the reactions of those who have already read it.

I've also heard rave reviews about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. A Young Reader's Edition will be released this fall. I read the review a while back in Entertainment Weekly (one of my all-time favorite magazines, by the way, and reason I purchased The Hunger Games initially) and the fact that the reviewer could not stop reading it, even while she was sick with the flu, was quite convincing. So I purchased it, but it has been sitting patiently in my "to read" pile.

Collection of essay on The Hunger Games trilogy.

Last week I received my pre-orders of The Girl Who Was On Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy edited by Leah Wilson and published by Smart Pop Books. I had already read all the teases of the essays on Smart Pop Book's website, and read a couple of the chapters/essays while hanging out at the dogpark and baseball diamond while my son practiced. It's very hard to do a close reading when you have to pause to tell your dog to stop humping another dog or when you are dodging foul balls coming your way. Plus, I kept thinking about Monsters of Men (the third book in the Chaos Walking trilogy) and how I really wanted to finish reading that before starting another book. So I plan to sit down for a closer read this week and take in all the different authors' perspectives on the trilogy.

For now, I'm going to end my list there because I know how long it takes me to develop new teaching materials (which I am working on), and plan for the rest of the school year, so if I finish at least two books this week on top of that, I'll be happy. And I will probably do a little cleaning and laundry, just so my wonderful husband–who normally does most of our housework and cooking so I can write, plan, and read–won't have to.

So what is on your spring break to-read list? Comment below to share!