Earlier this week, Executive Director Emily Kirkpatrick and NCTE President-Elect and Program Chair for the 2018 NCTE Annual Convention Franki Sibberson traveled to Houston, Texas, to meet with teachers from the Houston Independent School District. Franki is a huge proponent of reading and student-driven reading choices, so it came as no surprise that her presentation focused on sharing some of her favorite books.
With spring break just around the corner, we thought you might be interested in checking out some of her recommendations too!
Poetry
Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood
Bravo! Poems about Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael López
Read! Read! Read! by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater, illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke
Wordless Picture Books
Small Things by Mel Tregonning
Owl Bat Bat Owl by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
Little Fox in the Forest by Stephanie Graegin
Picture Books with Important Messages
Love by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Loren Long
Come with Me by Holly M. McGhee, illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre
Beyond the Pond by Joseph Kuefler
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
Windows by Julia Denos, illustrated by E. B. Goodale
The Digger and the Flower and Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler
Recent Award-Winning Books I Love
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James (Newbery, Caldecott, Coretta Scott King Honor Book)
Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (Newbery Medal Winner)
Shelter by Céline Claire, illustrated by Qin Leng (Huck Award Recommended Book)
Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green (Schneider Family Book Award Winner)
Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved an Ecosystem by Patricia Newman (Sibert Medal Winner)
Middle Grade Novels
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan
Forever, or a Long, Long Time by Caela Carter
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar
Chester and Gus by Cammie McGovern
Brand New/Hot off the Press Books
Islandborn by Junot Díaz, illustrated by Leo Espinosa
The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection by Colby Sharp
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor
Nonfiction Picture Books
Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson, illustrated by Frank Morrison
I am Not a Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Gillian Newland
The Hidden Life of a Toad by Doug Wechsler
Blue Sky White Stars by Sarvinder Naberhaus, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris
How to be an Elephant by Katherine Roy
Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask About Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw, photographs by Matt Carr
Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees by Mary Beth Leatherdale, illustrated by Eleanor Shakespeare
My Recent Recommended Adult/YA Reading
Eleanor Olipant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Tradition by Brendan Kiely
Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu
Heart Talk: Poetric Wisdom for a Better Life by Cleo Wade
2018 Books I Am Excited to Read Soon
Drawn Together by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat
Good Rosie! by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Harry Bliss
Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, illustrated by Nicholas Gannon
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
Rebound by Kwame Alexander
Sometimes You Fly by Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt
How Do I Find Books?
Twitter recommendations:
- @donalynbooks
- @ebonyteach (mostly YA)
- @colbysharp
- @mrschureads