Lots of strategies!

This website has tons of stuff for teachers, including strategies for reading and even classroom management!
kimskorner4teachertalk.com

The reading lady

This site seems really neat.  The website holder uses it as a semiblog, but she has teacher book clubs, strategies, and discussions about state curriculum.  She even has a section called author studies, apparently these are strategies to help build community in the classroom through books. 
thereadinglady.com

Cool website for reading and comprehension strategies!

I came across this website several years ago.  It is geared for social studies teachers, but most of the site can be applied to any subject.  It has tons of strategies for teaching and assessing student comprehension. It even has black line masters and  directions for each strategy.

readingquest.org

Story of a Girl-Sara Zarr

This book definitely fits into the realistic fiction category and has a message to young girls.  It is all about this girl that falls for her older brother's friend at 13.  The older brother's friend has a physical relationship with her for a while, making her feel pretty and wanted, until her dad catches them in a compromising position and everyone in school hears about it.  Deanna becomes an outcast, at school and at home.  Her dad can barely look at her.  The book starts off several years after this disaster, as Deanna is dealing with some family issues.  She wants desperately to move out and baby sit for her brother and his wife, who are currently living in her parents' basement.  She watches them struggle to find their way in their relationship, realizes that they have to go out on their own, and deals with the fact that her dad still doesn't trust her.  Her best friends are a couple, and she has some jealousy issues there.  She is trully just trying to find her place.  Which happens to be working at a pizza resturaunt with the boy from the backseat of the car.  This book is a good read for young ladies that are reaching the age of maturity, perhaps eighth grade at the youngest.  It is also written at about the eighth or ninth grade level. 

Son of the Mob

I ended up putting this book in the realistic fiction category, but I'm not sure that this is where it belongs. I say that because even though this could happen, this book is not necessarily reflective of the everyday lives of students. This book is about a young man trying to date and survive in a world where people are afraid of his family because they are mob bosses.  His best friend is a bit socially awkward and tries to live viacariously through him. His house is bugged, and his dad talks to the FBI agents through the bugs to let them know he knows they are listening.  Then he realizes that his new girlfriend is the daughter of the FBI agent resposible for watching his dad.  He thinks his mom is just a good Italian mom, loving with food....until he realizes that she set up a hit of her own that his dad doesn't even know about.  This book has it all, humor, suspense, and romance.  Great book for guys and girls, since it is a romance but is written from a guy's point of view.  Probably more appropriate for eighth grade and up. 

The Beast- Walter Dean Meyers

Walter Dean Meyers is known for his books that cater to young African Americans and most reluctant readers.  He writes in many different formats, from plays to novels written in letter format.  I have seen a lot of my students reading his books, especially Monster.  Monster is a book written like a collection of letters from and to a young man spending time in prison.  The Beast is the book that I read by this author, and I enjoyed it.  It was easy to read, although I found the content to be a little bit much for middle schoolers.  Most middle schoolers could probably keep up with the format and writing style, but the story deals with young love that is threatened by a heroin addiction.  A young man gets sent off to a private boarding school from a neighborhood that is mostly lower socioeconomic class.  He has to deal with staying true to his neighborhood, find his way in a predominiately rich student school, and stay in touch with his artistic girlfriend back home.  Then he comes home and finds her addicted to heroin, her younger brother hanging out with gangbangers, her mother on her death bed and her blind grandfather struggling to help out.  This book is probably questionable for young students becuase of its drug references and mild sex scenes, but it would be perfect for eighth grade and up.

Guardian of the Dead- Fantastic Fiction

Karen Healy's book Gaurdian of the Dead was a wonderful book, full of imaginary creatures banding together to fight a group of nomadic creatures bent on taking over the world.  It is geared toward the higher level readers in high school, focusing on the main character who is dealing with all of the awkwardness of this age.  Ellie is at boarding school, and she meets a  young man that activates her magic.  Once she convinces him to tell her what is going on, she embarks on a journey with him that takes her into a world that includes magic stealing leprechaun-like creatures, a sleeping woman that guards the gates to the world of the dead, and just enough gore to keep even the guys interested.  This book also has a smidgen of romance for the teenage girl, but nothing too hot and heavy.  Plenty of drama and something for everyone in this age group.  Probably best for higher level readers in the 15-21 age group. 

Our Only May Ameilia- Historical Fiction

As I perused the books in the young adult section of my local library, I came across this book.  It was clearly historical fiction, its sepia toned cover depicting a young girl in old fashioned dress.  I picked it up, and as I began to read there story line pulled me in.  The plot is based on a young girl's diary from the early 1900's.  She is the only girl in a family of all boys, and the family has immigrated and is helping to settle Washington state.  The book follows her through her grandmother's cruelty, the death of her baby sister, and in the prologue tells of her beginnings as a teacher.  It is a book of hardships, and triumphs, but it is not one that I believe most students would pick up on their own.  It is definitely written for the youngest end of the young adult spectrum.  The simplicity of the writing gears the book for children of the same age group as the main character.  I do believe that students would enjoy this book if they gave it a chance, but while the major themes are mostly something students would identify with, they have know real prior knowledge to base their understandings on. In other words, it may be difficult for some students to identify with and imagine.  In one scene, May Ameilia dresses like a boy and gets a job running down the river and letting people know when the loggers are going to let the logs float down river.  I would recommend this book, but you may have to guide students in the reading and perhaps show pictures of some of the major scenes.  This way they will have something to base their imaginings on.