"I hate to read!" This isn't a new claim made by reluctant readers. Forcing by parents doesn't work any more than threats and coercion from teachers. The result is just more hating-to-read.
Not choosing reading as a pastime or a leisure activity is incredible to some of us who carry a book everywhere. But for some young adult readers, becoming involved with a plot line is next to torture.Reading teachers in the California Reading Association took this dilemma to heart and asked reluctant readers themselves what they recommended as favorite titles when they did read.
The following list of books, published by Booklist and the American Library Association, was assembled to help adults suggest titles that have been read and recommended by reluctant readers across the United States in grades 7-12 who said, "I hate to read, but I really liked this book . . . "
"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou. Random, 1970.
An autobiography of a black girl growing up in Arkansas and San Francisco. Chapters that almost stand alone help this to be an enjoyable read.
"Sounder" by William H. Armstrong. HarperCollins, 1969.
A black man steals food for his family and is imprisoned. A dramatic piece of literature.
"Jonathan Livingston Seagull" by Richard Bach. Macmillan, 1970.
A thoughtful book with lots of "reading-between-the-lines" messages. The shortest book on the list.
"To Sir With Love" by E.R. Braithwaite. Prentice-Hall, 1960.
The autobiography of a black World War II soldier who becomes a teacher in an "impossible" school in London.
"The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford. Little, Brown, 1961.
After being left at home, a Siamese cat, a bull terrier and a Labrador retriever make a dangerous journey through the Canadian wilderness to find their master.
"I Heard the Owl Call My Name" by Margaret Craven. Doubleday, 1970.
A young minister finds out he is dying when he is sent to a Kwakiutl Indian tribe on his church assign-ment.
"The Cat Ate My Gymsuit" by Paula Danziger. Delacorte, 1974.
The story of a 13-year-old who finds strength in the new English teacher, Ms. Finney.
"I Know What You Did Last Summer" by Lois Duncan. Little Brown, 1973.
A real thriller mystery begins when four teenagers are responsible for a hit-and-run accident.
"Go Ask Alice" Anonymous. Simon & Schuster, 1971.
This story of drug addiction is purposefully based on the diary of a 15-year-old girl.
"Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne W. Houston and James D. Houston. Bantam/Starfire, 1983.
The autobiography of an American child in a concentration camp during World War II.
"Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank. Doubleday, 1967.
The autobiography of a 13-year-old Jewish girl hiding from the Nazis with her family. A book of shared hopes and fears.
"My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George. Dutton, 1988.
A boy lives off the land and teaches himself self-reliance.
"Old Yeller" by Fred Gipson. HarperCollins, 1956.
A boy and his dog in the Old West - what better combination could be found!
"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. Coward-McCann, 1955. (Putnam, paper).
A group of schoolboys stranded on a Pacific island must look to themselves for survival.
"All Creatures Great and Small" by James Herriot. St. Martin's, 1972.
A collection of short stories. This is a good read for those who have a difficult time staying on-task.
"The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton. Viking, 1967.
Probably the most popular book written for teenagers, this story is about the life in the city between two groups.
"That Was Then, This Is Now" by S.E. Hinton. Viking, 1971.
A story of drugs, loyalty and friendship.
"Up The Down Staircase" by Bel Kaufman. Prentice-Hall Press, 1965.
The many emotions in this book - humor, sadness and frustration - are found from two points of view, a first-year English teacher and the students in her classroom.
"To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. Lippincott, 1961.
Probably the most "assigned" novel in secondary schools. However, the issue of a black man accused of raping a white girl and the trial is one that leads to much controversy and debate.
"A Wrinkle In Time" by Madeleine L'Engle. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1962.
The combination of realism and fantasy make this a "can't-put-down" book for readers who see themselves as a child in a complex world.
"The Last Mission" by Harry Mazer. Delacorte, 1979.
A 15-year-old lies his way into the air force during World War II and discovers that war is not a glamorous thing.
"Aren't You The One Who . . . ?" by Frances A. Miller. Macmillan, 1983.
The sequel to "The Truth Trap," this is about a boy who is accused of a murder he didn't commit. This is followed by "Losers and Winners."
"Edgar Allen" by John Neufeld. S.G. Phillips, 1968.
A white family tries unsuccessfully to adopt a three-year-old black child. This is told in first person and the reading style is simple.
"Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell. Houghton Mifflin, 1960.
A young Indian girl is left on an island and has to fend for herself.
"Remembering the Good Times" by Richard Peck. Delacorte, 1985.
When a teenager commits suicide, it causes a big fracture in the lives of three close friends.
"A Day No Pigs Would Die" by Robert Newton Peck. Knopf, 1972.
A boy grows into manhood on a farm. First-person style makes this an interesting read.
"Where the Red Fern Grows" (1961) by Wilson Rawls, Doubleday.
The two books by an author whom young people read again and again. These involve a young boy and his adventure with animals. In the first, he tries to recapture a band of escaped circus monkeys for the reward. The second is one of the most popular boy-and-dog stories written.
"The Catcher In The Rye" by J.D. Salinger. Little, Brown, 1951.
This is considered the "classic of the '50s" and is about a teenager who doubts the reality of everyday people.
"My Name Is Davy - I'm An Alcoholic" by Anne Synder. Holt, 1977.
This is one on the list that is out-of-print and is no longer available in paperback. This is a shame, since many young people can learn vicariously about alcohol through this powerful book. Try the libraries!
"The Cay" by Theodore Taylor. Doubleday, 1969.
A young boy learns about prejudice and respect when he is blinded and marooned on an island with a black man who cares for him. Taylor's best.
"The Hobbit: Or, There and Back Again" by J.R.R. Tolkien. Houghton Mifflin, 1956.
High fantasy is at its best in this book, which has a wide-reading audience of adults as well as younger readers. It is the story of Bilbo who struggles with the creature of darkness and all good and evil.
"The Lord Of The Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien. Houghton Mifflin.
v. 1: "The Fellowship of the Ring," 1954.
v. 2: "The Two Towers," 1955.
v. 3: "The Return of the King," 1956.
These three volumes chronicle the last great conflict between the doers of darkness and the forces of good.
"Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt. Macmillan. 1981.
This is one of a series about the Tillerman family as they grow together and learn to live fully. (This series is certainly recommended over some of the "pulp series" books with inane characters and little worthwhile theme.)
"The Pigman" by Paul Zindel. HarperCollins, 1968.
The unusual style of this book - alternating chapters narrated by the two protagonists - fits this powerful story of blossoming friendship with a lonely old man.