A puzzling pairing

One technique I’ve used with reluctant readers is finding their “springboard books.” I ask my students what their favorite book is and tell them they can pick something they liked in 2nd grade or even a picture book. This gives me good insight into what types of books they might like that are grade level appropriate. I call these their springboard books and will include notes on typical springboard books for each of my reviews. I also like to pair a modern book with a classic in the genre. I find that many of my reluctant readers are particularly reluctant to pick up anything with some age on it. In middle school in particular, it can help to ease students into the classic works they’ll read as part of high school curricula if you can pave the way with some older classics of YA lit.

A modern/classic pairing that has been a good fit for many of my reluctant middle school readers is The Puzzling World of Winston Breen and The Westing Game.

  

The Puzzling World of Winston Breen follows 12 year old Winston Breen during a treasure hunt sparked by a puzzle in an antique box. The book has all the traditional elements of a classic mystery/quest novel such as suspense and an exciting climax, but it really sets itself apart through its use of brainteasers and puzzles. Readers are challenged to solve the puzzles along with Winston. Eric Berlin creates rich and relatable main characters and sprinkles quirky secondary characters throughout the book. Younger middle grade readers enjoy the quick pacing and older readers will find the puzzles challenging. This book has been a particular hit with some of the male reluctant readers in my cohort, particularly those who are visual learners.

The Westing Game is a true classic. Ellen Raskin’s crackpot characters and complex mystery have engaged readers for decades. The book holds up really well and does not feel particularly dated as very few elements of the novel are rooted to a specific time. Each of the heirs to the Westing fortune finds themselves as they attempt to lay claim to the inheritance. Raskin does a wonderful job of painting each of the characters’ own journeys through the mystery. There is a character in the book whose personal journey will resonate with almost any reader. The surprise reveal at the end of the book is classic and has many imitators but few peers. The book skews slightly older in audience than Winston Breen, so it makes for an excellent follow up read.

Both books are excellent for ELA lessons about plot development and structure. Westing Game lends itself beautifully to discussions about character development.

Here’s a quick snapshot of this pairing.

Recommended for: middle grade readers, ages 9-13, reluctant readers, mystery fans, visual learners

Reluctant reader rating: *** (3 out of 4 stars)

Springboard books: Herculeah Jones, Encyclopedia Brown, Box Car Children, Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys, sudoku/crossword puzzle books

 

 

Welcome!

Welcome to the inaugural post of YOLOYAlit! I am hoping this blog will become a great place to read reviews on YA books, share YA related activities with other teachers and librarians, and post occasional news or features on the YA lit world.

I currently work with 7th graders at a middle school and while I have many avid leisure readers, I also have a fair number of very reluctant readers. Some of my readers are reluctant because they prefer to do other things in their leisure time, others are reluctant because reading is a struggle for them due to specific reading disabilities. I firmly believe that there is a book for everyone, so I will try to get off the beaten path sometimes to seek out books that may resonate with reluctant readers. Reviews will have a standard rating, but each book will also receive a special “Reluctant Reader Rating” and review blurb. My current students will be serving as a de facto review board, so ratings will be informed by their feedback and this blog may even include the occasional guest post by a student.