Charlie Joe Jackson Series by Tommy Greenwald

Author Tommy Greenwald must be familiar with reluctant readers.  He has three sons, Charlie, Joe and Jack and he based the main character, Charlie Joe Jackson on them.  Charlie Joe Jackson goes to amazing lengths to avoid reading.  This series is about surviving middle school while trying to avoid academics and not really succeeding.

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The Genius Files by Dan Gutman

The Genius Files series by Dan Gutman has the combination of action and humor that appeals to a 9-12 year-old student.  Coke and Pepsi McDonald are part of a secret government program which means they are a target for several criminals.  The McDonalds are on a family trip across the U. S. in an RV.  The 13-year-old twins have to manage the life and death battles alongside the typical conflicts of a family road trip.



Click here for a free printable summary organizer called Elements and Events.

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Melvin Beederman Superhero Series by Greg Trine

I discovered this series when one of my students began reading book two at school.  Since I am always searching for books for my reluctant readers, I went to the library to read them for myself.  They definitely have a place in my classroom library.

Melvin Beederman is a superhero with a Kryptonite like weakness for bologna.  He meets his sidekick in book one and there are currently eight books in the series.
Here is a link to my Heroes and Villains writing assignment post.  There are free printable worksheets so students can create a protagonist and antagonist for their own superhero story.

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Dragonbreath Series by Ursula Vernon

The Dragonbreath series by Ursula Vernon was not written for me.  The reluctant readers -- typically boys -- love it.  I have very little trouble convincing them to try this series.

Dragonbreath has all sorts of adventures and the books are presented with sections that read more like graphic novels than traditional text.  Since my reluctant readers are often my most reluctant writers, I created a story board for them to plan their stories.  Click here for the free printable story board.

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Five Book Series for Boys

I am linking up with Swimming Into Second to share my favorite books for boys.  My girls read many of these titles, but I am constantly on the look out for books that will interest my boys.  Here are my favorites:

Alvin Ho by Lenore Look -- Alvin is a second grade boy who is afraid of everything

Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist by R. L. LaFevers -- Nathaniel Fludd discovers his family takes care of mythological creatures.

Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon -- a mix of graphic novel and text

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney -- I like the books better than the movies.
 
Melvin Beederman Superhero Series by Greg Trine --comic book characters for the elementary set

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Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist

About a year ago I reviewed Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. LaFevers.  At the time, I looked forward to reading more books in the series. As I have been collecting more titles for my fourth grade students, I got caught up with Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist.  In each episode, he learns more about the mythological creatures he is destined to take care of.  He also learns more about his family -- his missing parents and an evil cousin.

 

Update June 2014: I made blank printable "trading cards" so students can pretend to be Beastologists.

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

As many books as I have read for the age group I teach, I had not read any of the books in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series until recently.  I have a few students who read several years below the rest of the class.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid is challenging for this group.

I was having a reading conference with one of my students and he was struggling through Dog Days (Book 4)  I was trying to convince him that it wasn't a just right book.  He was determined to change my mind.

Over the next several days, he practiced.  He would come back to me and show me how he was reading more fluently and accurately.  I know this series helped motivate him to work harder.

This isn't the type of book I would pick up and read.  My husband describes the series as for boys by a boy.  (My girls read them, too.)  I did understand the attraction and there are some situations that caused me to laugh loudly.

Here is a printable reading log where students can keep track of the books they have finished and recommend them to others.

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The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

When I first saw this series, I had low expectations.  I started reading these books over the summer and was pleasantly surprised.  Each book features a character from Star Wars made out of origami.  One of the characters in the book uses it as a finger puppet to answer the questions posed by other characters.  The problems these students have are typical of ten to thirteen-year-olds.  When they follow the advice these finger puppets dispense, problems are solved somewhat unexpectedly.

What I liked about this book is each chapter is a short story told from the point of view of a different character.  The incidents are funny.  Star Wars' fans will find many references.

Update June 2014: Here is a free worksheet for students to analyze an event in the story from multiple points of view.

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Amulet: The Stonekeeper – Kazu Kibuishi

This graphic novel adventure series is typical of the cartoons I see targeted for my age group.  Father dies tragically.  Mother is missing.  The children have to battle unusual creatures on their own. They are given powers they don't completely understand.

I was first introduced to this series three years ago when one of my fifth grade non-readers started carrying around the first book.  He borrowed it from his learning support teacher and pulled it out for independent reading. Now that I know how few words there are in this story, I wonder why it took him so long to "read" it.

I don't mind having students read graphic novels during independent reading time.  Graphic novels give my struggling readers support, but they look more mature than picture books.  This book has some elements  of story that I can use in my independent reading conferences.  I won't let them have a steady diet of this type of book.  I just know better how I can use this tool to encourage real reading.

Free printable story board to encourage students to write their own graphic novel.

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Alvin Ho Series by Lenore Look

Have you read the Alvin Ho Series by Lenore Look?  The character is a second grade boy who is anxious about nearly everything.  He experiences typical second grade events -- school, birthday parties, camping trips -- with his own defenses that often bring more consequences.



This book may be a little young in reading level for my fourth graders, but I find it is a good way to explain voice in writing.  And the one-liners are hilarious.

Here is a printable character sketch form.  Students list character traits and collect evidence of that character's actions and words that show that trait.

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Favorite Read Aloud # 10 -- The Lightning Thief

To find the beginning of this series, click here.

I considered titling this post "Favorite Read Aloud # 10 -- Anything by Rick Riordan."  I abandoned that idea because even though my students are enthralled with his stories, it would be unlikely that anyone would read all of his work aloud in one school year.

I choose The Lightning Thief because it is the beginning of the first series Riordan wrote introducing the characters and the story world.  I can teach my students Greek Mythology.  We discuss character development and plot.  Just about any reading and thinking strategy I am teaching can be taught authentically in this great story line.

Here is a printable story board students can use to summarize the events in a chapter.

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Favorite Read Aloud #2 -- Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

 

I once had a fifth grade student who made $100 in a weekend mowing lawns.  I tell my students that each year hoping to inspire them to find ways to make money on their own. 

Lawn Boy begins with a boy who learns that mowing lawns is a great way to make extra money, but the business soon grows bigger than he can handle.  The math geek in me loves that the chapter titles give financial terms for what is happening in that section of the book.

Click here for a free vocabulary sheet than can be used with any book or vocabulary list.  Students can use it to collect and learn the economics vocabulary used in the book.

June 2014 I read Lawn Boy Returns this year and enjoyed it.  I would give it a red ribbon while the original gets the blue ribbon.  For an explanation of my rating system, click here.

This post is a part of my series Four Reasons Why I Read Aloud. 

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Favorite Read Aloud #1 -- The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman

Imagine if your students could create a machine that would use the internet to do their homework for them.  In this book, one student does just that, and a group of students use it to complete these assignments daily. 

I use this book to talk about moral dilemmas.  Students, and many teachers, don't like homework.  Is it okay to let a machine do it? 

If you are studying this book in class either as a read aloud or as a whole group, it would be a good book to collect evidence from the text to support a statement.  Students could state their opinions about having a homework machine and find reasons and events from the book that support their idea.

Update November 2015: Click here to download a graphic organizer for students to collect evidence from the book and other texts supporting their opinion of a homework machine.

I often read this book at the beginning of the year to establish teacher/student roles.

This post is a part of my series: Four Reasons Why I Read Aloud.

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Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. LaFevers

Nathaniel Fludd is alone in the world.  His parents are lost at sea and his governess leaves him for a Tidy Sum.  His only living relative is a beastologist.  This first book in the series leaves me ready for the next one.

December 2012 update:  I have read and reviewed more books in the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist Series, here.

June 2014 update: Here is a link to a free printable trading card blank that students can use to pretend they are Beastologists.

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