tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post5893671082758784989..comments2023-06-25T06:28:42.557-04:00Comments on Reading on the F Train: R is for RigorUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-57636189126786417742013-04-21T12:41:44.469-04:002013-04-21T12:41:44.469-04:00Hello, Mrs. Silverstein! I think many of the "...Hello, Mrs. Silverstein! I think many of the "rigorous" books on school reading lists shouldn't be there. I think that's what turns off teens from reading, which is so sad! <br /><br />The Outsiders, and anything by S.E. Hinton really, are great for making teens think outside the box, and the stories are enjoyable. I agree with the above commenter that The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is excellent (though it's definitely not middle-grade...I actually think it's even more adult than teen...but I think it gets categorized as teen just because the MC is a child) and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith is terrific, too.<br /><br />Good luck!!<br /><br />Happy A to Z-ing! from <a href="http://lauramarcella.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines</a>Laura S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13934230198562773803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2671037899293269779.post-19803503442378872762013-04-20T23:04:16.140-04:002013-04-20T23:04:16.140-04:00This is such a great question! I hope you'll c...This is such a great question! I hope you'll consider posting about the answers you get. I like a good "rigorous" YA text and could use some recommendations as well. <br /><br />I'd say that THE BOOK THIEF certainly fits the bill (though I think some people consider that novel to be middle grade?), as well as THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN and THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER. I'll go ahead and say that JELLICOE ROAD is rigorous too, and I'm not just because it's my favorite. ;-)Katy Uppermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07725740174190514869noreply@blogger.com