Ella Enchanted

This is a spin off of the classic tale Cinderella. Ella, the protagonist, is given a "gift" by a fairy named Lucinda when she is just a baby. Ella's "gift" is obedience. She must do whatever she is told. This is both embarrassing for Ella in many circumstances, but also proves to be dangerous. I think this book would work very well as a read aloud in class. It is a fun, entertaining read that most students would enjoy!

Levine, G. (1997). Ella enchanted. New York: HarperCollins.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

This is the first in a series of seven books telling the epic tale of a young wizard, Harry Potter. In this first book, we read about Harry’s entrance into the magical world. He discovers he is a wizard, begins his first year at Hogwarts, a school of magic, and has many dangerous yet thrilling encounters. Harry becomes best friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and together, the three of them attempt to protect the Sorcerer’s Stone, which they believe is in danger of being stolen. This book that teaches about friendship and bravery is inspiring, whimsical, and full of adventure! It has been published in many different countries.

I would definitely use this book for a read aloud or for a whole class novel study.

Rowling, J. (1998). Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone. New York: A.A. Levine Books.

The Hunger Games

This is a widely known story. The Hunger Games is the first in a a series of three books about a futuristic dystopia. Each year, 2 tributes from each of the 12 districts are randomly selected to participate in a gruesome fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist, volunteers to take the place of her sister in these horrific "games," and the events that follow leave readers unable to put the book down!

In older grades, I would certainly consider using this book as a read aloud. However, it is likely that I would simply keep it in the classroom library (in upper grades). I think that the content may be too sensitive for the classroom setting in some cases.

The book was also made into a major motion picture which has yielded a lot of popularity.

Collins, S. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press.

Divergent

Roth, V. (2011). Divergent. Harper Collins.

This is the first in a series of truly fascinating books! I could not put it down. This novel tells the story of Beatrice, or Tris, who is living in a futuristic society divided into factions. Tris is at the age that she must decide which faction to spend the rest of her life in- this could mean deciding to live apart from the family she grew up with. This story has so many different components that make it popular. It is a coming-of-age novel, it is about a dystopia, there is a lot of romance, and the book is full of action! 

I would consider using this for a read aloud in class. It is such an exciting read and I think it would be very enjoyable. I would only do that in upper grades. I would definitely include this book and the rest of the series in my classroom library, if nothing else. I think it would be extremely popular with most students. 

The book has also been made into a fantastic movie. It is rated PG-13 so I would not show it in class. 

Half Magic

Eager, E., & Bodecker, N. (1999). Half magic. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt Brace.

This is a fascinating story of four children who come across a magical coin. Of course, there is a catch. The coin only grants half wishes. For example, when the children's mother wishes she was home, she is transported just halfway there. The book is one in a series of seven magical tales by Edward Eager, the covers of which are illustrated by the talented Quentin Blake. The different stories in the series have unrelated characters. This is one criticism I have. After reading the first book, I was eager to read more about the characters from Half Magic, but the next in the series had different characters entirely. That said, each story in the Tales of Magic series brings something different to the table and is wonderful in its own way.

I think that this story could be interesting to reference in relation to math. It could be used to review fractions and why two halves equal a whole. While I may not center a whole math lesson around the book, it would certainly be helpful to reference it.