I spend a year choosing the books for the programme - a final 20 are selected across a variety of genres - from historical fiction to horror, multicultural to mystery, romance to magical realism to memoirs, mostly published within the last year but also including one classic. The idea is to get the students reading books that perhaps they would never have chosen for themselves, be it because of the way a book looks or its content or its genre. Of course, I always throw in a couple I know they will ALL love!
We purchase six of each book, and (apart from the classic) I don't include a copy in the library until the end of the programme - the Grade 10s feel quite exclusive, and then when I do add copies to the media centre, the rest of the students make a grab for them!
The Grade 10s have around three months in which they have to read at least eight of the books. Every two weeks, we break the students into groups based on what book they've finished reading and hold discussions. They are expected to write brief analysis pieces on each book they've read, as well as present some in the form of orals. They also have to produce a unique book cover, promotional poster or author website design for one of the books they have read.
At the conclusion of the programme, we hold a prizegiving, awarding those who have read the most as well as those who have gone beyond their and their teachers' expectations. Every year, we always get two or three students who read all 20! Prizes are also awarded for the book covers, posters and websites.
And here - pass me the envelope please - is the list in no particular order for our 2015 YCA programme, which we launched last week:
1. Going Over, by Beth Kephart
2. Dr Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets, by Evan Roskos
3. A Mad Wicked Folly, by Sharon Biggs Waller
4. We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart
5. Love Letters to the Dead, by Ava Dellaira
6. The Running Girl, by Simon Mason
7. Girl in Reverse, by Barbara Stuber
8. Like No Other, Una LaMarche
9. Hope in a Ballet Shoe, by Michaela and Elaine DePrince
10. Positive, by Paige Rawl
11. Shine, by Candy Gourlay
12. A Time to Dance, by Padma Venkatraman
13. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
14. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
15. The Keeper, by Marguerite Poland
16. Poppy, by Mary Hooper
17. A Letter for my Mother, edited by Nina Foxx
18. Memoirs of a Born Free, by Maliaka Wa Azania
19. Belzhar, by Meg Wolitzer
20. Uprooted, by Lynne Reid Banks
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