Developing Advanced Teen Readers: A Parent's Guide to Books for 10th Graders

Under the iron bridge

By Kacer, Kathy

Description: "It's 1938 in Dusseldorf, Germany, and Paul is feeling pressured to join the Hitler Youth. The last thing he wants to do is march around with a bunch of bullies, supporting the Gestapo and abusing the city's Jews, but even Paul's parents think he should go along with his classmates in order to keep himself safe. Inspired by the true story of the Edelweiss Pirates, a group that declared "Eternal War on the Hitler Youth," Under the Iron Bridge is a tale of courage in the face of cruelty. Part of the Holocaust Remembrance Series for Young Readers."--Provided by publisher.

The watcher in the garden

By Phipson, Joan

Description: Fifteen-year-old Kitty becomes engaged in a deadly struggle of the will and mind with Terry, a young hood out to get the land, with its marvelous, peaceful garden, which belongs to an old blind man.

The blood years

By Arnold, Elana K

Description: From Michael L. Printz honoree & National Book Award finalist Elana K. Arnold comes the harrowing story of a young girl's struggle to survive the Holocaust in Romania. Frederieke Teitler and her older sister, Astra, live in a house, in a city, in a world divided. Their father ran out on them when Rieke was only six, leaving their mother a wreck and their grandfather as their only stable family. He's done his best to provide for them and shield them from antisemitism, but now, seven years later, being a Jew has become increasingly dangerous, even in their beloved home of Czernowitz, long considered a safe haven for Jewish people. And when Astra falls in love and starts pulling away from her, Rieke wonders if there's anything in her life she can count on—and, if so, if she has the power to hold on to it. Then—war breaks out in Europe. First the Russians, then the Germans, invade Czernowitz. Almost overnight, Rieke and Astra's world changes, and every day becomes a struggle: to keep their grandfather's business, to keep their home, to keep their lives. Rieke has long known that she exists in a world defined by those who have power and those who do not, and as those powers close in around her, she must decide whether holding on to her life might mean letting go of everything that has ever mattered to her—and if that's a choice she will even have the chance to make. Based on the true experiences of her grandmother's childhood in Holocaust-era Romania, award-winning author Elana K. Arnold weaves an unforgettable tale of love and loss in the darkest days of the twentieth century—and one young woman's will to survive them.

Artemis Fowl

By Colfer, Eoin

Description: After being held prisoner for years, Artemis Fowl's father has finally come home. He is a new man—an honest man, much to Artemis's horror. He makes his son promise to give up his life of crime, and Artemis has to go along with it. But not until he has completed one last scheme. Artemis has constructed a super-computer from stolen fairy technology. Called the "C Cube," it will render all existing human technology obsolete. He arranges a meeting with a powerful Chicago businessman, Jon Spiro, to broker a deal for the C Cube. But Spiro springs a trap—he steals the C Cube and mortally injures Butler. Artemis knows his only hope of saving his loyal bodyguard is to employ fairy magic; so once again he must contact his old rival, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon fairy police. It is going to take a miracle to save Butler, and Artemis's luck may just run out. . . From the Compact Disc edition.

Slay

By Morris, Brittney

Description: A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2019! "Gripping and timely." -- People "The YA debut we're most excited for this year." -- Entertainment Weekly "A book that knocks you off your feet while dropping the kind of knowledge that'll keep you down for the count. Prepare to BE slain." --Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Odd One Out Ready Player One meets The Hate U Give in this dynamite debut novel that follows a fierce teen game developer as she battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther –inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents for Black gamers. By day, seventeen-year-old Kiera Johnson is an honors student, a math tutor, and one of the only Black kids at Jefferson Academy. But at home, she joins hundreds of thousands of Black gamers who duel worldwide as Nubian personas in the secret multiplayer online role-playing card game, SLAY. No one knows Kiera is the game developer, not her friends, her family, not even her boyfriend, Malcolm, who believes video games are partially responsible for the "downfall of the Black man." But when a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the SLAY world, news of the game reaches mainstream media, and SLAY is labeled a racist, exclusionist, violent hub for thugs and criminals. Even worse, an anonymous troll infiltrates the game, threatening to sue Kiera for "anti-white discrimination." Driven to save the only world in which she can be herself, Kiera must preserve her secret identity and harness what it means to be unapologetically Black in a world intimidated by Blackness. But can she protect her game without losing herself in the process?

The death cure

By Dashner, James

Description: Don't miss book three in the #1 New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, soon to be a major motion picture starring Dylan O'Brien! WICKED has taken everything from Thomas: his life, his memories, and now his only friends—the Gladers. But it's finally over. The trials are complete, after one final test. What WICKED doesn't know is that Thomas remembers far more than they think. And it's enough to prove that he can't believe a word of what they say. Thomas beat the Maze. He survived the Scorch. He'll risk anything to save his friends. But the truth might be what ends it all. The time for lies is over. The first two books, The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials , are also #1 worldwide blockbuster movies featuring the star of MTV's Teen Wolf , Dylan O'Brien; Kaya Scodelario; Aml Ameen; Will Poulter; and Thomas Brodie-Sangster! Also look for The Fever Code , the much-buzzed-about series conclusion that finally reveals the story of how the maze was built, and James Dashner's other bestselling series, the Mortality Doctrine : The Eye of Minds , The Rule of Thoughts , and The Game of Lives . Praise for James Dashner and the Maze Runner series: A #1 New York Times Bestselling Series A USA Today Bestseller A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year An ALA-YASLA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book An ALA-YALSA Quick Pick "[A] mysterious survival saga that passionate fans describe as a fusion of Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games, and Lost. " —EW.com "Wonderful action writing— fast-paced . . . but smart and well observed." — Newsday "[A ] nail-biting must-read." —Seventeen.com "Breathless, cinematic action. " — Publishers Weekly " Heart-pounding to the very last moment." — Kirkus Reviews " Exclamation-worthy. " — Romantic Times " Take a deep breath before you start any James Dashner book." — Deseret News

Behind the mountains

By Danticat, Edwidge

Description: Writing in the notebook which her teacher gave her, thirteen-year-old Celiane describes life with her mother and brother in Haiti as well as her experiences in Brooklyn after the family finally immigrates there to be reunited with her father.

Women writers of the West

By Danneberg, Julie

Description: Jessie Benton Fremont -- Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe -- Mary Hallock Foote -- Helen Hunt Jackson -- Gertrude Bonnin.

Beholder

By La Sala, Ryan

Description: From Ryan La Sala, author of the tantalizingly twisted The Honeys and riotously imaginative Reverie, comes a chilling new contemporary fable about art, aesthetic obsession, and the gaze that peers back at us from behind our reflections. No one survived the party at the penthouse. Except Athan. Athanasios "Athan" Bakirtzis has made it far in life relying on his charm and good looks, even securing an invitation to a mysterious penthouse soiree for New York City's artsy elite. But when he sneaks off to the bathroom, he hears a slam, followed by a scream. Athan peers outside, only to be pushed back in by a boy his age. The boy gravely tells him not to open the door, then closes Athan in. Outside the door, the party descends into chaos. Through hours of howls, laughter, and sobs, Athan stays hidden. When he finally emerges, he discovers a massacre where the corpses appear to have arranged themselves into a disturbingly elegant sculpture-and Athan's mysterious savior is nowhere to be found. Athan-the only known survivor-is now the primary suspect. In a race to prove his innocence, Athan is swept up in a supernatural mystery, one of secret occult societies and deadly eldritch horrors with rather distinctive taste. Something evil is waking up in the walls of New York City, and it's compelling victims toward violence, chaos, and self-destruction. Bound to him by a mysterious hereditary power, Athan has felt this evil hiding behind his reflection his entire life, watching him. Waiting. Now, it's taking over. "Unnerving, intricate, and glittering with La Sala's trademark wit. You'll be scared of your own reflection after this one." -Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author "Beholder takes readers through a glass darkly, and into a spellbinding, spine-tingling world no one but Ryan la Sala could have dreamed up." -Caleb Roehrig, author of Last Seen Leaving and The Fell of Dark "If it's unhinged horror of the mind, you know it's a La Sala. This berserk

Ruined

By Tintera, Amy

Description: New York Times bestseller Amy Tintera's YA fantasy trilogy blends the romance of Kiera Cass's Selection series and the epic stakes of Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen in a story of revenge, adventure, and unexpected love. Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war; her parents were killed and her sister was kidnapped. Even though Em is only a useless Ruined--completely lacking any magic--she is determined to get revenge. Her plan is simple: She will infiltrate the enemy's kingdom, posing as the crown prince's betrothed. She will lead an ambush. She will kill the king and everything he holds dear, including his son. The closer Em gets to the prince, though, the more she questions her mission. Her rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life--and her family--on the line, love could be Em's deadliest mistake.

How to help your child get more from books

• Encourage Critical Analysis: Discussion on themes, character motivation, or societal implications for each story. In "Long Way Down," discuss what created the cycles of violence.

• Relate It to Real Life: Make connections between what's happening in the book to current events or your teen's life. "The Sun Is Also a Star" opens up issues on immigration and cultural identity.

• Constructing Other People's Thinking: Explain different perspectives of the characters, particularly for works such as "WHEN MORNING COMES," which are set at the time of some historical events.

• Add in Some Nonfiction: Mix fictional readings with related nonfiction to develop deeper understandings. In "Front Lines," include research about women's participation in World War II.

• Writing encouragement: Discuss journaling or creative writing based on the books read.

• Utilize Technology: Leverage web resources, podcasts related to the book at hand, or interviews with the authors.

• Book Club Member/Founder: Discussions made in a group about the books read improve comprehension amongst friends and make reading enjoyable.

• Respect Reading Choices: Give them guidance toward the good stuff, but ultimately let your teenager choose what they want to read.

• Setting Reading Goals If your teenager can set a personal goal-a number of books, perhaps, or trying different kinds of books.

• Lead by example: Share your own reading experiences and discuss books that you are currently reading.

Why Choose Moboo for Books for Your 10th Graders

At Moboo, we're committed to nurturing advanced teen readers and supporting parents in their children's literary journeys:

• Handpicked Selection: Our professional staff personally selects books suitable, interesting, and thought-provoking for 10th graders.

• Diverse Collection: Books reflecting diversity in culture, experience, and perspective will be given a higher selection priority as reflected in this recommended list.

• Knowledgeable Staff: Our employees are educated to advise on book choices that align with interests, reading levels, and family values of your teenager.

• Events: We organize author talks, book clubs, and other literature events of interest to high school readers.

• Parent Resources: We provide guides and workshops for parents to help them engage with their teens' reading.

• Personalized Recommendations: Our booksellers can help put together a reading list that suits your kid's preference and reading history.

• Community Partnerships: We also work with the local schools and libraries on literacy and education support.

• Online Convenience: Unable to stop by the store? Our user-friendly website makes it simple to browse and order books from home.

• Book Box Subscriptions: We provide a curated month-to-month book box in the genre chosen for your 10th grader, exposing them to different topics and authors.

• Loyalty Program: Earn points for every purchase, and enjoy the ability to attend special events and early book releases.

Negotiating Challenging Materials within the Young Adult Novel

With more mature and higher themes of literature on offer to a 10th grader, parents should expect the following:

• Open Communication: Give your teen permission to discuss any material that is too challenging or uncomfortable for them to process.

• Give your teenager perspective about where these sensitive subjects fall within the historical or social context of each book, including "Exit, Pursued by a Bear."

• Develop Critical Thinking: Use the books to initiate discussions about current complex social issues, ethics, and personal values.

• Respect Emotional Responses: Books can be emotionally evocative; acknowledge and discuss these emotions with your teen.

• Offer Further Resources: Sometimes books bring up more questions or areas of concern. Find a trusted source for further information and conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions

No two teens are alike on this read journey. The key is to make this a very rewarding and enriching experience, then it will be a lifelong set of books and learning. Happy reading!