Guys Read (ORC# 6007).
This highly informative site by Jon Scieszka is packaged in a visually appealing, creative way, and is packed with relevant book lists for "guys" (young boys, lads in the middle years, and adult males). In its simplicity lies a wealth of opportunity for guys of all ages to peruse book lists targeted by age group.
Making the Match: The Right Book for the Right Reader at the Right Time, Grades 4–12 [excerpt]: Chapter 1, "What Is a Young Adult?" See page 16 for survey questions.
What do adolescents care about? Chatting online with friends, movies, their favorite bands . . . but many are also avid readers. What motivates some of these "typical teens" to become lifelong readers and others to slide by with the minimum amount of assigned reading? Teri Lesesne says the key is finding the books that get them hooked in the first place. This excerpt begins with a series of vignettes in which the writers share thoughts on teens and reading.
Making Reading a Cool Thing: Once Upon a Time (ORC# 144) . In this professional article, accomplished Ohio educator and author Sharon Draper discusses the importance of independent reading and offers ideas for promoting the love of reading. Draper challenges schools and communities to work intensely and collaboratively to encourage young people to read more.
Taking Away the Struggle to Read in the Middle Grades (ORC# 3647). This professional development article examines literacy research in order to suggest how teachers of middle grades can support struggling readers in the classroom. Three principles are discussed in detail: (1) that teachers need to know students as readers, including not only collecting assessment information about individual student strengths and areas that need development, but also exploring personal interests with students and their background knowledge about different topics; (2) that classroom and school resources should include a wide range of materials for independent and instructional reading, and that reading instruction should include work with alternative text sources such as the Internet and informational pamphlets; and (3) that time spent reading must be a priority in classroom instruction where teachers play an active role in guiding and supporting individual readers during silent reading time.