Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy has a powerful message and is a frequent choice for first year and community-wide reading programs. In his book, the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative delves deep into the broken U.S. justice system, detailing his many challenges and efforts as a lawyer and social advocate, especially on behalf of America’s

Character units are a part of many lesson plans across schools. Kids are often looking for heroes and character units are a great way to introduce young readers to not just heroes, but how important character is and that it can help everyday people turn into heroes. Welles Crowther did not see himself as hero.

Women’s history is still under-discussed and undervalued, doubly so when it comes to the history of women of color.  We’re highlighting some of our recent favorite titles, bringing these women’s stories and perspectives to the forefront.

Common Reads presents a list of classic and contemporary dystopian fiction with offerings for all-ages, ideal for use in both first-year and community reads.

As a young kid not knowing where I fit in, when I found punk music I found myself. More importantly, after years of existing in the margins at school and at home, I found a community. It wasn’t just about music (entirely), it was about a collective that accepted people for who they were, not

By Amber Bauer 5th Grade Language Arts Teacher at Conger Elementary School Delaware, OH As teachers, we all know that little pit you feel in your stomach when your principal says, “How would you feel about . . . ?” Six years ago, my principal came to me asking if I would take over a

Savvy is celebrating its 10th anniversary of publication with a special paperback edition! This Newbery Honor book has everything you could want in a coming of age story (and more): adventure, magic tattoos, and a rickety bus full of determined kids. For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a secret. At the age of thirteen, every

Bibliotherapy, or the therapeutic use of literature, can support students as they develop empathy and a deeper understanding of themselves and each other. Reading engaging and timely books in one classroom, one school, or one entire community can help educators in their mission to build a culture free from stigma and bias. JUST UNDER THE

The 2018 Global Read Aloud selections were announced and Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed was the upper elementary/middle grade selection! The Global Read Aloud aims to connect teachers and students across the globe by reading aloud the same book during a set 6-week period every fall. Amal Unbound is story of a girl’s fight to regain

Every January (or sometimes February), the ALA youth media awards are announced at the American Library Association’s Midwinter conference. Among those awards is the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature for YA books published in the previous calendar year. This year’s honorees included heavyweights such as Jason Reynolds’ Long Way Down and Angie

How to Use Wonder Beyond “Choose Kind” by L. Bruce Coffey Jr., Director of Programs at Read to Them®   At Read to Them, our mission is to help entire school communities read, explore, and share rich children’s novels. For the last six years, R. J. Palacio’s Wonder has been a very special title in

We’re thrilled to welcome author Rob Buyea to the Common Reads blog to share his own personal experience with audiobooks and why they are perfect for teachers and students.