The Gateway Readers Award

How to Hook Kids on Reading with Great Books

Margaret Sullivan, Librarian --Rockwood Summit High School – Fenton, MOJenni George, Librarian – Ft. Zumwalt South High School – St. Peters, MOLois Parker, Librarian – Greenfield High School– Greenfield, MO

Why Have Choice in the Language Arts Classroom?

•Readers bring their interests, personal backgrounds, and prior experiences to the reading process.•Research related to self-selection of reading materials shows that through this shift in power, learners take greater ownership in their learning process and their motivation to read increases.

Choi, Cynthia. “Benefits of Self Selected Reading Materials.” Academic Exchange Quarterly 22 June 2005. Free Library. Farlex. 2005. 23 Feb. 2009 < http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Benefit+of+self-selecting+reading+materials-a0136071117>.

What can you do to keep kids reading?

Help your students learn to find books they like on their own.

Broz, Bill. “Supporting and Teaching Student Choice: Offering Students Self-Selected Reading.” ALAN Review Fall 2003. bnet. CBS Interactive. 2009. 23 Feb. 2008 <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/

mi_qa4063/is_200310/ai_n9253866>.

•The average Barnes & Noble Booksellers has 74 shelves dedicated to young adult. literature. Religion, meanwhile, averages 110 shelves.•Almost every major publishing house has a teen imprint•Sales of young adult fiction has increased 25% from 1999 and 2005.•We are in the second golden years of YA publishing, according to such diverse sources as Michael Cart and David Levithan.• YA books are better written and more diverse.•More books are being written for older teens.

You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby – Young Adult Lit. is Growing Up

"Harry Potter has made kids trust the book as a source of information that is exciting, not just a school assignment. But teens, like adults, live in the real world. And I get the sense that they appreciate fiction that's honest and might give them a glimpse of what awaits them as adults.“~Jack Martin, assistant coordinator of YA services at the New York Public Library

"With all the stressful things about school and sports and getting into college, it's really relaxing to get into bed and read about kids that are experiencing the same things but also are more interesting than your own life."~Madison Springgate, 17

Reno, Jamie. “Generation R (R Is for Reader).” Newsweek. 14 May 2008 <http://www.newsweek.com/id/136961/page/1>. Hutkin, Erinn . “Who says teens don't read?” Roanoke.com 23 Oct. 2007 <http://www.roanoke.com/entertainment/ wb/xp-136866>.

History of the Gateway Award

• Prior to 2003, the Missouri Association of School Librarians sponsored two readers’ incentive award programs: the Show-Me-Readers’ Award and the Mark Twain Readers’ Award.

• In 2000, the program was piloted by Missouri high school librarians under the leadership of Sally Hatton.

•The program was officially recognized and sponsored by MASL in 2003.

Goals of the Program

• To encourage Missouri young adults in grades 9 through 12 to select and read quality literature that appeals to their needs, interests and reading levels. • To recognize and honor outstanding works in young adult literature. • To develop a cooperative relationship among schools, libraries and teens. • To encourage the development of school and public library services to teens.

How the Award Works• Committee of nine librarians (8 MASL members and 1 MLA

member)• Committee members read as many books as possible from

August-May• List is narrowed down to 50 titles in early May• List is narrowed to 25 titles in early August• Reader/Selectors determine final 15 titles in early December• Committee works two years ahead (e.g. – we are currently

reading c2008 books for 2010-2011 list• Student votes determine the winning book. Any student who

read 3 or more of the 15 nominated titles is eligible to vote for his/her favorite book. Votes must be submitted by the school librarian by March 10 each year.

Guidelines for Choosing Gateway Books

• Books should interest teenagers in grades nine through twelve.

• Books should be written by an author living in the United States.

• Books should be of literary value which may enrich teenager's personal lives. Books should be published two years prior to nomination on a Master List of 15 Nominees.

• Some consideration should be given to genre diversity, gender representation, range of reading level (avoiding elementary levels), racial diversity, and diversity of social, political, economic, and religious viewpoints. Books should be appropriate for teenagers.

"Breakneck pace and dizzying emotion."

“a funny and touching first novel about family--both the one we are born to and the one we create ourselves.”

"A thrilling, multifaceted adventure story... A winner

at every level."

“…challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just

where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive. “

“a shocking and fast-paced thriller … ripped from the headlines”

If your past were a blank, what would your future be?

“Thought-provoking and heart-

wrenching."

Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of

ancient rules and modern expectations

swirl together

More, More, More! Book Suggestions Hotspots

•Book blogging sites• Reading Rants• Boys Blogging Books• 3 Evil Cousins• Guys Read

•Teen Review Sites• Teens Read• Flamingnet

•Book Prize Lists• Printz Award• BBYA• Quick Picks

•Publications• VOYA, Book Forum• Teen Ink

•Browsing• Bookstores• Library shelves

•Your Librarian

Involving Students• Encourage students to select Gateway titles for novel of

choice or lit circle reading• Set up a blog for students to discuss Gateway titles• Create a wiki for students to post reviews of books• Assign a multimedia project that allows students to promote

the program• Encourage students to create booktalks & podcasts promoting

Gateway books• Read some of the Gateway titles yourself and talk to students

about them• Offer extra credit opportunities for students who read

Gateway books• Work with your librarian to create a community of Gateway

readers

...a chillingly accurate portrayal of the high-school social scene, in

which morals, perceptions and conceptions of truth

are continually...challenged

CAN ONE UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP SAVE A LIFE?

Living with a secret isn't easy….

a no-holds-barred look at what

happens when life doesn't go as

planned

Part thriller, part historical novel,

Tallgrass is a riveting

exploration of the darkest---and

best---parts of the human

heart.

I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

Todd Strasser reveals what really goes on in highly

secretive -- and notoriously dangerous --

boot camps, a stealth prison system where any

teenager under the age of eighteen can be

imprisoned at his parents' whim.

Want to get in touch with us?

Margaret Sullivan sullivanmargaret@rockwood.k12.mo.us

Jenni George jgeorge@fz.k12.mo.us

“A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face.  It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy. ” ~Edward P. Morgan