Recommended Reading Lists and Booklists
The National Council of Teachers of English favors including a wide range of literature in the curriculum, literature representative of the cultural diversity of the United States, not only recognized classics but also high-quality writing by recent and contemporary authors. However, the Council neither has nor recommends the use of a prescribed list of books to be read by students at any grade level.
A 1985 NCTE Resolution "On Curriculum" stipulates that the selection of books for use in the curriculum should be done at the local level by those "professional practitioners, the English language arts teachers, who are best qualified to decide what constitutes informed practice and curriculum content." A 1986 resolution "On Mandated Language Arts Instruction" specifies that NCTE "oppose all polices that...specify reading...lists."
With these guidelines in mind, we offer the following resources to help you make decisions about what books to read and study with your students.
NCTE Resolutions
Read more about NCTE's position on reading lists, materials selection, and mandated curriculum.
NCTE Position Statements and Guidelines
Guidelines for Selection of Materials in English Language Arts Programs
Guidelines for a Gender-Balanced Curriculum in English, Pre-K to Grade 6
Guidelines for a Gender-Balanced Curriculum in English, Grades 7-12
NCTE Online Resources
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Book Lists—Hearing from Teachers (Middle Level)
These booklists have been included in NCTE publications or have been compiled from recommendations by teachers on NCTE listservs.
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Book Lists—Hearing from Teachers (Elementary Level)
These booklists have been included in NCTE publications or have been compiled from recommendations by teachers on NCTE listservs.
NCTE Assemblies
ALAN: Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English
Children's Literature Assembly
Features of Literacy Programs: A Decision-Making Matrix ( Prepared by the Commission on Reading, National Council of Teachers of English)
SLATE Starter Sheets
Textbook Selection
Browse the NCTE Catalog
Books in the NCTE Booklist series include concise annotations and full bibliographic information about hundreds of recent titles of interest to readers and teachers of young adult and children's literature.
 Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6, 13th Edition. Author(s): Amy A. McClure and Janice V. Kristo, editors, and the Committee to Revise the Elementary School Booklist. In this latest edition of Adventuring with Books, teachers and librarians will find descriptions of more than 850 engaging texts suitable for student use in background research, unit study, or pleasure reading, and children will find books that delight, amuse, and entertain. Every young reader’s and listener’s interests will be addressed somewhere under the 24 general topics, including Science Nonfiction; Struggle and Survival; Fantasy Literature; Sports, Games, and Hobbies; and Mathematics in Our World. In an ongoing effort to highlight literature that reflects our schools’ multiple ethnicities, this booklist also introduces readers to recent literature that celebrates African American, Asian and Pacific Island, Hispanic American, and indigenous cultures. 536pp. 2002. ISBN 0-8141-0073-2. No. 00732
Read the Table of Contents
Read a Chapter Online
 Kaleidoscope: A Multicultural Booklist for Grades K-8, Fourth Edition. Author(s): Nancy Hansen-Krening, Elaine M. Aoki, and Donald T. Mizokawa, editors, and the Committee to Revise the Multicultural Booklist. Like its predecessors, this fourth edition of Kaleidoscope promotes unity through diversity by highlighting fiction and nonfiction published by and about people of color. Hundreds of annotations of books published from 1999 to 2001 are divided according to type of literature, such as informational and educational books, or contemporary issues, such as families, friends, and community. Each annotation helps teachers establish interconnections that respect and aid both ethnic-identity development and social responsibility. Annotations provide bibliographic information as well as content summaries, and readers can search for books by author, illustrator, subject, and title. 118pp. 2003. ISBN 0-8141-2539-5. No. 25395.
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Read a Chapter Online
 Books for You: An Annotated Booklist for Senior High, 14th Edition. Kylene Beers and Teri Lesesne, editors, and the Committee on the Senior High School Booklist. Beginning with a history of young adult literature, this edition of Books for You offers high school students, teachers, and librarians a comprehensive annotated list of more than a thousand books. Thematically arranged chapters allow readers to explore topics through brief entries that include bibliographic information and informative summaries. This volume is an indispensable tool for advising readers and for developing collections. Indexes will assist readers looking for a particular author, book, or topic, and the appendixes provide a list of award-winning books, URLs for publishing houses, and titles of multicultural books. 440pp. 2001. ISBN 0-8141-0372-3. No. 03723.
Read the Table of Contents
Read a Chapter Online
For more booklist publications, click here.
NCTE Journals (Full texts available to members only)
Each of these three journals regularly features children's or adolescent literature. To browse through NCTE journals, click the "Journals" link above.
Language Arts.
Until July 2001, Language Arts featured new children's literature in "Talk about Books." The regular feature is currently called "Reading Corner for Children."
Voices from the Middle.
Beginning in September 2000, Voices includes two departments which feature reviews of young adult literature: "Book Talk" and "From Students to Students." Prior to that, each issue included a "Clip and File" section. These are available online from the September 1998 to the December 1999 issues.
English Journal.
The regular feature, "Young Adult Literature" discusses various themes and topics related to fiction for adolescents.
Additional Resources for Booklists and Recommended Reading Lists
On the Web:
The Booklist Center
The largest selection of book lists on the web.
ALAN Review Online Archives
ALA Association for Library Services to Children - Award Winners
Children's Literature Web Guide
Children's Literature and Language Arts Resources
Reading Online - A journal of K-12 Reading Research published by the International Reading Association.
Young Adult Library Services of ALA - Winning Titles
Young Adult Literature - Middle and Secondary English
Other Journals:
The ALAN Review. ALAN Membership, c/o NCTE, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801. 1-800-369-6283.
Book Links. American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St. Chicago, IL 60611.
Booklist. American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St. Chicago, IL 60611.
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois, 1325 S. Oak, Champaign, IL 61820-3903.
The Five Owls. P.O. Box 235, Marathon, TX 79842.
The Reading Teacher. International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Road, Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714, 1-800-337-READ.
Books:
Beetz, Kirk H. and Suzanne Niemeyer, editors. Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults. Washington, DC: Beacham Publishing, Inc., 1989.
Burke, Jim. I Hear America Reading: Why We Read What We Read. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1999. ISBN 0-325-00134-0.
Hickman, Janet and Bernice E. Cullinan. Children's Literature in the Classroom: Weaving Charlotte's Web. Boston: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., 1989. ISBN 0-926-84200-5.
Hughes, Moir, Melissa Cain, Leslie Prosak-Beres. Collected Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom. Boston: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., 1989. ISBN 0926842-03-X. Includes suggested teaching activities as well as a list of subjects with which the book might be used as well as related sources.
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