I decided to create a reading ladder that would develop from simple to complex. I have found that many students, especially male students get hooked on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and cannot branch out from there. I have high school students who still check out Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and I can see the series as starting point for middle school classroom teachers (specifically 8th-grade teachers) who want students to move up the ladder from there. The books I chose are in a variety of genres, but they share a similar memoir-type style.
Simple
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney—Currently there are 16 books in the series. Most students start reading the books in elementary school so they should finish the series in middle school and be ready to move on.
2. How Angel Peterson Got Nis Name, Gary Paulsen—This book is a collection of funny stories about the author's childhood experiences with his friends. The book is similar to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books in that the male character and the stories are relatable and the tales are humorous. The format is different in that it is a traditional book, typeset, and in chapters, with no drawings. It is a fairly short book that I feel is less intimidating to reluctant readers and it is a great way to introduce readers to Gary Paulsen books. Hatchet would be what I would recommend next.
3. American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang—This is a graphic novel told from the perspective of a young Chinese-American boy. His story is intertwined with a Chinese fable which makes for a creative and fun tale about growing up in a culture very different than one's own. It is a funny book and the graphics bring the tale to life. It is a great combination of memoir in graphic novel form.
4. Everything Sad is Untrue, Daniel Naveri—I just read this book for Unexpected Perspectives and I feel that it is a great middle/high book with personal anecdotes and stories that have a greater depth to them than the previous books. Told by a young Iranian male, some of the stories are funny, some are fantastical legends, and others are quite personal and thoughtful. Many of his tales are Persian myths and they introduce readers to the author's culture and his experiences as an immigrant to the US. The book opens up a new world to young readers. I can see many students wanting to read more about Iran after finishing this book so I could easily add it to the ladder.
Complex
5. A Long Walk to Water, Linda Sue Park—It seems like a huge jump from Diary of a Wimpy Kid to A Long Walk to Water, but I feel that it's doable. The book is about two 11-year-olds, a boy and a girl, from Sudan. Salva is a "Lost Boy" in search of his family and Nya is a young girl who must walk eight hours each day to carry water to her family. The book tells of their separate but equally dangerous lives in Sudan and eventually, their lives intersect. The subject is much more powerful and mature than the previous book, yet it is a story about two young people of a similar age to the reader and it offers a glimpse into the lives of young people who must endure extreme hardships in order to survive.
