5 Amazing Books Every English Teacher Should Read

pin this post →

WAIT, WAIT, DON’T TELL ME…

It’s August 15th, and you’ve spent the summer thinking you were teaching three preps of 9th grade English and two of 12th grade English.

Surprise! Or, wait… stop me if this one is familiar:

You’re a student teacher, and this whole teaching thing isn’t quite what you expected. I mean, you LOVE it. But your timing is just… off. You need something at the ready, so you’re not stuck at the front of the classroom like a deer in headlights.

Hold on… how about this one? You’ve been teaching 10th grade English for more years than your current students have been alive. If you have to read that last scene in Of Mice and Men one more time, you’re going to lose it.

If any of these scenarios describe you, welcome! In the meantime, here are some of my all-time favorite books for those early, middle, and later days of teaching that will greatly enhance your classroom.

And by the way, thank you for doing what you do.

1. A World of Short Stories by Yvonne Collioud Sisko

The stories are short, engaging, and impactful. This is a great reference for rainy days, and when I say rainy days, I mean days when you need to fill in some time.

Added bonus: There are perforated pages with comprehension questions after each story. This is a great book to leave for your sub!

2. Good Poems by Garrison Keillor

There is something really magical about this collection for me. I love the diversity in style and voice, and I love how so many of the poems have sparked endless great discussions in my classroom.

I recommend having this book on standby at all times.

3. Breakfast on Mars by Rebecca Stern & Brad Wolfe

Teachers, do yourself a favor and buy a class set of this book. The essays are funny, thoughtful, and diverse in style. You can use this book in so many wonderful ways!

4. Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsh, Jr.

You don’t need a class set of this one: just one will do. But I promise this will be a book you can refer to over and over again, in a million different contexts.

5. The Tireless Teacher Toolkit by Roseanne Cheng

They say you should write the book that you want to read, and that’s what exactly why I wrote this book. 😊

I know firsthand how tough those last 15 minutes of class can be, and sometimes you just need a quick but effective mini lesson to get you through it. I put together 51 of my favorite mini-lessons for language arts teachers that will get you through the classroom doldrums no matter how daunting they may seem.

This is the book that I wish I would have had while I was in the classroom, and I hope you find it useful in your Teacher Toolkit as well!