When it comes to literature, teaching the classics is important. But it's a good idea to add contemporary titles to your curriculum, too, especially if your students sometimes have trouble connecting with older texts.
That’s why we created the Discovering Literature collection, a curated selection of noteworthy books that are capturing the attention of teachers and students across the country.
This month’s Discovering Literature Digest features books that explore the intersection of family and identity. Whether they’re juggling personal responsibilities in the pursuit of dreams or trying to uncover dark family secrets, the characters in these novels gain a better understanding of themselves as their stories progress.
With the Fire on High
From the award-winning author of The Poet X comes another inspiring story of empowerment and identity. High school senior Emoni Santiago aspires to be a professional chef, but responsibilities must come first. Between caring for her daughter and supporting her abuela, Emoni barely has time for her school’s new culinary arts class, let alone participate in the class’s trip to Spain. Even so, she can’t help but feel free in the kitchen. With a little self-confidence, a dash of courage, and a lot of hard work, Emoni realizes the future of her dreams isn’t so far out of reach.
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The Astonishing Color of After
On the day she kissed her longtime crush, Leigh Chen Sanders learned her mother died by suicide. In the aftermath, Leigh begins seeing a red bird that she believes is her mother reincarnated. Driven by the bird’s appearance, Leigh travels to Taiwan to meet her estranged maternal grandparents for the first time. As she searches for the truth behind her mother’s pain, Leigh must learn to accept her own feelings of grief and guilt. Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, this novel weaves magical realism with lyrical prose to create a coming-of-age story your students will remember.
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I'll Give You the Sun
In this School Library Journal and Stonewall Honor Book for exceptional LGBT literature for teens, twins Jude and Noah are inseparable. Both are budding artists who, with their mother’s encouragement, aspire to attend a prestigious art school. But in the span of three years, the two are barely speaking, a devastating event having torn them apart. As they follow the narrative from each twin’s point of view, readers will slowly discover the truth behind the circumstances that forever altered the twins’ lives. Sexual content makes this book better suited for mature readers.
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We Were Liars
High society views the wealthy Sinclair family with regard, but Cadence, the granddaughter of patriarch Harris Sinclair, knows misery hides beneath the picture-perfect veneer. As Harris ages, tensions rise as family members vie for his favor—and his inheritance. One summer on the family’s private island, Cadence and her cousins find themselves at the center of the struggle. Calling themselves the Liars, the group attempts to end the fighting, but they find that meddling with Sinclair family affairs comes at a terrible cost. Perfect for older students, this psychological thriller poses questions about greed, morality, and personal responsibility.
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Find even more exciting books in the Discovering Literature collection!