Building Book Love: Books WPCTE Teachers Love to Share with Their Students
On March 11, 2026, WPCTE members gathered at St. Vincent College for the Literacy Love Conference. Keynote speaker Penny Kittle and teacher presenters inspired attendees to help their students fall in love with reading. Below, you'll find recommendations from conference attendees and WPCTE members online of the books that they love to recommend to their students to help them build book love. Add your students' favorite books in the comments!
Photos from the conference are available here.
10 Student Book Recommendations from WPCTE Members:
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Recommended by Emily Malovich, Sharpsville High School
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Grade Level: Secondary (9-12)
What kind of reader might this book appeal to? Anyone who loves fantasy or needs a lot of action in their reading.
Why do you love to recommend this book? Students get drawn in by the high-stakes heist plot, but fall in love with the characters, their stories, and their relationships with one another. It also opens the door to the sequel, Crooked Kingdom, and Bardugo's other series set in the Grishaverse. (Link)
Novels by Alan Gratz
Recommended by Janel Prinkey, Rocky Grove Jr. Sr. High School
Recommended Grade Level: Middle (6-8)
What kind of reader might this book appeal to? Readers fascinated with history.
Why do you love to recommend this book? Alan Gratz writes short chapters that hook students immediately. My students devour his books. (Link)
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Recommended by Cassidy Black, Indiana Area School District
Recommended Grade Level: Secondary (9-12)
What kind of reader might this book appeal to? Readers who like psychological thriller, mystery, and suspense.
Why do you love to recommend this book? I love this book to recommend to students because it has a little bit of everything as a mystery novel - romance, comedy, psychological thrills, and more! (Link)
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Recommended by Katie Monsour, ARIN IU 28
Recommended Grade Level: Secondary (9-12)
What kind of readers might this book appeal to? Introspective teens who feel misunderstood or out of place: Holden's voice resonates deeply with students processing their own identity. Skeptics and independent thinkers who question authority, social norms, and "phoniness" in the world around them. Strong verbal/literary readers who appreciate stream-of-consciousness narration and an unconventional protagonist. Students navigating transition: moving from adolescence to adulthood, changing schools, or feeling disconnected. Reluctant readers who respond better to a conversational, raw, first-person voice than formal prose.
Why do you love to recommend this book? It sparks conversation, validates unspoken emotions, and lingers long after graduation. (Link)
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Recommended by Emily Malovich, Sharpsville Area School District
Recommended Grade Level: Secondary (9-12)
What kind of reader might this book appeal to? All kinds of students love this books, but it's great for science-oriented students and for boys who are otherwise reluctant readers.
Why do you love to recommend this book? It's full of action, high stakes, and lovable characters to keep kids reading. Since the protagonist of Project Hail Mary is a middle school teacher, there's no bad language at all. Weir's other books, The Martian and Artemis, are also good recommendations but do contain some profanity. With the new movie out, these books have been checked out so much that they're never on the shelves for long. (Link)
Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout
Anonymous Recommendation
Recommended Grade Level: Middle (6-8)
Why do you love to recommend this book? It's a graphic novel about Resistance fighters in Amsterdam. The artwork is a blend of drawing and authentic photographs as well as a dive into ink plates and poetry graffiti. A narrator is a blackbird who guides the characters to discovery about the bravery of those who resisted and the power of love to reunite lost souls. (Link)
After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay
Recommended by Emily Malovich, Sharpsville Area School District
Recommended Grade Level: Secondary (9-12)
What kind of reader might this book appeal to? Sports fans like this book because of the basketball plot; non-sports fans like this book because it's not REALLY about basketball.
Why do you love to recommend this book? Students get caught up between two relatable and sympathetic narrators, both of whom are partially responsible for the rift in their friendship. It also builds to a knuckle-biting climax and has a satisfying ending. (Link)
Track Series by Jason Reynolds
Anonymous Recommendation
Recommended Grade Level: Middle (6-8)
What kind of reader might this book appeal to? Those who love sports; those who love mystery and learning about people
Why do you love to recommend this book? The newest in the series, Coach, is the prequel which explains one of the main characters, the Coach, Otis, in all the other novels. Why read these? Jason Reynolds! His writing is truthful, lyrical, heart-wrenching, and engaging. You will root for the characters! (Link)
Michigan vs. the Boys by Carrie S. Allen
Anonymous Recommendation
Recommended Grade Level: Secondary (9-12)
What kind of reader might this book appeal to? Anyone who likes sports; anyone interested in gender equality
Why do you love to recommend this book? This book is intensely good. Although graphic in nature and language at times, Michigan's struggle to survive and ultimately succeed as the only girl on the boy's hockey team is a story not easily forgotten. She is brutalized by teammates who don't want her there and are threatened by her ability. This book tells a story that needs to be told. (Link)
10 Quick Bonus Recommendations:
- Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam (Link)
- Kent State by Deborah Wiles (Link)
- The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (Link)
- Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Link)
- Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (Link)
- Girl in Pieces and other books by Kathleen Glasgow (Link)
- Beartown by Fredrik Backman (Link)
- The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater (Link)
- Accountable by Dashka Slater (Link)
- The Silence That Binds Us by Joanna Ho (Link)
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