Your summer reading list from the NJEA Professional Development and Instructional Issues Division
Compiled by Richard Wilson
The iconic American singer and jazz artist, Nat King Cole, had a great hit singing about rolling out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Educators can probably relate to these words more than most any other profession. Even those who work in 12-month positions find the pace of the summer slows down, allowing for just a bit of the lazy, hazy and crazy.
The relaxed nature of the summer offers the opportunity to pick up that book that’s been sitting on your end table since the winter break, or perhaps you’re looking for a completely new read. In that spirit, the Professional Development and Instructional Issues Division once again offers their picks for summer reading.
This year, the list sports great variety, from fiction to historical fiction to nonfiction. From pressing contemporary issues to professional practice, from children’s books we can learn from to adult themes, the list offers a little something for everyone. We hope you find a title that speaks to you.
After watching the series, Lessons in Chemistry, Vicki Serreino, was eager to start reading the book by Bonnie Garmus. Lessons in Chemistry is a captivating novel set in the early 1960s. It’s the expertly narrating journey of Elizabeth Zott, an ingenious yet unconventional chemist confronting sexism and bias as she navigates her scientific career. The story intricately weaves together themes of gender inequality, ambition, determination and societal norms. It delves into the intricacies of interpersonal and professional relationships, emphasizing the significance of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Krista Orellana was learning life lessons through Kai Harris’s novel What the Fireflies Knew
This dazzling and moving novel about family, identity and race poignantly reveals that heartbreaking but necessary component of growing up—the realization that loved ones can be flawed and that the perfect family we all dream of looks different up close.
Carolyn Thompson goes for a flight of fancy in Weyward by Emilia Hart. This historical fiction novel centers on three women, related by blood, from three different centuries, as they discover their gifts of witchcraft. They use their powers for good through nature while fighting for
their lives.
Adventure and Greek mythology are on the mind of Jamaya Newton as she tackles the New York Times best seller Percy Jackson and the Olympians, a series by Rick Riordan. These books follow the life of Percy Jackson, a teenage ADHD demi-god hero, and his friends, as they embark on multiple quests to save humanity and aid the Olympian gods. The series is as humorous it is informative, teaching Greek culture and history from a 21st century perspective.
Elisabeth Yucis recommends another piece of historical fiction with The Women by Kristin Hannah. This captivating novel tells the story of Frankie, a young woman who enlists in the Army Nurse Corps and serves in Vietnam. It is a beautiful story of love, resilience and healing. As a former English teacher, Elisabeth believes strongly that the summer is for fiction because our members have earned the time to relax and breathe!
On the flip side, Rich Wilson recommends The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development by Elena Aguilar and Lori Cohen. The keynote speaker from this year’s NJEA Transform Conference pulls back the curtain on her process in developing high quality professional development. This is a must-read for anyone who has a passion for their own practice and is interested in working with colleagues to create positive professional learning experiences.
While reviewing children’s books this past year, Camy Kobylinkksi discovered All the Way to the Top by Annette Bay Pimentel. This is the biography of Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins who was a disability rights activist from the age of 6. At 8 years old, she climbed the U.S. Capitol steps during what became known as the Capitol Crawl, drawing attention to the need to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act. The interest level for the book begins with kindergarten, but older children and adults will appreciate the forward and supplemental information provided.
Tamanyka Booker is looking to enhance her spiritual journey with Crazy Faith by Michael Todd. Using his life experiences, Pastor Todd writes of how hope and faith have brought him to the space where he is today. He helps us remember that our biggest leaps of faith, while reflecting our own reality, may seem crazy to others. By surrounding ourselves with community who encourage us in our faith walk we can deal with the obstacles that block the way. It’s not about religion, but your personal spiritual walk in your faith.
Amanda Adams takes a look at a blistering account of four decades of education reform through the lens of the people who lived it in Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal by Bettina Love. The book lays bare the devastating effect on 25 Black Americans caught in the intersection of economic gain and racist ideology. Then, with input from leading U.S. economists, Dr. Love offers a road map for repair, arguing for reparations with transformation for all children at its core.
Dr. Chrissi Miles has also taken a look at equity in her recommendation, Caste: Origins of our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson. Caste is a must-read for those committed to cultivating an environment of equity, understanding, and justice in our classrooms and beyond. Wilkerson presents a poetic and deeply eye-opening exploration of the unspoken caste system that has shaped America. This book not only illuminates the systemic barriers to equity, but also challenges educators to reflect on our own positions within these structures.
Making sense of serious illness brings Dawn Howlen to The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde. Through intimate journal entries, Lorde takes us on her journey through the ups and downs of breast cancer. She expresses her frustrations with her body, politics and life but also shows tremendous strength and makes the reader more appreciative of life, family and friends.
Whether you are looking to sit back and relax with a good novel, take on serious issues of the day, or take some time to reflect and work on your own sense of self, we hope you will take some time, take a deep breath, and enjoy the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
Richard Wilson is an associate director in the Professional Development and Instructional Issues Division. He is the coordinator of the NJEA Teacher Leader Academy. He can be reached at rwilson@njea.org. For more information about the academy, visit njea.org/tla.