If you know anything about me, I love novel studies! But what if you need novels?
Read on to find some easy tips on how to get novels for your classroom.
Before you do anything.
- Check-in with your district office to see if there are restrictions on what novels you can read with your students. My district had a list of novels on the website, and we were not to read any literature on the list.
- Now that you know what books to choose from, check the workrooms and library stacks and ask other teachers for suggestions. Often, the books have been moved around, hidden in the back of a closet, or taken to another grade-level workroom.
- Ask other schools in your district. We had a few wets of “traveling” novel sets that we cobbled together, and they traveled between three schools.
Get Creative Finding Novels for your Novel Study
What if your district does not supply novels? How to get novels for your classroom without breaking the bank? Well, you have to get creative. Here are a few ideas to try:
- Ask parents to purchase a novel and then donate it to the classroom.
- Pool your Scholastic Book club points with your grade level, ask for Scholastic Gift Cards from parents, or watch Scholastic Book Club sales. I grabbed a few titles for only $1 each.
- Have a Book Swap or Book Donation Drive. Let the community know what you need and see if you can get novels that way.
- Head to the public library. As a teacher, I was able to check out a ton of books. You can even ask them to send copies from other branches. Just don’t let the students bring the books home! You don’t need a lost library book bill!
- Make a pitch to your PTA. Our PTA was very focused on technology but was happy to buy a few print books as well.
Digital Sources for Novels
Speaking of digital, here are some great sites that you can use to give every student a chance to read a novel.
- Open Library – This site seems to have more audiobooks than print books, but it did have “Harry Potter,” “The Phantom Tollbooth,” and “Wonder.”
- Libby – This app is best used on a handheld device or kindle. With it, you can borrow books from a large selection of libraries all over the U.S.
- Waterford – This site lists eight organizations where you can apply for free books or buy books at a very low cost.
- Book Bank – First Book – This site offers books for over 50% off. First Book might be a great place to help your money go further if you have a donor.
- Project Gutenberg – This site offers a vast selection of books, novels, and short stories that are out of copyright. The literature seems to sway heavily toward middle and high school levels, but if you poke around, you may find a book that fits your students. This site offers the advantage of printing out copies for your students directly.
Book Grants for Teachers
Finally, you can apply for book grants from numerous organizations if you do not mind taking the time to apply for them.
- Dollar General Literacy Grants
- Donors Choose
- Adopt-a-Classroom
- Contact local businesses to see if they would be willing to donate. Most need a tax receipt on school letterhead to write it off.
Now that you know how to get novels, check out this blog post for tips on how to get started studying those novels!
If you have any ideas, tips, or suggestions on how to get novels for your upper elementary classroom, please share them in the comments!
