Looking for the perfect fall read for yourself? Search no more! The superstar teachers who work and volunteer behind-the-scenes at DonorsChoose.org have some fantastic suggestions for you.Have a recommendation to add to the mix? Please share in comments."I picked Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go because my son recommended it. That might not seem like a big deal, but my son struggled with reading throughout his entire academic career. He read the Ishiguro book as an undergraduate and loved it so much that he called me up on the phone and told me about it. He had never done that before and, in fact, had always hated reading books in school. My immediate thought was, 'OMG! If he likes it, then maybe some of my struggling students will also like it.' I teach high school English in upstate New York so I’m always looking for new and exciting titles." —Kelli, a volunteer on our Teachers as Screeners team, is pictured above with Lola, her Newfoundland."The Martian by Andy Weir was introduced to me as 'science fiction—but with more math!' so I was a little hesitant at first. But it's actually incredibly engrossing, has some truly funny scenes and characters, and gives such interesting insight into how a real scientist and engineer’s mind works. Perfect for reading in chunks and snippets during the day. Be ready to approach the rest of the day with a brand-new problem-solving attitude!"
—Katie, an operations associate who helps teachers post projects, taught junior high U.S. history at a Title I school in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
"I am currently immersed in the annual reread of my favorite book, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I first read this wonderful piece of Gothic literature when I was in 8th grade, which is the grade to which I now teach Language Arts, so it really is a full circle book for me. Every year, during my reread, I learn something new, especially since my husband bought me the student version with VERY detailed foot notes."
—Regina is a teacher volunteer in our New York office.
"I just finished reading The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. I loved how readable and informative it was, even for someone without a medical background like me. Part of me gets a little sad that I’m no longer in school when I finish a huge new book like this one, because if I were a student I could write a book report and get some kudos for having finished and understood such a big text. I'm so glad to have the chance to share it here!"
—Ali manages partnerships at DonorsChoose.org and was previously a pre-kindergarten teacher in a low-income community.
