What is a BookJam?
A BookJam is a class set of three engaging young adult books with teacher materials that take a student-centric approach to learning. The materials are standards-based and geared toward achieving core curriculum objectives. Also included is a dynamic spectrum of 21st-century, hands-on learning projects. The Alan Sitomer BookJam, written by an award-winning teacher and YA author, will help students nail core standards and raise test scores. To learn more, take the BookJam Tour.
What comes with a Jam?
- Three class sets of 30 print books each
- A standards-based study guide for each novel
- An implementation guide
- Internet resources
- Audio tools - One copy of each title on audiobook (where available)
- Differentiated learning opportunities
- The Composition JamBox - Complete with 21st-century multimedia projects!
The Jams
The American Classics Jam features quintessential young adult literature. The novels in this Jam are time-honored and required texts.
Created by Alan Sitomer and Michael Cirelli, teacher, poet and executive director of Urban Word NYC, the Poetry Jam is a collection of poetry featuring everything from hip-hop to Shakespeare and Tupac Shakur to Tennyson, accompanied by standards-based curriculum and cutting-edge multimedia projects.
The Dark Secrets Jam features novels that focus on family, love, and heartbreak—and the difficult choices that accompany all three. Featuring strong female protagonists all wrestling with dangerous secrets, this trio of novels captures what it means to be a teenager.
The Bad Boys Jam deals with real issues that teens face every day, like the constant search for acceptance, friendship, and even the desire for revenge. But as the characters in these novels will prove, having the courage to do the right thing isn’t always easy.
The Friends, Foes, and Crisis Jam explores the darker side of teenage angst. With subject matter centering on problems as serious as depression, racism, and life in jail, these novels are sure to grab students’ attention from the very beginning.
The Funny, Doofy Weirdos Jam celebrates the differences that make people truly unique. These three novels employ plenty of humor and engaging main characters to keep readers turning pages, but don’t let them fool you. The stories still delve into tough moral questions and tricky situations.
The Tough Being a Teen Jam focuses on the hard choices and difficult situations today’s teens often face. Tackling issues like teen pregnancy, bullying, and the quest to get into college, these novels show teens that they’re not alone.
