Welcome to Bluford High!

The Bluford Series is a collection of young adult novels that have sparked excitement for reading in countless middle- and high-school classrooms. The series tells the stories of students at Bluford High, the tough but nurturing school that connects all the books, a place where action, suspense, romance, and drama abound.

For educators and parents, the Bluford Series is a proven gateway to reading. For readers, the Bluford Series offers a universe full of complex, relatable characters immersed in gripping storylines.

With free audiobooks for students, new books in the works, and an active fanbase on social media, the series is poised to become what fans want next: a streaming TV series. Explore this site to learn more about the Bluford Series and join the movement to bring it to the screen.

About the Bluford Series: A Look at the Books

Facts About the Bluford Series

  • Praised by Kirkus Reviews, The Horn Book, the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, and various educational texts.
  • Cited in the New York Times, the LA Times, the Washington Post, and School Library Journal for its ability to engage readers.
  • Selected repeatedly by the American Library Association/Young Adult Librarian Services Association (ALA/YALSA) as Quick Picks fo Reluctant Readers.
  • Named as a Top 10 selection by In The Margins, a publication of Library Services for Youth in Custody (LSYC).
...and
more
titles
coming
soon

The Bluford Series is a proven gateway to reading.

Millions of teens have discovered or rediscovered the joy of reading with this collection of young adult novels set at Bluford High School. Each novel features:

  • Engaging topics: Characters in the Bluford Series face situations that middle- and high-schoolers care about, making them want to read.
  • Emotional depth: Bluford books tell gripping stories and carry an emotional punch. Each can be read alone but is also connected to events in other books. Readers join a complex world they want to explore.
  • Uplifting stories: Each book celebrates teens who make positive choices, especially when such actions are difficult or unpopular.
  • Accessible writing: This groundbreaking hi-lo series has content sophisticated enough for high-school students, while reading level is between 5th and 6th grade (Lexile range: 570–760).
  • Short length: Each novel in the Bluford Series contains fewer than 200 pages, motivating readers to finish their books—a pivotal step toward becoming regular readers!
  • Broad appeal: Action, suspense, mystery, and romance fill the pages of the Bluford Series, offering something for all readers—boys and girls alike.
  • Proven success: Students, teachers, parents, librarians, researchers, and policymakers agree: The Bluford Series can transform nonreaders into avid readers.
  • Great price: Every novel in the Bluford Series is available from Townsend Press at $3 each—an unbeatable value!

Bluford by the Numbers

Fact: Numbers don't lie. The Bluford Series has been proven
to encourage widespread reading in schools!

12

12 million Bluford books have been printed.

Bluford books
in print (in millions)
42

Bluford books have 42,000 reviews on Goodreads.

Bluford reviews on
Goodreads
(in thousands)
4.5

Bluford books have an Amazon rating of over 4.5.

Average score
on Amazon.com
reviews (out of 5)
8

8 Bluford titles have received ALA recognition.

Bluford titles that
have received
ALA recognition
15

The average age of protagonists in Bluford books is 15 years old.

Average age of
protagonists in
the Bluford Series
11:12

Books in the Bluford Series have 11 male and 12 female protagonists.

Titles with male
protagonists
(left) and female
protagonists (right)
23

There are 23 titles in the Bluford Series.

Titles in the
Bluford Series
(so far ...)
142

The average length of a Bluford novel is 142 pages.

Average page length
of a Bluford novel
6–12

The Bluford Series fulfills common core standards for grades 6 through 12.

Grades for which
Bluford Series
fulfills Common
Core Standards
$3

Bluford novels sell individually for $3 on townsendpress.com.

Price of a Bluford
novel

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