cool books for 9th and 10th grade english

i'm going to be a high school english teacher this year and have an open curriculum...the girls at this private school are below the national average on reading and comprehension skills, and the goal for the english department is basically to get them to enjoy reading...not to kill them with the challenges that a crazy book might bring; it's a very diverse atmosphere full of 'minorities' (i hate saying that, but that's how it's put)
it's an all girls school. i would like to bring some personal favorites into the mix, such as maybe a john irving book, or, well, for selfish reasons, fast food nation comes to mind...i know that it might not be terribly appropriate given the circumstance though.

my question: what did you enjoy reading in 9th/10th grade english? what do you wish you had read? what kinds of projects did you do in english class?
i am blind here, guys. i've never taught english before, and have no curriculum to hang onto...
any ideas appreciated!

 

well, i read terry pratchett novels all through high school, and eastern philosophy... well, philosophy in general... but none of that helps. i remember having to read oedipus rex and antigone though, they were good.

 

For 9th/10th interesting, yet developing books should be offered. I would reccomend Catcher in the Rye to develope thier thinking, Dickins to develope thier imagination and get them in touch with description, Kerouac to let them experience fast intriguing writing, and Clavell to have an easy read and a great plot.

 

I am sure you know there are lots of free sites on the net that offer curriculum guidelines. I did a quick google search and found quite a few. For example, http://www.edhelper.com/books/literature_units.htm

I don't know much about the US educational system, but have you talked to your administrator? Principal, or Superintendant? They might have some opinions on the matter. They might have a problem with a book that we might not see in advance.

or maybe check out Amazon? They have whole sections devoted to young readers... and offer suggestions (if you like X, you might like Y).

Personal favs of mine were: Jacob have I loved, Tuck Everlasting, Bridge to Terabithia.

Good luck!

 

The problem with highschool literature, at least in my school, was not in the choice of books but in the way they were presented. I truly hated the books we were forced to read. As I re-read them now I realize that if I was forced to read some of my favorite authors, like Terry Pratchett or Dostoyevsky, I would have hated them as well.

Anyway, I think that introducing the Discworld or Hitchhiker's Guide novels could be an interesting experiment. They are not just funnny, but also carry intelligent messages and can be analyzed as much as you want. The language is simple enough, and I'm sure it will be fine for any 10th grader.

You could make them read some classic Sci-Fi, like Dune or Azimov's works, because they are fun and easy but not stupid.

Things to avoid are dry "classics" and novels targeted at teenagers.

 

Maybe you could try something a little challenging, but that they could relate to. A story of triumph over a racial stereotype or...something along those lines. A book I just recently read called "The Hated One" is really easy reading. Hope that helped a bit.

 

yeah, we definitely have vast supplies of 'minorities overcoming' type literature...black boy, the house on mango street, the joy luck club, the color of water - just to name a few. i'm just trying to think a little outside the cultural/racial card here, since i know it will be defined a lot this year...
i was thinking of reading the dharma bums with the girls, since it's a favorite of mine, it's not too hard a read, and that way we can have some relevant haiku fun.
thanks to everyone for the insight, iced tea princess, syntax, and the rest of you! all relevant and extremely helpful!

 

ALA has lots of book lists for young people, you should check out their website. I worked with 7-12th graders for the last few years and tried to improve reading skills. You might want to take in a pretty big selection and let them choose what to read. Or let each student choose their own book to read and give them the same assignment based on different books. And, if the students are behind, remember that you may have to start with books that are at a lower reading level. That's ok, they have to start somewhere.
That was off topic a bit, but here are some good titles for young folks that I have ran into lately: The House on Mango Street, Hoot, Island of the Aunts, Rowan Hood (this is a series, I think). Check out the www.ala.org/yalsa
Best of luck!

 

I almost forgot. Don't forget about short stories. Many kids who don't have good reading skills are intimidated by big, thick books. But, a photocopied short isn't nearly as scary. Many well known authors have written great short stories. It can be a great way to introduce an important author.

 

The only school assigned books that I can remember and that I enjoyed from highschool were Watership Down and Lord of the Flies. They both kept my attention and I think most 9th and 10th graders will find them easy enough to read. If I can think of any more suggestions I'll let you know.

 

thanks again; i'll check those websites.

 

I too truly hated some of the books that i read during 9th and 10th grade with the exception of speak and the cage? Whatever you do avoid a tale of two cities. that was horrifying

 

I had to read the Great Gastby, Fahrenheit 451, Of Mice and Men, The Scarlet Letter, parts of the Jungle, there were others but at the time I didn't appreicate literature I just cared about having the best grade in class..... damn second place.

 

9th and 10th grade girls huh.


Perfect age to explore 'White Oleander' by Janet Fitch.
You can spend a whole semester exploring each chapter of 'Astrid's' young adventures in her very transitory existence.

or,

'Savage Beauty' the biography of the wild poetess Edna St. Vincent Millay; that would open their eyes to how a little Cinderella waif of a teenager can have her entire life transformed by living as a wild-artist.

 

I read to kill a mocking bird in 9th grade and that was probably the best book we read that year.

 

Give them some Jack London. "Call of the Wild" and "White Fang" are two favorites, though I'm not sure either would be relevant or useful. the short story "to build a fire" is a great one, though, even has a moral to it. I agree with sweetersappe, short stories are great. I enjoyed one called "the most dangerous game", but can't remember the author. I'm sure you know of better ones for your class though.

In light of our darkening political climate, "1984" might be in order, or perhaps "Brave New World".

Steinbeck is also a great idea, you could go the usual route with "the Pearl" or "Of Mice and Men", but "Grapes of Wrath" might be enlightening too.

You can probably tell I know nothing about teaching, especially to an all girl class.

 

The short "Chrysanthemum" is a good intro to Steinbeck. And, girls seem to identify with it more than his other works.

 

Wow now that I think of it a great pretty easy read would be Islan Of The Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell.

 

stardust by neil gaiman, it's a very girl book
if you support it with stuff about the inquisition then the pit and the pendulum could be good around halloween, though I don't know how well inquisition would go over with catholics......

pratchett really is very good, it's popcorn, but it's popcorn that alludes to things, and there are short stor arc series within the discworld mythos and free floating stories,

the old man and the sea, if you don't just read it, if you get them to look deeper at who hemingway was, what the moral is, it's a good, 15 minute - 4 hour fable (depending on reading speed and how it's broken up)

ursula k. le guin, good author.....

 

Go Ask Alice...and Have Them Keep A Diary To Remember The Things...and What Ever Else They Won't To Remember..AND PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by,Stephen _____I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS LAST NAME BUT IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR EVERYONE SHOULD READ