HIT: 8th Grade Classroom Novel Suggestions

[John Lees <Johnlees@AOL.COM>]

I was asked to post a hit regarding novels studied at the 8th grade level.
 There is a wide range of suggestions [ which I find disconcerting]. _My
Brother Sam is Dead (Collier) was mentioned the most (3) and is part of our
current curriculum.  Our staff is tired of this book, however.  I also found
it on the 1990-1992 Most Challenged Books list, #32.  No idea why, but
thought this might encourage our district to try something else.  _Summer of
my German Soldier (Greene), which we recommended last spring, received
several recommendations.  One response that I lost, found the book had
wonderful prose and excellent characterization.  Reconsideration after an
uproar over Huck Finn in a neighboring school district turned up the use of
the "N" word several times, and concerns about the relationship between the
20 year old soldier and the twelve year old girl, with the girl going to the
orphanage at the end of the story - and so have decided to removed this book
from the classroom curriculum.  We are now considering _Homecoming (Voight)
and _In my Father's House (Rinaldi) [Civil War].  Also considered was _The
Fifth of March (Rinaldi) [Boston Massacre].  Mr. Tucket (Paulson) was also
recommended.  It should be obvious from this that our eighth grade language
teachers have been "unengaged" in this whole process.

I really appreciate the input from those LM_NET members responding.

Posts from other LM_NET members:
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In eighth grade we read several books.  The one I remember enjoying above
all others were:
Animal Farm
The Red Pony  (can get unit plans and activities for this one at
www.penguin.com)

We also read Romeo and Juliet toward the end to prepare us for high school.
As I recall, it worked real well since the teacher brought it alive and
talked us through it  We did a lot of fun activities.
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Suggestions:
Summer of My German Soldier  (WWII)
No Promises in the Wind   (depression)
My Brother Sam is Dead   (Am. revolution)
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Avi's Nothing But the Truth tops my list.  It is very thought provoking.
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Here are the 8th grade class novels we use at our middle school:
The Giver
Izzy Willy Nilly
Phoenix Rising
Lyddie
Deathwatch
The Outsiders
Summer of mY German Soldier
A Day No Pigs Would Die
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Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell
Anne of Green Gables, Montgomery
A Wrinkle in Time
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis  (you could do English
grammar lessons with this excellent book!)
Wolf Rider, A Tale of Terror, Avi
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John:

A couple of the titles our 8th grade classes use are _My Brother Sam Is
Dead_, by Collier, and S.E. Hinton's classic novel (Help! Where's my brain
when I need it most?) [The Outsiders].

They also have used, with great success, _Ghost Cadet_.  This is below
grade reading level, high interest, and just what is needed for a portion
of the students.  This coming year they are considering adding Ann
Rinaldi's stimulating _A Break with Charity_, which concerns the Salem
Witch Trials.  One of their considerations is to tie in with the social
studies units on American history.
-----------------------------------
Suggestions:
Summer of My German Soldier  (WWII)
No Promises in the Wind   (depression)
My Brother Sam is Dead   (Am. revolution)
----------------------------------
Hi,
        I have an 8th grade scheduled library time with all the kids and can
think of three read alouds off the top of my head that I use with students.
         Letters from Rifka. by Karen Hesse. Good for an immigration unit
 around 1919.
        Nightjohn. by Gary Paulsen. Good for a slavery unit.
        Devil's arithmetic. by Jane Yolen.  Good for Jews treatment in WWII.
        Please post a hit of the ones that you get.
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Our 8th graders study: Breaker, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Westing Game and
(excuse my mental lapse)  Norma Mazer's novel about teen girl and her
grandfather , I can't remember the name at the moment, sorry.
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Hi John.  With our 8th grade this year we are trying the following books:
The slave dancer (Fox)
Nothing but the truth (Avi)
The friends (Guy)
 The Watsons go to Birmingham--1963 (Curtis)
One fat summer (Lipsyte)
The duplicator [Duplicate] (Sleator)
----------------------------------------
Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell
Anne of Green Gables, Montgomery
A Wrinkle in Time
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis  (you could do English
grammar lessons with this excellent book!)
Wolf Rider, A Tale of Terror, Avi
Chernowitz! (Arrick)
Only earth and sky last forever (Benchley)
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John Lees <jlees@auburn.wednet.edu>
Mt. Baker Middle School
Auburn School District #408
Auburn, WA  98002