GEN: Target: Need advice about "dark" lit. for middle schoolers

[tabis <tabis@ADELPHIA.NET>]

What would you say to a parent who is complaining that the literature taught
to our 8th graders is too "dark" and depressing? These are some of the
titles taught.

A short story unit that deals with stories that are scary, have surprise
endings, etc. with such titles as Tell-Tale Heart,Monkey's Paw,Most
Dangerous Game,The Landlady,The Donner Party, Duffy's Jacket, etc. and The
Highwayman (poem). Novels include Night,Summer of My German Soldier,Diary of
Anne Frank (for a Holocaust unit),The Outsiders, Witch of Blackbird Pond,
Holes, Christmas Carol. The parent would like to see more uplifting titles.

Lois Tabis
Librarian, Sharpsville High School
Sharpsville, PA
tabis@adelphia.net

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