[LM_NET] TARGET: Moving Books from Middle to High School

[Shonda Brisco <sbrisco@GMAIL.COM>]

A few years ago our district built a new high school which allowed the
"old high school" to become the middle school.  As a result of the
changes, the library collection in the "old high school" was split to
separate those titles that are most appropriate for each level.
However, after reviewing some of the curriculum being taught and the
materials that are still in the middle school library, I'm seeing some
titles that I think are not "age appropriate" for the middle school
students (which serves grades 6-8).

There are some titles that I know aren't being taught, so I'm thinking
of moving them to the high school library. However, I wanted to check
with some of you to see if you are finding these titles being
requested by your upper middle school teachers (or advanced / gift
classes).  Let me know what you think of these titles and what might
really stand out as a "move to the high school" title.  Most of these
are "older titles" that are definitely classics or contemporary
classics but the content seems a bit inappropriate for this level of
users. (I have checked Wilson's catalog, the reading and interest
levels, and even Follett's Titlewave to make notations for some of
these titles, but I don't want it to seem like I'm censoring if they
might be used.  However, I also know that there are some titles that
just seem to lend themselves to high school instruction because of
their content rather than for this middle school group who is still
reading "Hank the Cowdog," "Hardy Boys," and "Goosebumps.")

Some of the titles in question for moving are:

Catch-22
The Chocolate War by Cormier
Cold Sassy Tree by Burns
Daisy Miller by James
Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury
The Good Earth by Buck
Hamlet by Shakespeare
The Hiding Place by Ten Boom
I am the Cheese by Cormier
I Heard the Owl Call My Name
The Illustrated Man by Bradbury
Johnny Got His Gun by Trumbo
Jurassic Park by Crichton
Little Dorrit by Dickens
Moby Dick by Melville
Moves Make the Man by Brooks
Mutiny on the Bounty by Nordoff
My Antonia by Carther
Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck
Oliver Twist by Dickens
Ox-Bow Incident by Clark
Rebecca by DuMaurier
The Scarlett Letter by Hawthorne
The Three Musketeers by Dumas
To Sir With Love by Braithwaite
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Smith
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Stowe
Walkabout by Marshall
Westside Story
When the Legends Die

Let me know what titles you'd leave (or move--depending upon which
list is shorter!)

Thanks!

~Shonda
-- 
Shonda Brisco, MLIS
District Librarian
Peaster ISD
Weatherford, TX 76086

Currently reading:  "Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the
Grade" by Linda Perlstein

Digital Bookends wiki / blog:
http://digitalbookends.pbwiki.com
http://shonda.edublogs.org/
sbrisco@gmail.com

Resources for Texas School Librarians:
http://txschoollibrarians.ning.com/
http://txschoollibrarians.wikispaces.com/

"Digital Resources" columnist
School Library Journal

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