Working on curriculum for next 2 years for a 3 hr/wk course for 8th & 9th graders.
Washington Irving short stories
Edgar Allen Poe short stories
Alice in Wonderland
Through the Looking Glass
Red Badge of Courage
The Time Machine
Around the World in 80 Days
something by Robert Louis Stevenson (But what?)
Twain short stories
Silas Marner
Stephen Vincent Benet short stories
Call of the Wild
Fitzgerald short stories
The Old Man and the Sea
Of Mice and Men
O'Henry short stories
My Antonia! (Don't remember this. Would have to read first for age-appropriateness.)
Main Street by Sinclair Lewis (Never read this. Would have to check for age-appropriateness)
The Horse and His Boy
Passing by Nella Larsen (Haven't read this but have always wanted to. Going to look at the library for this. Need to check it out.)
Interesting — you have some of the stories I love most and some of those I hate most.
I would never want to make anyone read Of Mice and Men. I was pretty mature for a 9th-grader and I was not ready for a story like that. The Pearl, maybe, but not OMAM. That story still just makes me shudder. It almost made me want to kill myself. I'd sooner have them read Wuthering Heights. Equally disturbing, but more exciting and has a happier ending.
The Horse and His Boy, on the other hand, I love. Of course my recommendations will mean nothing, but I'd recommend putting some of the following in:
The Westing Game (just for fun)
The 13 Clocks (or something else by Thurber; maybe just Walter Mitty if you wanted a short one)
And I was going to think of more, but I'm out of time;) Have a great week!
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