I didn't mean to be ethnocentric when I asked for help. Sorry about that. Eighth graders in the US tend to be in the 13 or 14 year old category. Ninth graders are about 14-16. Twelfth graders, though I don't think I asked for ideas there, are 17, 18 years old normally.

I was asking folks which books they enjoyed in that time in school because I am going to be teaching 8th/9th and 12th grade classes in literature next year. I've seen last year's schedule, now, and some of the books I wanted to read are in the list, but I am still working on it.

I have two lists, one for this year, one for next, for the 8/9 year.

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 or The Great Gatsby

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.)

For the 12th grade class I wanted to do:

Beowulf, in a prose version

Robinson Crusoe

Gulliver's Travels

Wilde's plays

Judith

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

For this class I was thinking classic old stuff. 1700s or earlier. This is supposed to be the AP version. But Gulliver's Travels and Robinson Crusoe were both on the last year list for this class. So if there are students repeating, I can't do that. Drats. (It's a 2 year class.)