So, I’m teaching 8th grade reading next year. I just found out that I have about $700 to buy books for my classroom. The only problem is that I’m supposed to spend it by FRIDAY!
I want to buy some class sets of books that we all read together and then Lit Circles that small groups will read together.
I remember that we read The Old Man and the Sea in 7th grade and Animal House in the 8th grade… Obviously, I need some help.
Any life-changing book possibilities? Let me know ASAP. Can anybody remember what novels you read anywhere from 7th-9th grade?
shacknotes.com 
Jonell
April 28, 2009 at 3:39 am
I think we read “The Scarlet Letter” in 9th grade with Mr…..I can’t remember his name 🙂
Jonell
April 28, 2009 at 3:40 am
and wasn’t it Animal Farm instead of Animal House..LOL
shacknotes
April 28, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Oh yea. Animal
Farm! duh… Obviously, I don’t want to read that. I remember The Scarlet Letter being outrageously boring…
osujolly
April 28, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Here is a list from my reading teacher.
Books to be read:
Fahrenheit 451-Ray Bradbury
Who Moved My Cheese-Spencer Johnson
Chronicles of Narnia –CS Lewis
Lord of the Rings—J.R.R. Tolkein
Some plays by Julius Caesar
Holes-Louis Sachar
Where the Red Fern Grows—Wilson Rauls
Hatchet—Gary Paulson
Kidnapped–Robert Stevenson
Ender’s Game—Orson Scott Card
Jules Verne’s novels
H.G. Wells novels
It’s a start. He said if you needed graphic novels he can list more. He says there are graphic novels he can list too if you are interested.
James
April 28, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Lord of the Flies (decent movie)
To Kill a Mockingbird (great movie)
Grapes of Wrath (might be too long for middle school)
James
April 28, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Forgot to say, Grapes of Wrath is also a great movie.
Jonell
April 28, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Holes is a good one!! Matt read that in 8th grade and loved it. Plus you have the movie to watch too…
m
April 28, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Not only HATCHET but other Gary Paulson books, although Hatchet was my favorite Paulson book. Some with Historical background and award nominated at least the ORPHAN TRAIN TRILOGY. James mentioned good books but possibly too much for 8th grade.
Does osujolly mean plays by Shakepeare? I think most of those are too much for middle school.
Seems as though SCARLET LETTER may have been one we read when I was in 8th grade… Way too long ago to remember which year for sure. Enders Game has been mentioned enough that I must read it. Is Jonell classmate Jonell?
osujolly
April 28, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I have no idea if he (I’m passing the list on) meant Shakespeare, but I imagine he meant Julius Caesar, he’s kinda careful that way, but I’m sure a mistake is possible.
Did I stutter on the last sentence of my previous post… stutter on my previous post.