A Modern Reading List for High School?

[SoloAJ]

I do hope this thread elicits some responses. More to the point, I hope that it elicits discussion.. As I am planning to teach high school english, this is something that I find particularly fascinating.

Anyway, for one of my classes we received an assignment in reaction to an article.

Article: Here.

Her reading list: Book Choices.

Summary: Basically, the article states that most high school reading lists are quite dated, and incredibly mundane for the average 9th and 10th graders. Therefore, we should make an effort to modernize the reading material.

Consider, very few high school pieces are geared TOWARD children. The Odyssey? Canterbury Tales? Obviously not. So, the idea here is to come up with some books that bring something fresh to the students world, perspective and all.

The Assignment: Create a 10 book canon that you would like to see students to have read by the time they finish 10th grade. Bear in mind things like the medium and form (graphic novels? movies? memoirs?). Also, very few books that kids read in high school have any comedic value...and I think we know that in high school, most kids like to laugh and joke around. So maybe that is something to consider.


So, this seemed, to me, like it would be a very good idea for the Lounge. I really hope it hasn't already been done (I tried a quick search). I would be very interested to hear what the Loungers would include in their ten book canon for 9th and 10th graders. The truth is, I respect a lot of Loungers' ideas from the times I have frequented this forum. So I'm hoping you can all offer me some insight, we can have some words said, and maybe, .maybe. I will end up being able to read and teach some of the gems you all have picked out.

((I'm not asking just to have you 'do' my coursework. I am going to post my list in a bit here once I get it leveled down a little more. Besides, my list is still mostly dead white guys because I'm mostly only using works that I have personally read, and I haven't read too much outside the box yet)).