Every Wednesday, the writers at YA Highway ask a reading or writing related question, aptly named Road Trip Wednesday. This week’s question:
In high school, teens are made to read the classics – Shakespeare, Hawthorne, Bronte, Dickens – but there are a lot of books out there never taught in schools. So if you had the power to change school curriculums, which books would you be sure high school students were required to read?
This is a tough one for me. I loved the required high school reading. (I know, my nerd is showing.) I would not take away the Shakespeare– everyone should at least taste the brew of the bard once.
I would definitely keep in some Twain. I loved the Brontes, but I’m not sure I would force them on everyone. Like many other Highwayers today, I would add new, relevant material, like The Hunger Games.
But I’m a middle school teacher at heart, so I have to cheat a little. The book I would love to have as required reading for middle school is The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. It is a perfect blend of history and story, and the characters are relatable. Plot, Character, Setting, Theme, Geography, Mythology– it’s all there. I would actually love to read more upper YA that educates without being preachy.
On another note, I came home after a long day to find THIS on my doorstep:
Yay! Thanks so much to Tracey Neithercott at Words on Paper for sponsoring awesome giveaways!
And lastly, The Hunger Games trailer almost ECLIPSED my excitement for a certain midnight movie premier coming tomorrow, but it’s finally time to start the countdown. Here we come, Isle Esme!
Yes well I think my school had different reading lists that most. I hear everyone talk about books they read in school and I never had to. Some sure but not nearly what everyone did. But I agree some old but also shake it up and let them read something they will enjoy and not just cliff notes (To this day i've never read the Scarlet Letter).
Whoohoo on Isle Esme, I'm getting ready to go meet my huge group at the theatre for a fun day of games and activities before the midnight showing.