Feature & Follow Friday: 8.9.2013

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.


This weeks question:

Back to school. Create a reading list for the imaginary English Lit class you'll be teaching this semester.


Well, because I think that people should read different types of books, not just one kind, my list will probably look a bit random.

1. 1984 by George Orwell - I really think that this book should be standard for high school reading. I feel like it's too important not to be.

2. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - this is one of those books that shows the repercussions of events that happen early on in a child's life. Whether you know it or not, the things you do or say to them have a huge impact and I think that it's important to teach this to teenagers because those teenagers are right on the brink of graduating and becoming adults and having children of their own. What happened to Charlie was major and very life-changing, but even the smallest thing to us seems big to a child.

3. Before I Fall  by Lauren Oliver - This may be a YA Contemporary, but there are life lessons to be learned in it. That no matter how small of an impact you think you're making on someone, you could be hurting them more than you think. It shows the importance of treating your peers kindly, that no one is what they seem to be, everyone has secrets, and no matter how much you think you know someone you can never really know them or why they do the things that they do, and that sometimes being popular isn't all it's cracked up to be; it's more important to be kind and to be yourself.

4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - I've added this one to the list mainly because it's such a great book. Such a wonderful classic romance and I just feel like everyone should read it at least once in their life.

5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - Because every student should read about hobbits before they graduate. I mean really. Who couldn't love this fantastic tale?

6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I'm sure several people (my mother included) wouldn't want something like this taught to their children, but in my opinion this is just the type of book that teenagers should read, study and learn from. Yes, it is entertaining and yes it could be taken the wrong way (though I personally don't see how) making teens think that killing other kids in an arena would be fun, but that's not what I took away from this story and I'm sure it's not what most people take away from it. It's more like a warning--that if we continue down the path we are on, we could very well end up in this kind of world. We have to do everything in our power to make sure that isn't so.


7. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Mainly for fun, but still full of life lessons to be learned.

8. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare - This is one that I read my freshman year of high school. It's a classic and it just doesn't feel right not putting it on this list.

9. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - This is probably the book that I would start off with. It can appeal to both boys and girls and it pulls you in from the very beginning. I feel like it would be a good starting point because it's very entertaining and would hopefully would make them more open to reading the other books. And it has some life lessons in it as well. I know that when I was going to school, most of the kids didn't read the books. They hated reading and refused to have any part of it so hopefully starting with something like this would get them to enjoy reading and want to read the other books as well.



Okay, I think that's enough. haha I've put way too much thought into this!


This Weeks Features:





Link me to your reading lists!




Comments

  1. Great list. Glad you kept some classics :D New bloglovin follower. My FF

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  2. I haven't read City of Bones but I've heard SUCH good things. The movie looks awesome so I'm definitely going to see that - hopefully it'll be great and egg me on to stop being such a cheapskate and buy the book haha.

    New follower via Bloglovin' :) here's my FF

    - Allie x (Little Birdie Books)

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  3. Great list. The Hobbit, P&P, even the contemporary stuff you listed... they're all good. That would be an interesting class, lots of good discussions! New follower.

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  4. Interesting choices. Defnitely some I wouldn't have thought of. New Follower!

    Check out MY F&F

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  5. Yay for a good variety of books! I would definitely enjoy taking your class!!

    New follower via bloglovin and twitter!

    My FF + Giveaway!

    Amber @Paradise of Pages

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  6. I bet the second HP would make for a good classroom study - what with the comparisons between Voldemort & Hitler & all.

    Here's my FF. I got a little James Joyce-y on this one. Not in the sense that I became super brilliant, but in the sense that it follows a stream-of-consciousness organizational system:
    http://thepookapicks.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/feature-follow-6/

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    Replies
    1. I am intrigued by your choice to include "City of Bones." What would your discussions focus on?

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    2. Well obviously it would focus on the storyline and the little details of foreshadowing that may be looked over during a first read-through but I would also focus on the love and friendship that is a huge theme of this story because without that love and friendship that Clary has with her mother and Simon, the book would have played out entirely different. I would also discuss Alec's situation: being in love with Jace and the fact that the Clave frowns upon gay Shadowhunters. There are several things throughout this book that could be used for discussion as well, but these would be the main focus.

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  7. I would've loved to read any Austen in high school! I think Perks and The Hobbit would be nice choices, too!

    Old follower!

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  8. Your reading list is very diverse. I love it. I also love the name of your blog. Dandelions are a very sweet memory from my childhood. I followed via Bloglovin. :)

    Wanda aka flghtlss @ A Book Lover's Retreat

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