My School Monday: Reading List

Last year we did very little reading, I must confess. I forced Kait to struggle through Swiss Family Robinson even though she hated it, and she also read Homer for history. But it was awful, and when we finally got through those I gave up and focused on other areas.

So we'll have some catching up to do, and I've been compiling a list of books I'd like her to read this year. I tried to remember what I read back in Jr High, and I want to give her a variety because she hates books from "the olden days" (i.e. anything earlier than the 1950's.) I doubt we'll get through all the books on my list (which will probably continue to grow) but I have thought of some great books I'd like to have on hand. Here they are, in no particular order:

• Where the Red Fern Grows
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Pride and Prejudice
• Little Women
• Adventures of Huck Finn
• Diary of Anne Frank
• Black Beauty
• The Chronicles of Narnia
• Pilgrims Progress

The red ones are those I hope will actually awaken a fondness for reading. In addition to the above narratives, I also want to have her read How To Win Friends And Influence People. By the title, that sounds like such a manipulative book. But anyone who has read it knows it's really a peek into the human heart and mind, and helps us understand how to relate to people and how to express our needs effectively. It's a fascinating book that I believe should be required reading in every school across the nation.

What do you think of my list? Would you add a book? Scratch one? What have your kids read in Jr High?