Novel for seventh grade class

amother

Crocus

Wed, May 24 2023, 9:58 am

MiriW wrote:

This isn't puberty, this is an extremely detailed scene of a boy BATHING a naked girl. And no, I do not want my son learning about that at all, especially not in school. Of course he has to learn about puberty, but not from a secular novel in school.

It is not a detailed scene at all. There were no details about puberty either. Just a mention of "stirrings" iirc the terminology used and that Jonas would need to take pills.
But no explanation of what the stirrings werre.

amother

Oxfordblue

Wed, May 24 2023, 10:27 am

I read the Westing Game in 7th grade many many years ago and remember loving it. Can’t comment on appropriateness though bc as I said it was many years ago and I wasn’t as sensitive to these things Back then to notice

amother

Pink

Wed, May 24 2023, 10:39 am

amother Apricot wrote:

Tuck Everlasting or The Giver are a little on the young side, but they might work. Both are kind of depressing, as are almost all school literature assignments.

I loved Tuck Everlasting and don't recall anything inappropriate, but it's been awhile.

GLUE

Wed, May 24 2023, 12:50 pm

sequoia wrote:

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeathByNewberyMedal

Gorden Korman wrote a book No more dead dogs that says the same thing.

Deep Blue

Thu, Jun 01 2023, 2:57 pm

Moccasin Trail. Pretty much my favorite book ever.
When I was in 8th gr my teacher offered a choice between this and the cay. I was so frustrated at the immaturity of my class- I was the only one that chose this one. The reason? The cay has only 109 pages. Never mind that is bland and boring. they missed out on an adventure novel that is soul stirring and thought provoking.

seeker

Thu, Jun 01 2023, 4:48 pm

I once worked with a class that was assigned The Cay (no choice), I don't think they found it boring. Isn't that the one where someone gets shipwrecked on an island? Pretty adventurous.

amother

Aconite

Thu, Jun 01 2023, 5:57 pm

"Domino Effect" by Rochel Braverman is great frum novel that is for the 7th-8th grade age range

Also "The Yellow Notebook" is a frum novel that my high school teacher used for us

Deep Blue

Thu, Jun 01 2023, 6:10 pm

I'd already read a gazillion books. Shipwrecked on a desert island is an overused plot. Though the summary makes it sound amazing, in reality I found that the writing style took away from it. Dont get me wrong - I did enjoy it a lot! However I did not find it a very memorable or touching book.

amother

Sunflower

Thu, Jun 01 2023, 10:19 pm

sequoia wrote:

Are The Chronicles of Narnia considered okay? ‘The Horse and His Boy’ and ‘The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’ are quite readable.

A catholic friend of mine was very surprised that I let my children read the chronicals of narnia. She said they were full of christian allegory. Think Aslan (their leader) dies but comes back to life. I had no idea about this and neither did my children. So it's up to the school and parents to decide if its appropriate or not.

amother

Mimosa

Thu, Jun 01 2023, 10:25 pm

we read exiles of crocodile island in 8th grade (jewish, well written historical)

groisamomma

Thu, Jun 01 2023, 10:33 pm

Another vote for Johnny Tremaine.

Wonder is for younger kids.

seeker

Thu, Jun 01 2023, 11:39 pm

amother Clear wrote:

Is Wonder for seventh grade or a bit younger?

It's usually recommended in 5th grade but if by chance the kids didn't already read it, I would consider it a good pick for 7th grade. Plenty of food for thought.

amother

Clear

Thu, Jun 01 2023, 11:43 pm

seeker wrote:

It's usually recommended in 5th grade but if by chance the kids didn't already read it, I would consider it a good pick for 7th grade. Plenty of food for thought.

Right that's what I was thinking...even if the reading level is a bit lower than grade 7, the message of the book is so, so powerful, and even older students can appreciate it and gain from it (probably even more than younger students)

I actually read it for the first time as an adult and was blown away.

amother

Sunflower

Fri, Jun 02 2023, 1:13 pm

amother Clear wrote:

Me too! I had grandkids by the time I heard about it and read it. And just last week I decided to listen to it on my Alexa. Definitely never too old to read it!