[English] Fwd: Suggestions for texts for Literature Circles ..

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Fwd:
> From: <barney4 at optusnet.com.au>
> To:   <oztl_net at listserv.csu.edu.au> 
> Date:   Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:26:49 +1000 
> Subject: [OZTL_NET] Suggestions for texts for Literature Circles ..
 

Here are the responses I received for my request (on the OZTL email-list)
for titles for Year 7 & 8 Literature Circles. Thanks especially to Kerry,
Denise, Pauline, Catherine, Mif & Anne for your suggestions. Unfortunately
a couple of responses were attachments to emails which don't come through
on OZTL_NET.

Here are the suggestions:

French, Jackie Pharaoh: The boy who conquered the Nile  Angus&Robertson
(HarperCollins Australia)

Norrington, Leonie  Leaving Barrumbi  Omnibus Books (Scholastic Australia

Bauer, Michael Gerard  Don't Call Me Ishmael! Omnibus Books, Scholastic
Australia, 2006

French, Jackie  Macbeth and son Angus& Robertson, HarperCollinsPublishers, 
Australia, 2006

Crowley, Cath  Chasing Charlie Duskin  Pan Macmillan Australia, 2005

Fensham, Elizabeth  Helicopter  Man Bloomsbury, 2005

Gleitzman, Morris Once Puffin, Penguin Books Australia, 2005

Hartnett, Sonya The Silver Donkey Viking, Penguin Books Australia, 2004

Heffernan, John A Horse Called Elvis Scholastic Australia, 2004

Roy, James Billy Mack's War University of Queensland Press, 2004

Hawke, Rosanne Soraya the Storyteller (Takeaways) Lothian Books, 2004


I, Coriander by Sally Gardner
Letters from the inside by John Marsden (Yr 8)
Bridge to Terabithia (Year 7)
Hatchet
The illustrated mum by Jackie Wilson (or newer ones by her might work)
Chinese Cinderella
Painted love letters
Parvana
Hothouse flower by Rose Impey (Year 7)
Liberty Belle, I love you, goodye by Amber Decker (Year 7)
My big birkett by Lisa Shanahan
Don't call me Ishmael by Bauer (would work with boys)
Tomorrow, when the war began (another one for boys as well)


Yr 7 have the following books:
Chinese Cinderella Adeline Yen Mah
Underground to Canada Barbara Smucker
I can jump puddles Alan Marshall
The wind in the willows Kenneth Graham
Orpans of the Queen Ruth Starke
Helicopter Man Elizabeth Fensham -CBCA Book of the Year, 2006
Miss McAllister's ghost Elizabeth Fensham.

As for Yr 8's, we do books:
Bridge to Terabithia' Katherine Paterson
Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Twain
The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien

For Yr 9's, we have set aside:
Fighting Ruben Wolfe Markus Zusak
The story of Tom Brennan J.C. Burke
Finding Grace Alyssa Brugman
Lord of the Flies William Golding
Double Exposure Brian Caswell
The Simple gift Steven Herrick
Holes Louis Sachar


We've just started up Literature Circles here and found that Hell's
Island by Matthew Reilly is a BIG hit, especially with the boys, as is
the old favourite Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.  Holes by Louis Sachar was
read, and enjoyed, by boys who've never read a book in their lives.  Boy
Overboard and Girl Underground by Morris Gleitzman are both proving very
popular, as is Amber Pash on Pink by Pauline Luke, the latter
particularly with the girls.  Spangled Drongo by Steven Herrick is
surprising some of them with how much they are enjoying it as it's a
verse novel and not one most of them would pick up off the shelves on
their own.  Other titles which seem okay are Right Where it Hurts by
David Hill, Tumble Turn by Doug Macleod and Saturday Morning, Mozart and
Burnt Toast by Robert Newton.


Once and Then by Morris Gleitzman (2006 & 2008) Jewish boy in WW2 Germany,

The Chain of Charms by Kate Forsyth (maybe the first one - keen students 
can read on)(2007)Gypsy children on a quest in Cromwell's England,

Digger J Jones by Richard Frankland (2007) young boy in Australia during 
Vietnam War and Aboriginal referendum,

Fantastica series by Kim Wilkins and Fiona McIntosh (2006 & 2007) 4 part 
fantasy adventure series,

Runestone by Anna Ciddor First of the Viking Magic series (2002) a boy and 
girl in the time of the Vikings.

You might consider : A horse called elvis - John Heffernan - most of our yr
7s enjoyed this both this year and last year.

Holes, Louis Sachar - so good, you probably already have this on your list.

Would you consider - the Arrival - Shaun Tan? - could be interesting to see
how this is handled in a Lit circles context - great for the 'making
connections' role; perhaps a 'dramatisation' role could be introduced for 
this!

Billy Mack and Billy Mack's war - James Roy

Walking home with Marie Claire - Kirsty Murray (consider other books by her
too)

Thanks again,
Alison ...
Mentone Grammar
Mentone VIC ...
--
 
Cheers Alison
Stephen Loosley
Member, Victorian
Institute of Teaching