Is Night by Elie Wiesel appropriate for 11 graders?

[Joanne]

If so, I may be adding it for the honors track of my US history post Reconstruction syllabus.

[freethinkermama]

If so, I may be adding it for the honors track of my US history post Reconstruction syllabus.

 

Yes. I would certainly use it.

[stripe]

I am certain I read Night in high school, though not 11th grade. Then again, I was taken to a Holocaust museum in 9th grade (where I fainted somewhere near the human-skin lamps), so it may have been that year.

[fairfarmhand]

Yes, I would think so.

[Pretty in Pink]

Yes.

[LibraryLover]

I first read that as 11, not 11th grade. It might be too much for most 11 yr olds, but I think it should be mandatory for 11th graders.

[aggieamy]

I first read that as 11, not 11th grade. It might be too much for most 11 yr olds, but I think it should be mandatory for 11th graders.

 

Agreed. It's troubling but not so much that an 11th grader (17 years old probably) wouldn't be able to handle it.

[Nakia]

I *think* I read it around 9th grade. I think everyone should read it in high school, for sure!

[jenL]

It was part of our curriculum when I taught 8th grade Language Arts. The students were enthralled with it, and you would be amazed at the insight they had regarding it. Every year, they blew me away with their analysis of it.

[Splash]

My son read it his freshman year. I preread it and it lead to some interesting discussion.

[Michelle in AL]

Hi there's a rape, not graphic if I remember correctly. That might bother some parents.

[Audrey]

If so, I may be adding it for the honors track of my US history post Reconstruction syllabus.

 

 

I know that it is one of the grade 9 reading selections at the school here.

[Catherine]

It captures so much about the camps, the desperation of people trying to just survive, the poignancy of his father's death and his vain attempts to save him. I would not consider recommending anyone read it without some prolonged discussion, reflection, and warning ahead of what to expect. Honestly, it's not the kind of book I picture eighth graders handling, or getting much out of. Maybe that's just me.

[freetobeme]

my oldest (in public hs) read it in 9th or 10th.

my second (at home) read it in 8th or 9th.

[Susan in KY]

If so, I may be adding it for the honors track of my US history post Reconstruction syllabus.

 

Night is fine, but I highly recommend All But My Life instead. It is brilliantly written, and one of the few books I thought needed to be read much more widely than it is.

[RoughCollie]

My DD read it in 7th grade when she was attending a parochial school.

[Chris in VA]

There's a sequel which is good, too, and fleshes out the story a bit. So often I wonder what happened after the Holocaust, and the sequel helped answer that a bit.

[Crissy]

My son read it in his sophomore literature class. It felt perfectly appropriate at that age.

[rookie]

my dd/6th grade read it.

[JFSinIL]

Our public school 8th graders read it. One teacher said she was just sick and tired of Anne Frank! The 9th grade teachers tried to make it mandatory, too - I pointed out that they and the 8th grade teachers need to talk.

[hsmom3tn]

I read the Night Trilogy and didn't care much for the other two stories, but I think Night is an excellent book. I would not have a problem with my children reading it in 11th grade.