ereks mom Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 AND the girl was a reluctant reader, what would you choose? I already have a list of poetry and shorter works; I need suggestions for a novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TippyCanoe Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Jane Eyre. My favorite Victorian novel, ever. Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility would be some other beloved novels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 (edited) Probably Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. It's on most everyone's classics list. It's SHORT. There are tons of spin-off books and movies for comparison. And you might be able to pique interest with watching a few of the film or BBC productions first to get a feel for the times/culture that Austen was commenting on. Also, there are so many film/TV versions of P&P out there, it would be fun to read the book, then watch a few to compare/contrast: - Pride & Prejudice, TV-mini-series (1995) -- more faithful to the book, but secondary characters are far less realistic (cartoonish buffoons) - Pride & Prejudice (2005) -- film; best for acting and best for production in looks/accuracy of the times, but some minor changes/additions to the book events and dialogue - Bride & Prejudice (2004) -- based on P&P, but set in modern-day India, with "Bollywood" big song/dance numbers and meant to be fun/funny; our boys thought this was a hoot - Miss Austen Regrets (2008) -- 90-minute drama on older Jane Austen towards the end of her life - Becoming Jane (2007) -- romance/drama on Jane Austen's choices as a young woman to accept/reject a marriage proposal and romance And, of course, P&P was also the book that spawned the first of the modern horror "knock-offs", with "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies", if you wanted to compare that way. Or, compare with the Jane Austen mysteries series by Stephanie Barron. The good thing about this is that even if these knock-offs are not classics, you are getting a reluctant reader to READ, and to think/compare. The students begin to see the value of knowing the classics so they can more fully appreciate modern books and movies that SO often allude to or reference the classics... I think P&P is also the shortest of Austen's "famous five" (P&P; Emma; Persuasion; Mansfield Park; Northanger Abbey). Other suggestions: - Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) -- 1847 - Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) -- 1846 - Frankenstein (Mary Shelley) -- 1818 - Ivanhoe (Sir Walter Scott) -- 1819 - Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens) -- 1838 - A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) -- 1843 I personally would wait on Dickens and do both A Christmas Carol (novella) and also a Dickens novel to match up with your studies of the second half of the 19th century (most of Dickens best-known works came in the 1850s-1860s) -- ALTHOUGH, here's a thought: perhaps slip in A Christmas Carol as an extra (on top of whatever you pick for 1800-1850) and schedule it for the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas break -- then watch a film version or two (definitely The Muppet Christmas Carol!), and that would be quite fun! I have 2 DSs, so we skipped reading Austen (we watched several film versions of the five favorite Austen works), and instead we read Frankenstein (part of our Worldviews in Classic Sci-Fi year of lit.); while there were great things to discuss in Frankenstein, the actual reading of the book was a bit of a drag -- LOOONNNGGG passages on the landscape, as though Shelley were writing a travelogue (I know, that's the Romanticism coming into play), and the vocabulary and excessively long sentences were a bit of a slog to get through -- a reluctant reader may get easily frustrated... And we did Wuthering Heights (which I found to be a fascinatingly complex novel -- NOT the "passionate love story" young girls think it to be) -- but our impatient DSs got very annoyed with the characters being so obsessed, and would most likely have thought the same about Jane Eyre -- don't know if that's a boy thing or a modern teen thing... I personally classify Ivanhoe and all of Scott's works as historical fiction, NOT as classics, BUT, if you have a reluctant reader who likes medieval-type stories, this may be a better fit than romance stories or pre-Victorian works... You know your student best! :) BEST of luck, whatever you go with! Warmest regards, Lori D. Edited August 26, 2012 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 You might try Jane Eyre in this format: http://www.currclick.com/product/64360/Jane-Eyre-by-Charlotte-Bronte-%281847%29---Literary-Classics-Workbook---Complete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Jane Eyre. My favorite Victorian novel, ever. :iagree: As a teen, I loved books with poorly treated children who overcame great obstacles. This was the theme that drew me to Jane Eyre, not romance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Wow - that's a tough one. I agree you'd probably want to go with Pride and Prejudice but I really can't imagine not reading Wuthering Heights. Jane Eyre is an excellent choice as well. I'd skip Dickens. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rai B. Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I thought oh, sure but coming up with something is harder than I thought. I looked up the books I remember reading voluntarily as a teenager and… I checked The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe thinking a reluctant reader teenage girl might find it more interesting, but it is too early—published 1794. Northanger Abbey (Austen) which references it, was sold to the publisher in 1798! Silas Marner, published 1861. Les Misérables, 1862. On the other hand, A Christmas Carol is 1843, and it is by far my favorite work by Dickens. It is short, and so is Frankenstein. Undine (1811) by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué is also short, and was very popular at the time. If she hasn’t read any one of those three, I think I would pick it. (The Brontës were required in school and I didn’t enjoy them at the time.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HodgesSchool Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I think there is no book better suited for high school girls than Austen's Emma. It is short and funny, thas a couple of fabulous film adaptations, and best of all became the basis for the movie Clueless. For an eager reader, I would definitely save Clueless for last--but if your daughter is resistant, you might try it earlier. Emma is sharp and clever. I think a modern high school girl could instantly identify with her a lot more easily than she might with the heroines of Pride and Prejudice. It is a great introduction to that world. Jane Eyre--my own favorite from that age--is earnest and serious. Absolutely wonderful book, but longer and a little more work. Try it right after Emma. Let us know how your choices work out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted August 26, 2012 Author Share Posted August 26, 2012 Thank you all for the great options! I'm still deciding, but now I have something to go on. EK (my dd) could handle anything I throw at her, but my other high schooler is not a reader, so I have to accomodate. I know the girls would love something that involves romance, so I'm considering all the Austen choices. I've never read anything by Jane Austen <gasp>. EK tried Pride and Prejudice, but just couldn't get into it. She doesn't like the style of writing; she kept getting confused about who was speaking to whom because of they way dialogue is written. We are definitely going to read Frankenstein, along with The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde plus The Deadliest Monster by Jeff Baldwin as part of our Worldview studies, but I wanted something else for Literature. I considered Wuthering Heights because when I read it for a college English class, I just LOVED it, but I'm not sure the girls would feel the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Wow - that's a tough one. I agree you'd probably want to go with Pride and Prejudice but I really can't imagine not reading Wuthering Heights. Jane Eyre is an excellent choice as well. I'd skip Dickens. Heather I'd skip Dickens, too. I read both Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre on my own, before we studied them in English class. I much prefer Jane Eyre. Wuthering Heights had so many plot kerfluffles, and I wanted to smack Catherine (or was it Cathy???) multiple times, lol. Jane is pretty straight forward, and I admire her strength of character, especially in choosing not to have an immoral relationship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommamagistra Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Jane Eyre was my all time favorite as a teen girl. I too could never get into Jane Austin's style, although a number of my friends are Austin fanatics. For a reluctant reader, I think Jane Eyre -- once you make the initial push to get into her style -- is hard to put down. FWIW I found Frankenstein in need of some heavy handed editing. I know that's heresy to say, but huge swaths could have been cut, and they can be hard to slog through for a reluctant reader. OTOH There's an edition of Frankenstein put out by Kaplan (the test prep people) that has a valuable running vocab on the left margin parallel to the text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollhouse Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Jane Eyre, hands down!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I think there is no book better suited for high school girls than Austen's Emma. It is short and funny, thas a couple of fabulous film adaptations, and best of all became the basis for the movie Clueless. For an eager reader, I would definitely save Clueless for last--but if your daughter is resistant, you might try it earlier. Emma is sharp and clever. I think a modern high school girl could instantly identify with her a lot more easily than she might with the heroines of Pride and Prejudice. It is a great introduction to that world. Jane Eyre--my own favorite from that age--is earnest and serious. Absolutely wonderful book, but longer and a little more work. Try it right after Emma. Let us know how your choices work out! :iagree: It's more about matchmaking, crazy parents, and growing up than just about marriage, so I think it's more relatable to teen girls today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 Jane Eyre is on my list of all-time favorites, too, but it is longer and bit denser than most of the Austen novels. I do love Austen, although, though. But you might consider Emma instead of Pride and Prejudice. The lead character is a young woman who thinks she's a wonderful match-maker, and I find her a little more approachable for young folks than some of the other Austen heroines. Also, when you finish reading it, you can watch Clueless and play "spot the similarities." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I am answering for dd14. She adores the literature from that time period. Jane Eyre is the favorite closely followed by Pride and Prejudice. She hasn't read Wuthering Heights yet. Part of SL for this year. It was my favorite as a teenager but reads way different as an adult. She also loves Great Expectations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HistoryBuff Posted August 26, 2012 Share Posted August 26, 2012 I have to say Jane Eyre but follow it up with an excellent version of the novel on video or dvd (go to Youtube, they have several good versions--I like the one with Timothy Dalton the best.) Jane Eyre is my favorite book. I have a teen son and we did Great Expectations last year in 8th grade. I also like David Copperfield. It's pretty straight forward and has interesting characters. I'm a big Dickens fan. I try to always show a good version on film/cd after we read the book. If you needed a book for American Lit. I recommend the uncut versions of Little Women or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 I have to say Jane Eyre but follow it up with an excellent version of the novel on video or dvd (go to Youtube, they have several good versions--I like the one with Timothy Dalton the best.) Jane Eyre is my favorite book. I have a teen son and we did Great Expectations last year in 8th grade. I also like David Copperfield. It's pretty straight forward and has interesting characters. I'm a big Dickens fan. I try to always show a good version on film/cd after we read the book. If you needed a book for American Lit. I recommend the uncut versions of Little Women or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. As far as I am concerned, the Timothy Dalton version is the ONLY one worth seeing. Magnificent, truly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 Jane Eyre was my all time favorite as a teen girl. I too could never get into Jane Austin's style, although a number of my friends are Austin fanatics. For a reluctant reader, I think Jane Eyre -- once you make the initial push to get into her style -- is hard to put down. FWIW I found Frankenstein in need of some heavy handed editing. I know that's heresy to say, but huge swaths could have been cut, and they can be hard to slog through for a reluctant reader. OTOH There's an edition of Frankenstein put out by Kaplan (the test prep people) that has a valuable running vocab on the left margin parallel to the text. Yep, that's the one we have. Jekyll & Hyde also. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stirsmommy Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 My vote is for Jane Eyre. I love the suggestions to watch the BBC version of it and just added it to the year. But I do have a question, which bbc version are all of you talking about when you say watch the bbc one? While living in Scotland I got to watch the mini series version with Timothy Dalton and I loved it but didn't know there was an updated one. Is it better? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 I would have her read Pride and Prejudice. You could maybe line up the Colin Firth version of the movie with the novel. Have her watch an episode, then read the corresponding part of the book. A friend did this with her DD who is a struggling reader and it went very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 My vote is for Jane Eyre. I love the suggestions to watch the BBC version of it and just added it to the year. But I do have a question, which bbc version are all of you talking about when you say watch the bbc one? While living in Scotland I got to watch the mini series version with Timothy Dalton and I loved it but didn't know there was an updated one. Is it better?Thanks No, it's not better. It's horrible, actually. Doesn't stay true to the book at all, and doesn't stay true to the norms and culture of that time period either. The version with Timothy Dalton is a masterpiece. Well cast, well written, mostly true to the book, and masterfully put together all around. Don't bother with the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stirsmommy Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 No, it's not better. It's horrible, actually. Doesn't stay true to the book at all, and doesn't stay true to the norms and culture of that time period either. The version with Timothy Dalton is a masterpiece. Well cast, well written, mostly true to the book, and masterfully put together all around. Don't bother with the others. Oh good to know thanks. I loved it as a girl and was quite devastate when he first signed on to be James Bond (my guilty pleasure) Timothy Dalton was just my Mr Rochester. lol Melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmgirl70 Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Have you considered having her listen to an audiobook? Sometimes that's been helpful for us when the kids were getting used to language from a different time period. One of my kids is also an auditory learner and absorbs things very well while listening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmgirl70 Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Also, check out the podcast, "Just the Books", by Heather Ordover. She was an English teacher and casually teaches the books and has them read aloud on the podcast. This is how we did "Frankenstein". It was helpful to have some of the background information, but Heather does it in a pleasant, not heavy handed way. I can't remember which one, but she also does a Jane Austen novel as well as "A Tale of Two Cities" and others. I love her podcast and my kids have enjoyed certain books there, too. Check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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