What do Romeo and Juliet, The Great Gatsby, and Othello all have in common? They’re all books overanalyzed by high school English classes and tiresome required reading for students. That’s not to say that these books are bad; however, the themes and the literary devices used in these texts are outdated, overused, and, some would argue, quite boring. There are many other wonderful options of books that teachers can use that teach literacy to students (and even make the activity of reading sound fun!), some of which include modern selections and books written for middle schoolers.
So what if the book was intended for a middle schooler? Teaching literacy should not only be worthwhile for the students, but should also be accessible to them. Is it fair for a student to be subjected to reading Romeo and Juliet at the age of 13, and be expected to know every poetic device and where they’re located? Should a freshman in highschool be forced to read The Great Gatsby to then be expected to point out every plot point with complete accuracy? Students should be able to comprehend what they’re learning, and using middle school books helps them easily identify each plot point or literary device. As they grow older, should they willingly choose to keep reading, they can work their way up to reading the great classics. In fact, more people would probably read the classics later in life, rather than being intimidated by it and having to read something dense such as The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Then, in their own time, they can work their way up to the “Bigs” of literature such as War and Peace or Anna Karenina.
Modern books can also be a better option to use in class. Students not only will be immersed by the text because of the familiar diction, yet will also understand pop culture references. English isn’t a history class, it only teaches the uses of literary devices. What does it matter where those techniques stem from? Students are only tested on how the author uses said techniques in their texts, where they are in the text, and how it impacts the reading experience. Most classic texts are limited in variations without the straight, white, male protagonist. In assigning modern fiction, there are better options for choosing books with people of color representation, LGBTQIA+ representation, and non-male protagonists (female, non-binary, bigender, genderless, etc.)
Readership changes along with what society wants, and although the classic books taught in class are immortal in a sense, it’s only really time who determines who will learn from what kind of book.
Below are some books with literary depth that could be useful in a classroom setting:
The School for Good and Evil
Uses a lot of themes and elements. It can also provide study for different types of characters (static, round, dynamic, flat, etc.) especially because it’s a trope used in a lot of the plotline.
The Girl Who Drank The Moon
A lot of metaphors used in the book that can provide ideal identification assignments, and it’s also a story where the plotline is easy to point out in certain areas (the exposition, the climax, falling action, etc.)
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Perfect use in class when teaching kids about the story structure as it’s easy to point out where the stories main points are located at. Plus, Percy’s a fun narrator.
The Cold Is In Her Bones
Has excellents uses of metaphor and it provides some challenge when trying to decipher the true message of the story, while still being highly accessible for the reader. The plot is also highly intriguing, so it keeps readers enticed.
Turtles All the Way Down
Provides a good example of character development, an easy read, and has a good plot.
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