Books Every Child Should Know Part III
2007-04-25
By D. E. Herrod, B.Ed.E, M.Div
The focus for today’s column is on books for students in grades 6-12. The books are listed in alphabetical order.
BOOKS FOR TEENS
1. A Banner in the Sky by James Ramsey Ulman. Join Rudi on the adventure to conquer the mountain that killed his father.
2. A Fine White Dust by Cynthia Rylant. In this 1987 Newberry Honor book 13 year-old Peter struggles with his faith and the non-belief of his family and friends.
3. All Creatures Great & Small by Dr. James Harriet. Part of the autobiographical series by country veterinarian in rural England.
4. Anne Franke: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Franke. Anne records the experiences of her family while hiding from the Nazis during World War II.
5. Christy by Catherine Marshall. Christy Huddleston is a young school teacher who leaves her privileged life to teach in the Smoky Mountains.
6. Dicey’s Song & the Tillerman Series by Cynthia Voigt. Dicey and her siblings are abandon by their mother and sent to live with there eccentric grandmother. 1983 Winner of the Newberry Medal.
7. In His Steps by Charles Sheldon. The book that sparked the WWJD movement.
8. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. The nameless narrator of the novel describes his struggles and life of being black in America.
9. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. The 1st book in Tolkien’s classic trilogy about middle earth.
10. Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan. Bunyan’s classic allegory of the Christian faith.
11. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Austen’s classic about the Bennett girls quest for romance
12. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor. The 1977 Newberry winner is the story of a black family in Mississippi in the 1930’s. This is a good book for 5th grade and above.
13. Sounder by William H. Armstrong. 1970 Newberry Medal Winner about coon hound and the African American sharecropper who owns him.
14. Tales from Shakespeare by Charles & Mary Lamb. Written in prose the Lamb’s adaptation of Shakespeare was one of first books written specifically for adolescence.
15. The Best Short Stories of O. Henry edited by Bennett A. Cerf and Van H. Cartmell or other collection of O Henry’s works. My favorites are “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Ransom of Red Chief”.
16. The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett. The former secretary of education has culled a selection of poems and stories to be read aloud in hopes of passing on specific virtues to the younger generation.
17. The Call of the Wild by Jack London. London’s classic tale of the Klondike gold rush.
18. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. Strobel records the efforts of his attempt to prove if there was credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God.
19. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. The true story of the Ten Boom family and the Jews they helped hide from the Nazis.
20. The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict Fully Updated To Answer The Questions Challenging Christians Today by Josh McDowell. Author and apologist provide real evidence to support Christianity.
21. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. A coming of age story of gang members Ponyboy and Johnny.
22. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. This insightful book showcases the unfavored grace of God. Manning wrote this book "for the bedraggled, beat-up, and burnt-out," the marginalized folks to whom Jesus ministered
23. The Story of My Life by Helen Keller. Keller’s autobiography of life and struggles to overcome the insurmountable odds of being blind and deaf.
24. To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mocking Bird is about life in small southern town during the Depression. Lee won a Pulitzer Prize for this book.
25. Up From Slavery: An Autobiography by Booker T. Washington. Booker T. Washington’s autobiography of his life from slavery to a pioneer in agriculture and vocational education.
MORE IN THE BOOKS EVERY CHILD SHOULD KNOW SERIES
* Friday, April 20th: Part 1: Books For Preschool Children
* Monday, April 23rd: Part 2: Books For Elementary School Children
* Friday, April 27th: Part 4: Books for Adults and Parent Resources
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