This week’s theme is books I was assigned to read in school. This challenge may be rough for me as I attended my 20 year high school reunion a couple years ago, so it's been a minute since I was in school, and let's face it, my memory is just not what it used to be. So with that in mind, here are the books I remember having been assigned to read in school.
The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
I am pretty sure this book started my obsession with WWII historical fiction.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
If The Devil's Arithmetic didn't start my obsession with WWII historical fiction, then Number the Stars did.
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
I'm pretty sure most American school children were assigned to read this book.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
I don't remember a whole lot about this book, but I remember I didn't enjoy reading it.
So I might actually be confusing this book with another book with a yellow cover, because the book description for this does not ring any bells for me at all. The book I'm thinking of had a kid who grew up in a converted barn, and I think he had younger siblings who were twins and I think they were toddlers.
I remember really liking this book as a kid, but I also know I didn't realize the ending was a cliffhanger at the time. I honestly assumed that Jonas and the baby were dead, until I read the rest of the quartet a few years ago and found out I was wrong.
This is a book I know I read, but I'm not 100% sure that it was assigned reading for school. However, it has similar themes to Hatchet, which is one I know I wouldn't have picked up on my own, so I feel fairly confident that it was assigned reading.
This was a book we read for English class my freshman year of high school. I didn't like it much, but I at least understand why it was assigned reading because it's about the Civil War.
This book was assigned for my English class junior year, and I hated it when it was assigned for class, which is crazy, because I'd read it on my own sophomore year and really enjoyed the story. It's also possible some of my dislike for the story junior year is tied to my dislike of the teacher.
So we really only read The Lottery and not any of the other stories in this collection, but it was a story that really left a mark on my psyche (because it's all I could think of for the tenth book in this post).
It occurs to me that my school assigned reading was somewhat Holocaust heavy, but that may just be that those books made a bigger impact on me, so the fact that they were assigned reading became more of a core memory than other books that were assigned. What books were you assigned to read in school? Have you read any of mine?
If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can stop by and check out your list.
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Great list. I don't think I've read any of these books, but they definitely do seem like book assignments. I also had to rack my brains to remember all the books I was assigned in school even though it's not been as many years for me. I loved reading your reviews :)
ReplyDeleteIf you'd like to visit, here's my TTT: https://thebooklorefairy.blogspot.com/2024/10/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-was-assigned-in-school.html
I love Shirley Jackson! I wish I had been assigned her work in school. And it has been a long time for me as well, since I was is in school.
ReplyDeleteNice list! I've actually read all of these books, although not all of them were in or because of school.
ReplyDeleteMy mind blanked hard on this prompt, but seeing everyone else's lists has reminded me of all the reading I did in school. Such a fun trip down memory lane!
Happy TTT!
Tuck Everlasting is such a fun book and definitely worth a read (if it's not the one you're thinking of)
ReplyDeleteGreat list! I don't think I've read any of these in school myself, though I must admit my memories are pretty blurry by now :)
ReplyDeleteIt's also been over 20 years since I graduated high school, I didn't even attempt the topic, LOL! You did better than me. I couldn't think of 10.
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me say high school was over 30 years ago for me. ~cringe~ But I remember reading Scarlett Letter and hating every minute of it. If anything, it was a great sleep aid as my mom found me face down in it most nights.
ReplyDeletePam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/books-i-think-they-should-discuss-in-school/
haha the same thing happened to me with the giver
ReplyDeleteI've read all of these except for Island of the Blue Dolphins and Red Badge of Courage. Some of the others I had to read for school, and some I just read on my own. But I really liked Tuck Everlasting and Hatchet, and The Lottery is such a crazy short story, I've never forgotten it. Great TTT list. :D
ReplyDeleteInteresting! Hadn't heard of the Shirley Jackson one. Hatchet was wonderful. I really got a kick out of survival stories like that, My Side of the Mountain, and so on. Thanks for dropping by earlier!
ReplyDeleteSome of these sound really interesting but I always think reading something for class can really kill any enjoyment you might get from it.
ReplyDeleteI read The Giver is school as well. I had a friend who assumed they died too, but I always believed they made it! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteNumber the Stars was one of my favorites as a kid
ReplyDeleteHm... I think The Scarlet Letter was also assigned to us as well. I know I read it.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting list. I started to read The Lottery collection of stories a couple of years ago but had to DNF it because I had no idea what was going on 🤣
ReplyDeleteIt was hard to remember books that I read in school too 😊
Have a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2024/10/15/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-was-assigned-to-read-in-school/
I've never even heard of Island of the Blue Dolphins, but it looks interesting!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read these. It's been a while since I was at school too. I left in 2008 when I was 18.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting list though. I started to read the Shirley Jackson collection but had to DNF as I had no idea what was going on 🤣
Have a great week!
Tuck Everlasting was a recent read for me and it doesn't sound like your description but it's not like I have the best memory either! 😂
ReplyDeleteSo many titles I recognize and have read here! It’s fun to reflect on our reading history! ~Carol @ ReadingLadies
ReplyDeleteI've only read Anne Frank's diary from your list. I've seen The Giver on a few lists and was wondering why it wasn't one in knew in school. Then I looked at the publication date!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever read Tuck Everlasting. I remember seeing the movie later down the line, guess I didn't catch the "based on the book" part as a kid! While I was never assigned to read The Diary of Anne Frank, I do recall reading that one on my own...I think it was before my paranormal hype started, so we're talking adolescent age here. Lol. I do remember reading The Lottery as well, it was wild since it was a lottery you didn't really want to win. I think the only other one I read was Hatchet in middle school. Wasn't really a fan of that one either. I guess we're all just subject to not enjoy a book we're forced to read. It took me til my senior year in high school to have a favorite and even the ones that came after still weren't faves either. Lol.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my TTT!
I've read all of these except The Devil's Arithmetic, Hatchet, and Island of the Blue Dolphins! I hated The Scarlet Letter when I had to read it my freshman year of high school.
ReplyDeleteGreat list! I forgot about reading Anne Frank. That was a good book. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Katie!
ReplyDeleteI read Anne Frank, but in Dutch :)
ReplyDeleteThe Lottery is such a good story. And The Scarlet Letter. I forgot about those. Great list!
ReplyDeleteGood list--my kids read most of the same elementary school books, so I'm pretty familiar with them even if I haven't actually read them. Thanks for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteI remember when my kids read The Giver and Hatchet. It motivated me to read them, too.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely read The Diary of Anne Frank in school. I hope they are still assigning it.
ReplyDeleteI read The Giver, but not as assignment. I didn’t realize there were other books either.
ReplyDeleteI graduated earlier than you, but my classes had such different required readings. I do remember reading Anne Frank's Diary, and I'm so glad to see that schools are still teaching a diary written by someone with firsthand experience. Although I'm not as much of a fan of Holocaust fiction (my dad was a survivor), I did see The Devil's Arithmetic as a movie, and it was heartbreaking and horrifying.
ReplyDelete