Kevin's Watch

Maurice has got to be one of the funnest books I have ever read. That one would probably be a major winner.

It might hinge on your school board?!?!

When my son was in 6th grade, he took one of the Dragonlance books to school and it was taken away from him.

He told me about it when he got home and I, of course, I jumped to conclusions that he had been reading it when he should have been doing something else. (Bad mom, bad )

He told me that no, the school didn't allow them to bring "those kinds of books" and that they wouldn't give it back to him to bring home at the end of the day. He also told me, when asked, that he didn't know they weren't allowed.

I called the school the next day and sure 'nough, those "kinds of books" weren't allowed.

I asked them where this was written in their student handbook and I was told that it wasn't, that it was "just a rule".

I told them that I was not aware of their rule, that I believed my son when he said he didn't know it was against the rule and that it wouldn't happen again.

I also told them that I paid for the book, the book technically belonged to me and they by God WOULD return the book to him at the end of the school day or I WOULD file a police report.

He got his book back.

Well, I guess I still like fluff.

I would recommend Anne McCaffrey's Acorna for middle schoolers. The first book in the series is definitely geared toward YA readers.

Or how about Diana Wynne Jones Dark Lord of Derkholm? My 11 year old son, Beorn (yes, his name came straight out of The Hobbit), loved that book this past year.

Is this a public school, Duck? If so, they have no right to tell a student what they can or can't read on their breaks (assuming other books with equal content levels are allowed). The only reason they wouldn't allow "those kinds" of books is because the use of magic goes against their religious beliefs. I mean, if it was a Boris Vallejo or some of the 60s pulp paperbacks, maybe. But Leonard Elmore (IIRC), no. I would be furious.

It was a public school (it was a long time ago...1987, and hopefully things have changed!) and I was extremely ticked.

Yeah, I would have understood if it had been, for instance, one of the Gor novels or something similar. I would have understood if the school had ever sent any kind of notification stating, "Parents, please don't allow your children to bring fantasy novels to school." (Dumb, but hey, that's the rule.) They had a copy of The Hobbitt in the school library so, come on!

I wouldn't have been as angry if they had returned the book to him that same day. I felt like it was appropriate for him to read and considering the fact that I had a hard time getting him to read anything at all.....

I'd like to add that before anyone thinks this is an example of the Alabama Bible Belt, it wasn't. We were living in a suburb of St. Louis at the time.

As I said, perhaps they've taken a more reasonable stance by now.

Oh! Some more suggestions for middle schoolers.

Beorn is working his way through Silverberg's Majipoor Chronicles (he's on Lord Prestimion (2nd novel in the 2nd trilogy, with Mpuntains of Majipoor thrown inbetween). Perhaps Lord Valentines Castle would be a good inroduction to Silverberg?

Or how about The Chronicles of Amber by Zelazny? The first six are fairly quick reads, with some meaty concepts to chew upon.

Wow! a lot of sugestions for one class

-Being one of the (very) few Eddings enjoyers on the Watch...I would be inclined NOT to read the Belgaraid to 6th--8th graders..unfortunatly, largely due to waht Duckie is calling those kind of books.

Easy reading, and predictable as it is... and not to mention all the sexual references, it may be too gory and violent for a class read.

Your local school board (I'm sure the kids could handle it) may not books where someone is burned to death, in great detail..someone blows himself up, people catch axes in their faces, there are slaves with their tongues ripped out, and serants who are casterated.

Just my oppinion.

Whoa Drew! Reread my post. My sons school referred to them as "those kind of books" Not me!

I reserve that term for *shudder* romance novels.

Yeah, yeah, I just meant those kind of book as a refference to your post.--

But on that topic, if the schools don't want kids reading them, and doing book reports on them, that's one thing, but they should be allowed to read anything their parents aprove of during free time.

I was just saying that a local school board may find the Belgaraid too violent for a school reading.

I think that Sabriel is an excellent choice for that age group.

If you go with Pullman, definitely start with The Golden Compass, not The Amber Spyglass. The Amber Spyglass is the third and last book of the trilogy and assumes knowledge of what occurred in the other two books. Also, it would spoil the first two books for anyone in the class (I am assuming most) who have never read the first two books of the trilogy.

Another good, thought-provoking book might be Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett.

Yeah, possibly too thought provoking though. (Depending on the board, I guess.)

The Tripod books Cail mentions are great. (The first one is his list is actually a prequel, it was written after the other three.) He wrote a few other really great series as well. I still enjoy them.

--Avatar

Warmark wrote:

The Amber Spyglass-Phillip Pullman

have you done, Northern Lights or The Subtle Knife.
Probabley better to start at beginning of the trilogy.

i forgot which order they were put in, but in the US at least, the first book is called the golden compass


also: if you have time, consider The Sword of Shannara- which is a really good, albeit long book

Avatar wrote:Yeah, possibly too thought provoking though. (Depending on the board, I guess.)

--Avatar

Yes, Small Gods could be a problematic one for a school, depending on how open-minded the schoolboard, community and parents are.

I did think of that before I mentioned it, but I decided to mention it anyway.

Rincewind wrote:

Warmark wrote:

The Amber Spyglass-Phillip Pullman

have you done, Northern Lights or The Subtle Knife.
Probabley better to start at beginning of the trilogy.

i forgot which order they were put in, but in the US at least, the first book is called the golden compass

The books were named differently in the US and in Britain.
Northern Lights (GB) and The Golden Compass(US) is the same book.

The books were named differently in the US and in Britain.
Northern Lights (GB) and The Golden Compass(US) is the same book

Ah, ok was getting pretty confused.

The books were named differently in the US and in Britain.
Northern Lights (GB) and The Golden Compass(US) is the same book.

yeah, i kinda figured that