8th Grade - Why These Books?

English

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo

"As the enemy lurks in the darkness, Private Thomas Peaceful struggles to stay awake through the night. He has lived through the terror of gas attacks, watched friends die by his side, and battled the rats, the mud, and the sheer exhaustion of staying alert. But in the morning, Thomas will be forced to confront a greater horror. When morning comes, the unthinkable will happen.”

"As the minutes tick by, Thomas remembers his childhood spent deep in the countryside with his mother, his brothers, and Molly, the love of his life. But each minute that passes brings Thomas closer to something he can't bear
to think about--the moment when the war and its horrific consequences will change his life forever."

This book has been selected because:

   1. It vividly depicts the devastating effects of war on the characters.

   2. The plot presents many interesting twists and turns for the reader.

   3. It provides interesting insights on the themes of duty towards country versus moral
       responsibilities and social class distinctions.


Tangerine by Edward Bloom

“Paul Fisher’s older brother is a high school football star, but to Paul he’s no hero. Paul’s own game is soccer, which he plays even though he has to wear thick glasses because of a mysterious eye injury. When the Fishers move to Tangerine, Florida, Paul tries to make sense of things. But it’s not easy. In Tangerine, underground fires burn for years and lightning strikes the same practice field every day. Strange things happen here all the time --- but nothing is stranger than the secrets Paul discovers about his brother, his new group of friends, and his own dangerous past.”

1.    Tangerine contains multiple plot lines that lead to exciting and surprising resolutions.

2.    Tangerine’s protagonist experiences success and perseveres through temporary failures and grows significantly as a result.

3.    The setting of the story depicts the advantages and the disadvantages of living in this section of the country.

4.    The Fisher family re-examine their beliefs and values by the end of the novel.

5.    Tangerine also examines stereotypes and how they can be very misleading.

U.S. History

Animal Farm by George Orwell

In Animal Farm, barnyard animals overthrow the farmer and run the farm for themselves as a collective.  Ultimately, division arises among and between different groups of animals, and the dream of an ideal farm collapses with the proclamation that “some animals are more equal than others.”  It is a short novella, appropriate to the reading level, and is one of those books that every informed citizen should read.

Animal Farm is a classic fable that introduces the students to many issues critical to their understanding of political behavior.

1. Students examine the causes and nature of revolution, and consider when action should replace inaction.
2. Students are introduced to different forms of political organization and political
   activity and can therefore evaluate the effectiveness of different styles of politics.
3. Students are presented with a number of different situations that call into question the nature of justice and can evaluate the relative merits of different social goals.