Book recommendations for JHS students??

[LozZz]

I was asked to recommend a book for my JHS students and my mind has gone blank. Obviously anything I remember reading at that age is too difficult for them. Does anyone have any good suggestions?

[Croninokehige]

If your kids are anything like my JHS kids, it's going to be hard to find any "book" they can read that isn't like "Baby's First Reader" or whatever. Things written for their level will be well below the appropriate age-interest level.

The only thing I can think is that graphic novels or comics might be a good compromise. Besides the fact that kids here love graphic novels already, it would help them have illustrations to give some context and make it easier to understand what they're reading. There are lots of publishers that take well-known Western classics, abridge them, and put them in comic form. That's how I read a lot of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne when I was a little kid. You could look into something like that...

[fred]

Man, that is tough as you need something that is level approriate and something that's written for their age.
In addition to Conor's thoughts, you could try Amazon or Rogetsudo in Showa. I have found books such as pride and prejudice which has been simplified for someone with a TOEIC of 400 or 500.
Perhaps they do children's book's like that.

I know that I may get some shit for this, but could I recommend Tintin 

http://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_ja_JP=%83J%83%5E%83J%83i&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=tintin+young+readers&x=0&y=0

[The Badger Baron of Shizuoka]

Great idea Fred you've helped me figure out what books to invest in for my high level elementary school kids!

I've looked into the simplified TOEIC books, they still seem quite advanced still for JHS level, maybe san nensei at a push.

[fred]

If I can spread the gospel that is Tintin, I am going to take that opportunity!

My comment about the simplified books was to illustrate that Rogetsudo does stock simplified books. However, I cannot vouch that they have stuff at the level the LozZz requires.

[Croninokehige]

Dude, Tintin would be phenomenal for higher level JHS/HS kids. If we could just get ONE Japanese boy shouting "BASHI BAZUUKUSUU"...

[fred]

Ha ha ha.... I think we all know how that would make me feel. I don't think any of you would want me to describe it to you.

[LozZz]

well it wasn't requested that it was aimed at their age level, that was just something I was hoping for.
I'd feel shitty recommending a kiddy picture book to them, even if it IS totally appropriate for their reading level.

I'll keep comics in mind but I'm now thinking that short stories might be the way to go, the only problem is finding something a good suggestion as our library has a VERY limited selection of English books.

[jesse]

I dont think it would float every kids boat, but there are some pretty decent Dr. Seuss books in respect to what they study. 

[LozZz]

Yeah I was considering that too, especially now that they're making many of the books into movies now.

I'd like to suggest something byRoald Dahl but that'd be too difficult for 99% of them

[Croninokehige]

I wonder if Encyclopedia Brown might be good for them? Really short little stories, just a few pages at a time, but they'll be engaged because there's a "mystery" to solve for each one. You can withhold the answer and make a game out of it, see who can figure out the most cases, or something.

[Josiah]

I bought a copy of Aesop's Fables at the book store on the 3rd floor of AEON Mall in Showa and I think it would be an excellent book to either use in class, or give someone to read. I bought it and gave it to my coworker and told her she could borrow it for a while to read everything and see if she could find a way for us to use it. She enjoyed it a lot. Haven't tried it out yet.

There's a bunch of stories in there, some are only a page long and some are 10 pages long. There's a vocabulary list at the back that you can either write out or photocopy and give to your students if they're high enough level. I'd use it with mine, but it's just a tiny bit too difficult for them and I'm sure they'd just get glossy-eyed and take a mental vacation.

I think it improves reading comprehension at a different level because the object of reading a fable is to understand the moral of the story. I.e. Rabbit and the Hare. 

[Professor Bonerpants]

I wonder if Encyclopedia Brown might be good for them? Really short little stories, just a few pages at a time, but they'll be engaged because there's a "mystery" to solve for each one. You can withhold the answer and make a game out of it, see who can figure out the most cases, or something.

Great minds think alike...
This is exactly what I was about to suggest!