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[Carter-Orange]

I had to read Frankenstein for A level English and found it boring too, and Shakespeare, I didn't really enjoy that in school either!  But I did enjoy Pride & Prejudice, probably because I'd seen the BBC's series of it with Colin Firth

[mare]

I was not a fan of the old classics either. In fact the ONLY time in my life I ever got anything less than an A in a Literature class was because of my dislike of The Scarlett Letter. I Hated that book with about ten passions and my English teacher loved it. We had to write a paper about it, and she disagreed with my interpretation of Hester and how I thought she was a very weak female character. She gave me a D! I will never ever forget that!

She asked me to rewrite it and I refused. I said "When Hawthorne rewrites his horrible book, maybe I'll change my opinion." It was the only time I've ever been snarky to a teacher! LOL Thank GOD I am long out of school now because if they ever made Twilight required reading....

[Chrissy]

Mare, that's horrible! I think the mark of a good teacher is being able to respect their students opinions, especially when they're the complete opposite of the teacher's own, as long as the point is well argued.

I'm crying because you didn't like P&P, Julie ;____; I got an anthology of Jane Austen books for my 13th birthday, so Pride & Prejudice is one of those books I've read at least a dozen times. I was always impressed with how the relationship between Lizzy and Mr. Darcy could make my heart race even though the book was so chaste. (I snuck into my mom's romance novel stash when I was a kid, so I had an early start on smut  )

[RokofAges75]

LOL Mare, I doubt they'll ever make Twilight required reading.  I did get to read Harry Potter for that same Brit Lit class; we got to choose a book by a British author to read and write a book report on, and that was on the list, so I chose it because I thought it would be easy - I had never wanted to read it before.  So I owe my love of Harry Potter to Brit Lit and that teacher.

The one classic we read that I did kind of like once I got into it was Wuthering Heights.  But I tried rereading it once and didn't get very far.  I'll be honest; I find most classics incredibly long-winded and hard to decipher.  I don't mind long books, as long as they're written in everyday English so I can plow through them quickly without having to stop and think just to comprehend what is happening in the story.  I guess I am a lazy reader that way.  I think that's a big reason why I didn't like most of the ones I was made to read in school.  Shakespeare is a great example - I can appreciate his stories, but actually reading them is just tedious.  I'd rather watch the movie.  (And this is why I teach 4th grade and not high school English LOL.)

[Kentuckychickrk]

I was not a fan of the old classics either. In fact the ONLY time in my life I ever got anything less than an A in a Literature class was because of my dislike of The Scarlett Letter. I Hated that book with about ten passions and my English teacher loved it.

I HATED that stupid book!  I believe I got a C on the test for that one because at some point I just gave up on finishing it.  Ugh.  Between that and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Romeo and Juliet which I hated equally, I wanted that year of English to be over so badly it hurt!

For me, I think my favorites were;
To Kill a Mockingbird
Z for Zachariah
The Little House books
Charlotte's Web
Matlida
and then, if we're talking about really early childhood;
Where the Wild Things Are, Madeline, The Bearenstein Bears, Babar... any really

[Rose]

I gotta admit, I liked Shakespeare. I own Hamlet cause it's one of my fave plays LOL.

[Purpura Lipstick]

Matilda! how could I forget that one and The BFG

And I have an equal disgust for The Scarlett Letter... 

[Carter-Orange]

The Twits was my favourite Roald Dahl book, lol.

I've not heard of The Scarlett Letter *googles it*

[Carter-Orange]

OK I read some reviews of The Scarlett Letter on Amazon and a high school teacher wrote that it was awful and she hated having to teach it LOL.  Guess I won't be adding that book to my reading list!

[Kentuckychickrk]

OK I read some reviews of The Scarlett Letter on Amazon and a high school teacher wrote that it was awful and she hated having to teach it LOL.  Guess I won't be adding that book to my reading list!

Definitely don't!  You aren't missing a THING!  I was trying to think of books I read in middle school that I actually liked and I remember Tuck Everlasting!  Loved that book.  Like all magnificent things, it's very simple.

[RokofAges75]

One of my favorite books that I had to read for school (in 6th grade) was The Westing Game.  I  re-read it for the first time as an adult a few years ago, and I loved it even more than I did as a kid.  I use it with my highest group of readers now during the mystery unit I do every year; it's my favorite book to read and discuss with them.  It is a challenging book for 4th grade, but it's fun to watch the ones who are mature enough for it experience it for the first time.

[Kentuckychickrk]

Just thought of two I have to add!  We read both the books Boys Life by Robert McCammon and Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving my freshman year of high school and I loved both of those!  

[Purpura Lipstick]

I did like Prayer for Owne Meany that was a good one.  I'm a little strange but I liked Grapes of Wrath but I liked East of Eden even more so.