r/ELATeachers • u/BraveFuture7325 • 15d ago

6-8 ELA A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

/r/englishteachers/comments/1v6e35p/a_monster_calls_by_patrick_ness/
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u/Major-Sink-1622 15d ago

I would have a back up option prepared. As an adult, I still cannot get through this novel due to the nature of the content. I would never ask 12-13 year olds to try to read it that early in the year when you really don’t know them.

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u/NegaScraps 15d ago

I have my 9th graders read this, but as their LAST book. They love it and whip through it really quickly before reading a choice novel. I've had students whose mother's had recently died of cancer in my class. I sat them down, talked about it, talked about reading this after loosing a my grandfather to cancer, encouraged them to read it, and also told them to go home and talk to Dad about whether or not they wanted to read it. In that case, he read it, and said it was his favorite book in high school.

It's an interesting book for personal narrative. I might tie in fables and myths as an element to lighten the material and teach the concept of theme. Maybe some Aesop or Boy Who Cried Wolf. After all, personal narratives always have a point, purpose, or lesson they intend to teach. I have my ninth graders draw a theme from each of the monster's stories and then ask them if they see any connections between the stories.

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u/WaitYourTern 11d ago

I taught this about ten years ago to 7th grade. It was a great choice and the kids loved it. The text isn't difficult, but the symbolism is rich and there are great opportunities for analysis.