For Magical Realism, Jilli?

Yes. I was also trying to think if any of her short stories would work for your Grotesque section, but I'm not sure. Another author that would be good for Magical Realism is Ray Bradbury. Something Wicked This Way Comes or Dandelion Wine.

Wait, what age range is this for? I'm trying to figure out if Caitlin R. Kiernan would be a good choice for your Grotesque section. I mean, her work (and especially some of her short fiction) would be perfect, but some of the subject matter may be questionable, depending on the age of the students.

DAMN! Maybe I'm dropping Romance because while I think it's a good category and if I go modern Romance, it's nice and light, I think I could use that place instead to do Social Commentaries... then I could get Obasan, which is fantastic, and Native Son and The Bone People.

The downside is that it's heavy heavy heavy to replace a fun and uplifting (in the medieval, gothic or modern sense) category like romance and replace it with serious heart wrenching lit.

Maybe put those in Tragedy, along with Things Fall Apart and Lear?

Jilli, for 12th grade AP. The trick is picking a range of authors from 16th century to modern and to mix old canon with new. And to pick stuff I like and can be passionate about.

Sort of a tall order.

Sort of a tall order.

Whoof, I'll say! And I'm sorry, I skimmed earlier and didn't see that you had already mentioned Angela Carter. Maybe something by Shirley Jackson? I really do think you should include Geek Love. It'll be good for them.

Well, Geek Love would go on a secondary list. It would be one of many choices. Because if I didn't do it that way, I'm not sure I could get away with it. I mean, it has outright incest which is not going to fly with some parents. So it might be on the tertiary reading list...

Well, Geek Love would go on a secondary list. It would be one of many choices. Because if I didn't do it that way, I'm not sure I could get away with it.

Good point. This is why I am not a teacher.

As hokey as a suggestion this might be, maybe one of the early Stephan King books?

Jilli, what Carter short story would you teach if you were me? I love her Bluebeard, but it's not quite right. I also love Heroes and Villains....

Ack! I just saw the Youtube video of the Japanese train loaders during rush hour. Is this a hoax? Because OMGWTFclaustrophobia.

[link]

I love Beloved, but I can understand why someone wouldn't. It's got some parts that are just hard. And it's not easy to teach, either. What about the one about Milkman? What's it called? Song of Solomon.

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a good one. It'd teach well, too.