Hi I am teaching a module on Autobiographies to my year Eights in the new school term and I am a bit out of touch with autobiographies for children. Currentlt in the scheme of work there are extracts are from The Diary of Anne Frank, a little overdone I feel and I like the idea of using something more modern which will appeal to the little darlings more and hopefully maintain their attention. We won't be reading the whole thing, just looking at poignant extracts, any ideas people?

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated, the autobiographies need to appeal to 12-13 year olds.

Thanks in advance.:)

I’d recommend looking at Helen Keller’s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller) book “The Story of my life” (http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2397)

“A Child called It” / “The lost Boy” by Dave Pelzer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Pelzer) is written from the perspective of a child although you may have to choose your passages carefully, some of the more sensitive kids may get upset.

Also check out Bill Bryson’s book “The life and times of the thunderbolt kid” (http://www.randomhouse.com/features/billbryson/bb_title/display.pperl?isbn=9780767919364) which is very amusing, as is Clive James’s “Unreliable memoirs” (http://www.middlemiss.org/lit/authors/jamesc/unreliable.html) which gives an insight into growing up in Australia, it’s aimed at an adult audience but I’m sure the kids would find it interesting.

I hope you find some of the above useful. :thumbsup:

Hey,
Thanks Mantaspook, really appreciate that. I have checked your suggestions out and the Helen Keller option I think would work really well with the class I have. I think they would get alot from the text. :thumbsup:

Thankks for reminding me about the Peltzer texts, I read them years back and I think I had sub-consciously put them to the back of my mind, they are really upseting but still, I think I could use some extracts. :)

Anyway, thanks again,

Vouge.

Kirk Douglas- a brutally honest, witty and breathtakingly rivetting and intelligent story of one of many poverty-stricken children of Russian jewish immigrants...

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell.

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell.

Yes this autobiography would be excellent for children.It made a lovely t.v.series.

I remember reading My Family and Other Animals at around the relevant age at school as well.

Another suggestion might be Emma and I by Sheila Hocken (about a Nottingham lady and her guide dog). Very matter-of-fact and humorous and starring a chocolate brown labrador!

I remember reading My Family and Other Animals at around the relevant age at school as well.

Another suggestion might be Emma and I by Sheila Hocken (about a Nottingham lady and her guide dog). Very matter-of-fact and humorous and starring a chocolate brown labrador!

Hope you dont mind me asking,sauekraut, but how did you come across SF, living in Germany. ?

Hope you dont mind me asking,sauekraut, but how did you come across SF, living in Germany. ?

No problem! I was at Uni in Sheffield in the 80's and absolutely loved living there. We still have family holidays in the Peak District whenever we can manage it. And a couple of years ago I went through a severe homesickness phase and looked for translation jobs in the UK (hubby and I are both translators). A big translation firm in Sheffield looked very hopeful and whilst researching moving back to England I came across this site and asked for advice in the Moving to Sheffield section. I've been hooked ever since, even though we overcame the homesickness and decided not to move back after all. :rolleyes:

Thank-you very much for your suggestions everyone. Much appreciated.