I refuse to believe this thread is real. It is some (clever) kid trying to get us to help him out. Bravo, kid! To you I say, you should totes go with Black Boy or A Clockwork Orange.

Anonymous wrote:8:00, you really are missing the mark here, I am not going to write it for him I want to help him out narrowing down a potential topic. Furthermore, you know nothing about him and his strengths lie more in math, science and entrepreneurship.
As for my comment about the food, following the logic of many of the PP how could you expect your kids to know how to feed themselves if you always do it for them. Unless of course you are just trying to help them out in a way but you know they can really do it themselves.

Again, so glad you are all perfect parents.

<snort>

Spin it any way you want - his strengths lie elsewhere, it's just the same as making dinner for him (Really, OP? Really?), whatever . . . the fact remains that you are not only actively involved in selecting report topics for a child who (presumably) will be in college in 9 months, but so involved that you decided to solicit anonymous opinions on the internet to help you suggest book topics to him. (As an aside, please tell me ne's not attending a university with a Great Books curriculum . . . although the books there are pre-selected, so I suppose it's be OK.) Moreover, your concern was apparently motivated by the potential stress it would cause YOU (not him, you) if he got a week out and decided he choose the wrong book. It's apparent you're the problem here, not him.

I'm able to help my kids in at the AP level of Physics, Chemistry, and Calculus and I could edit anything they wrote (although they rarely ask for my input on anything). But I'd have a hard time identifying novels that they could read and write a paper about. Point is, you don't know anything about OP but her post just asked for some book recommendations. The rest of you should chill. Till you walk a mile in her shoes and all that. To OP, I previously posted books my kids wrote papers about. Good luck. I know it's a stressful time for parents as you wait for those colleges apps to go out the door while acceptance letters are arriving in the mailbox.

Holy moly, people ... she's looking for a few book recommendations for her son not writing the freaking paper!

As a senior, my favorite book was Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther. Short and (incredibly) sad book but if the assignment is compare/contrast on big themes this should fit well.

8:00, you really are missing the mark here, I am not going to write it for him I want to help him out narrowing down a potential topic. Furthermore, you know nothing about him and his strengths lie more in math, science and entrepreneurship.
As for my comment about the food, following the logic of many of the PP how could you expect your kids to know how to feed themselves if you always do it for them. Unless of course you are just trying to help them out in a way but you know they can really do it themselves.

Again, so glad you are all perfect parents.

Anonymous wrote:What amazes me is this thread has been flamed yet the woman afraid of a C in MS didn't get one negative comment. OP here, glad you all raised such wonderfully independent young people. Pat yourself on the back. From this thread I should assume that you do nothing for your hs aged children so they are prepared for college. Do you not feed them or do their laundry? My kids do it when I ask them to but over all I still take care of it for them.

OP, feeding your kids is not the same as doing their homework for them. You are NOT DOING YOUR SON ANY FAVORS. He is 17, living in one of the best areas for schools in the nation, and is having trouble choosing a book he relates to, reading it, and writing a simple 10 page paper on it. There is a problem, and I bet you're a BIG part of it. Best of luck when he goes to college; I hope he chooses general studies as a major or has you living in the dorm room next to him to drive him to classes in your helicopter.

What amazes me is this thread has been flamed yet the woman afraid of a C in MS didn't get one negative comment. OP here, glad you all raised such wonderfully independent young people. Pat yourself on the back. From this thread I should assume that you do nothing for your hs aged children so they are prepared for college. Do you not feed them or do their laundry? My kids do it when I ask them to but over all I still take care of it for them.

"It is a different day, people. 12th grade teachers can hold kids to ridiculous standards at times and "teacher professionalism" is a thing of the past in many schools. Some teachers will take out their petty grievance with your kid over a grade on an english paper and RUIN YOUR CHILD'S LIFE over it. This term's grades are vey important for college admission--I wouldn't let some potentially vindictive teacher ruin my kids future because of some petty grievance he or she might have with my kid or his family. Nowadays more personal info is out there for teachers to get hold of and ruminate over. You can't just leave it to chance and hope a teacher will be "fair" or supportive all the time anymore. People are crazy. You have to be very intolved in your kid's school work, even at this level, depending on the type of kid you've got. If your kid is this AWESOME self starter, bully for you, you've been lucky. Stop trying to kill off the competition by claiming someone else is helicoptering. We're all way more involved the parents used to be--times change."

Gibberish. Take tour meds.

It is a different day, people. 12th grade teachers can hold kids to ridiculous standards at times and "teacher professionalism" is a thing of the past in many schools. Some teachers will take out their petty grievance with your kid over a grade on an english paper and RUIN YOUR CHILD'S LIFE over it. This term's grades are vey important for college admission--I wouldn't let some potentially vindictive teacher ruin my kids future because of some petty grievance he or she might have with my kid or his family. Nowadays more personal info is out there for teachers to get hold of and ruminate over. You can't just leave it to chance and hope a teacher will be "fair" or supportive all the time anymore. People are crazy. You have to be very intolved in your kid's school work, even at this level, depending on the type of kid you've got. If your kid is this AWESOME self starter, bully for you, you've been lucky. Stop trying to kill off the competition by claiming someone else is helicoptering. We're all way more involved the parents used to be--times change.

What does this have to do with a 17 year old choosing his own book and writing his own paper?

I'm on a mission from God to combat stupidity wherever I find it. It's a full-time job.

Can we be BFFs? Please.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He's a SENIOR and you're soliciting an anonymous message board for book suggestions? Well, that explains the noise I heard - it was your helicopter.

It is a different day, people. 12th grade teachers can hold kids to ridiculous standards at times and "teacher professionalism" is a thing of the past in many schools. Some teachers will take out their petty grievance with your kid over a grade on an english paper and RUIN YOUR CHILD'S LIFE over it. This term's grades are vey important for college admission--I wouldn't let some potentially vindictive teacher ruin my kids future because of some petty grievance he or she might have with my kid or his family. Nowadays more personal info is out there for teachers to get hold of and ruminate over. You can't just leave it to chance and hope a teacher will be "fair" or supportive all the time anymore. People are crazy. You have to be very intolved in your kid's school work, even at this level, depending on the type of kid you've got. If your kid is this AWESOME self starter, bully for you, you've been lucky. Stop trying to kill off the competition by claiming someone else is helicoptering. We're all way more involved the parents used to be--times change.

Lol.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I am not doing the work for him! He is a great kid but a little confused on what to chose and honestly I am not picking it for him just suggesting some topics. I would like to avoid the undo stress it will inevitably put on me if a week before the paper is due he realizes he can't get 10 pages out of the assignment. If you feel that all parents of 12th graders are as self righteous as yourself, you are very mistaken. Suggesting a few topics for him is a drop in the bucket compared to what some of the other parents I know will do to ensure a good grade.

Thank you to the people who gave some good ideas, I really appreciate it.

? Stress on you ? Isn't it hisassignment?
Maybe he could relate to a coming of age story about someone taking control (or not) of their own life?

I think the non-fiction element makes a lot of sense if it is possible. He could do 3 cups of Tea and talk about conning folks into thinking he is grown up.

But moving out of my snarky DCUM voice there are some good non-fiction books that while not his life may be worth the contrast. like Into the Wild or Krakaur's Into Thin Air or 2006: Parrado, Nando (with Vince Rause). Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home.
2005: Read, Piers Paul. Alive: Sixteen Men, Seventy-two Days, and Insurmountable Odds -- The Classic Adventure of Survival in the Andes (reprint edition)
1974: Read, Piers Paul. Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors (first edition).

OP,

If he's planning to go to college, he should take a writing course over the summer or else he will be in for a rude awakening. 10 pages is not that long for a paper for a high school student. DS is a sophomore and has been writing papers of this length for several years, at a public and then a private school.

Does it have to be a novel or can it be nonfiction?

Anonymous wrote:Your 17 year old needs to handle his assignments and choose his topics on his own. This post takes DCUM to a whole new level in my eyes. Wow.

The OP is a a nitwit, what else is new on DCUM?