CommonLit
Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas
In the mid-1800s, a French sailor is unjustly imprisoned for fourteen years. He escapes, finds a fortune, and seeks revenge on the those who put him in prison. Selected (7) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair with "The Count of Monte...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker
Celie is an African American woman living in Georgia in the early 20th century. She suffers decades of abuse as she struggles to find love and friendship in her life. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 8-12) to pair with "The Color...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
When Jerry Renault refuses to sell chocolate for the school's annual chocolate fundraising drive, the rest of the student body turns against him. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 9-11) to pair with "The Chocolate War" by Robert...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Catcher in the Rye" by j.d. Salinger
From a mental institution, where he is receiving treatment, Holden Caulfield recounts the two day period after he is kicked out of school. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 8-12) to pair with "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D....
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis
After losing his mother four years ago, 10-year-old Bud Caldwell runs away from the foster care system in search of the father he has never met. Selected (11) reading passages (grades 5-8) to pair with "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson
Jacqueline Woodson describes her experiences growing up as an African American girl in South Carolina and New York in the 1960s. Selected (6) reading passages (grades 3-6) to pair with "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson. [Free...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne
A wire fence stands between Bruno and Shmuel's friendship at Auschwitz, and tragedy beckons when Bruno's naivety and his distance from his family take him beyond the fence. Selected (9) reading passages (grades 5-9) to pair with "The Boy...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
Richard Wright, a black boy living in the Jim Crow South, travels north in hopes of escaping the violence and prejudice that rules his childhood. Selected (8) reading passages (grades7-12) to pair with "Black Boy" by Richard Wright....
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Path
Partially inspired by Plath's experiences with depression, The Bell Jar follows the emotional breakdown of Esther Greenwood, a promising college student who cannot reconcile her desires with American conventions during the 1950s-1960s....
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Malcolm X, Alex Haley
The Autobiography of Malcolm X traces the life of one of the most influential, controversial, and thoughtful people of the 20th century. Selected (10) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair with the "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coekho
Following omens and the pursuit of his dream, Santiago goes on a journey to find his treasure. Along the way he encounters characters and circumstances that both support or challenge his quest. Selected (5) reading passages (grades 6-11)...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Book Pairings
Teaching a book unit this year? It's a best practice to supplement book units with short passages from a variety of different genres. These 92 reading passages were handpicked by master teachers to supplement your book units. They...
CommonLit
Common Lit: "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie
Junior, a Native American boy growing up on the Spokane reservation in Washington, decides to attend Reardan -- an all-white school that's located 20 miles away from home. It includes selected (11) reading passages (grades 5-10) to pair...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "1984" by George Orwell
In this dystopian novel, the protagonist of the story, Winston Smith, attempts to rebel against a totalitarian government that exercises complete control over all aspects of its citizens' lives. It includes selected (8) reading passages...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros
Told through a series of vignettes, Esperanza Cordero narrates her life growing up as a Latina girl in a Chicago neighborhood, and her desire to grow up and leave. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 5-8) to pair with "The House on...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Holes" by Louis Sacher
Stanley Yelnats is sent to a juvenile correctional camp for boys where each day he is forced to dig holes into a dry lake bed. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 5-8) to pair with the novel "Holes" by Louis Sacher. [Free account...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Hobbit" by j.r.r. Tolkien
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit homebody, joins a party of dwarves and their wizard companion in a series of adventures to reclaim the dwarves' homeland from the great dragon Smaug. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 5-9) to pair with the...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad
In the novel "Heart of Darkness," Marlow travels up the Congo River on behalf of a Belgian trading company. Once he is far upriver he encounters the mysterious Kurtz, a man who has set himself up as a god amongst the natives. Selected...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
A coup by religious extremists helps to establish the sexually-oppressive, dystopian Republic of Gilead. Offred, a Handmaid, struggles with her role as a reproductive servant to the elite. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 9-11) to...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare
Prince Hamlet attempts to avenge his father's death by deciphering the devious plot of the new king, his Uncle Claudius - only to be tragically killed. Selected (8) reading passages (grades 9-12) to pair with the drama "Hamlet" by...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "Grendel" by John Gardner
Selected (6) reading passages (grades 9-11) to pair with "Grendel" by John Gardner. [Free account registration required for specific tools.]
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Nick Carraway observes the wasteful lives of four wealthy acquaintances in the nouveau riche society of West Egg, Long Island. During his time there, Carraway befriends his affluent and enigmatic neighbor, Jay Gatsby. Selected (10)...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck
The Joad family leaves Oklahoma in search of work after their farm is destroyed by the Dust Bowl. They arrive in California only to find that fair jobs, food, and sympathy are scarce. Selected (9) reading passages (grades 8-11) to pair...
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Common Lit: Book Pairings: "The Giver" by Lois Lowry
In the dystopian novel "The Giver," Jonas is chosen to be the new Receiver of Memories; he meets his incumbent -- The Giver, a man who is tasked with holding onto the community's collective experiences and memories. Selected (11) reading...