What classic literature should be required reading in schools?

The Great Gatsby, of course. I think it's the greatest American novel ever written on a number of levels. I don't know that younger kids would really understand it, though. Definitely Hemingway's short stories should be on the list as well. Typical American by Gish Jen may not be considered a classic yet, but it's the same sort of exploration of American values as the Great Gatsby. I'd probably toss in Wuthering Heights and Jude the Obscure as well. For older kids, I'd also add in Jorge Luis Borges, Carlos Fuentes and Gabriel Garcia Lorca to give the kids some exposure to non-Anglo culture and thinking.

I think schools should really assign good classic literature for us kids. I would really like to read Jane Austen's novels or those like Catcher in the Rye and Animal farm. I think these are good books.

My daughter is in fifth grade, and I have not heard of them reading what was required of me at that age yet! It is very frustrating, becasue there are so many great books I remember as a kid. We make our daughter read 30 minutes a night, and it's usually something I have recommended for her. There's one I am trying to find,and I can't remeber it's name, something with "Lily" or "lillies" in the title, and it's about a young girl who has to take care of her sick father and siblings.

I am a classics buff and one book that I think kids are missing out on is "Northanger Abbey" by Jane Austen. I am also a big Dickens, Melville, and Twain fan. I think so many classics are worthwhile, but it has to start young or they will never bother to pick them up later in life. Great for you noticing this gap in your child's education while there is still time to remedy the problem !

'Great Expectations' and 'Where the Red Fern Grows'; both are great books for kids to read. 'Where the Red Fern Grows' is great for about 5th graders and the other one I think that we read at school in like the 7th or 8th grade.