Killing Mr. Griffin

Written by: Lois Duncan

First line: It was a wild, windy, southwestern spring when the idea of killing Mr. Griffin occurred to them.

Why you should read this book: Mr. Griffin holds his high school English students to the same high standards he once held university students, and thus runs afoul of a burgeoning little psychopath teenager who convinced a bunch of kids who really ought to know better that it would be really fitting to kidnap and scare the hell out of a guy who's doggedly determined to prepare them for higher education. Needless to say, things do not go according to plan. I first read this book about thirty years ago--everyone, but everyone, was reading it--and apparently kids are still thrilled about the insane degree of naughtiness depicted herein.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You suspect your students of plotting against you.