So, last week I got some wonderful suggestions for history overviews for our 9th grade Western Civ , as it is changing to Global Studies, described as

"a less Eurocentric / less "classical civilizations" course that would no longer start at around 800 B.C. but instead start at around 1850 A.D., offering more focus on modern history that would benefit today's globally-minded student. "

Therefore, I am trying to come up with suggestions for World Lit titles for 9th grade.  I have a list of fiction and memoirs (probably too long of a list!) and am trying to shorten it.  

Many of the titles that are considered world lit classics are dark stories which are critical of the cultures- the teachers would like something that opens the world but not in a negative way, and is engaging and intelligent.

Whew!  Any ideas, colleagues? TIA -Barb Lyons