20 Short Stories Every AP Lit Teacher Should Use
An AP English consultant’s twenty essential short stories — what each one teaches, what to watch for, and where it fits in the year.
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A Note From James
Welcome
This is the home of my lesson plans, close-reading guides, and short-story units — everything I’ve built over three decades of teaching literature. If you’re an English teacher, a homeschooler, or an AP student, I hope you find something here you can use tomorrow.
This site is still under construction. For now, please visit authorjamesmulhern.com or silvercurrentpress.com for current information.
James Mulhern
Mulhern Teaches English
Literature · Short Stories · AP EnglishRigorous lesson plans and study materials built by James F. Mulhern — retired professor of English, recipient of a Writing Fellowship at Exeter College, University of Oxford, and a teacher of literature for three decades.
Retired Professor of English · Three Decades · Oxford Fellow · College Board AP Consultant · Instant PDF Downloads
The Collection
The Collection
Lesson plans, teaching units, writing guides, and publishing references — instant PDF downloads.
Choose Your Path
Two ways to use the library
For English Teachers
Ready-to-teach lesson plans for AP Lit, AP Lang, and high school ELA. Complete units with close-reading questions, FRQ practice, and answer keys for teachers on request.
Explore teacher resources →For AP Students
Self-study materials to master AP Literature and AP Language on your own — built by the consultant who trains the teachers.
Explore student resources →
The Teacher
Built by a real teacher, for real classrooms.
James Mulhern, a retired professor of English, spent three decades in English classrooms — as a high school department chair, then as a College Board AP English consultant and AP trainer for the National Math and Science Initiative.
An Oxford fellow and the founder of Silver Current Press, James builds the lessons he wishes had been on his own desk when he started teaching: rigorous, classroom-tested, and deeply rooted in the craft of literature.
Read the full story →Essays