For teens who are tired of the popular teen fiction trends (not into cliques or vampires?) or are just looking for something really different to read, these literary classics offer a new twist on required (or recreational) summer reading.
1984 by George Orwell (Heritage, 2007)
It may seem a little bit quaint today, but in 1949 when George Orwell wrote his frightening classic 1984 this novel was a terrifying glimpse into the future of world of an omni-present and ultra-repressive government. Teens who enjoy the TV show Big Brother might be interested to read the book which started the whole idea.
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller (Simon & Schuster, 1996)
There's a TV commercial in which a young man complains: “I can't get a good-paying job because I didn't go to college, but I can't afford to go to college because I don't have a good-paying job.” This quandary is called a “Catch-22” and it comes from a bureaucratic rule from which this novel gets its name.
Yossarian is a bombardier who desperately wants out. But he can't escape the horrors of war because of the infamous Catch-22 rule which states that if he voluntarily flies dangerous combat missions, that proves he is insane, but if he makes a formal request to stop flying these mission, that proves he is sane and is therefore ineligible to be discharged.
The Giver by Lois Lowry (Delacorte Books, 2006)
Jonas lives in a perfect world. There is no fear, or war, or pain. There are no choices to be made. Everyone in this utopian society is assigned a role, and everyone peacefully works together to live free of conflict and hardship. But when Jonas turns 12 he is selected to receive special training from The Giver; the only person who holds the horrifying secrets of this seemingly utopian society; as well as the true pain and true pleasure of life. When Jonas receives the truth, there is no turning back.
The Chosen by Chaim Potok (Ballatine Books, 1996)
Two fathers, two sons, and the pressure to pursue the “right” form of Judaism frame this introspective coming-of-age novel set in New York near the end of World War II. As the boys change from rivals to friends, they discover that the other holds a link to an unexplored world that has been forbidden. They essentially change places and discover a mysterious peace which prevents them from ever going back to the way things were.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (Puffin, 2006)
Sensitive, fourteen-year-old Ponyboy is tough on the outside because he has to be. Since his parents' death, all he has in the world is his brothers and their tough, wrong-side-of-the-tracks gang of boys. When his best friend kills a member of a rival gang, a nightmare of violence erupts and he is sucked into a deadly chain of events.
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding (Pedigree Books, 1954)
What happens when Lost meets Oliver Twist? Find out in Golding's classic novel of savagery and survival. When a plane carrying a group of English school boys crashes on a deserted island, their struggle for survival brings out their animal instincts with disastrous results.
Hiroshima by John Hershey (Vintage, 1989)
At 8:15 AM on August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city Hiroshima that devastated the city. Hiroshima is the story of six survivors who tell the horrific tale through their own stories in this don't-want-to-read-it-but-can't-stop-reading-it nonfiction documentary. Although it's not fiction, this readable story is a not-to-miss.
For more information about great classic reads for teens, check out this great list of modern classic literature courtesy of WannaLearn.
Francine Morrissette - Francine Morrissette is a freelance writer from southern Maine who has published articles on a wide range of topics including health, ...
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