Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Books every teen should read



Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

I think this is a fantastic topic this week! Reading is such an important part of my life and as such I love to give recommendations where ever I can! I think your teenage years are important in determining your future reading habits. It may not be true in every case, but I think if you have a well rounded reading experience as a teenager you'll be more open to reading when you're older. So my main piece of advice would be to taste a bit of everything, try not to pigeon hole your tastes all in one genre (although that isn't necessarily a bad thing) and push yourself to read things from different times, cultures and perspectives. Reading is amazing, and the earlier you realise that the better!

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
- To broaden the imagination

2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- To see real bravery in action
3. Maus by Art Spiegelman
- Because graphic novels can be incredible experiences too

4. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
-To teach you to ask questions and seek answers

5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 
- To teach empathy and sympathy and that tears are OK

6. The Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne Jones
-To open your eyes to other worlds and ways
7. Carrie by Stephen King
- Because high school can be a bitch

8. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein
-To see where fantasy was established and obsessions born

9. Anything by William Shakespeare
-Because they're bloodier, lustier and ruder than anything else in publication

10. The Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut
-Because no other tale of WW2 compares

20 comments:

  1. I had both Harry Potter and To Kill A Mockingbird on my list. Slaughterhouse-Five is one of my all-time favourite books, I can't believe I forgot to put it on my list. Though, I don't generally think of it as Young Adult literature.

    I'm a new follower, hope you check out my blog.

    Here is my Top Ten Tuesday: http://readreadloved.blogspot.com/2011/07/top-ten-tuesday-required-reading-for.html

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  2. I've got The Book Thief, Harry Potter and To Kill Mockingbird on my list too!
    Have a great day

    http://fantasmagoriese.blogspot.com/2011/07/top-ten-tuesday.html

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  3. A lot of my favourite books are on your list. To Kill a Mockingbird made mine too. You are right though. The books I read as a teen are still with me.

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  4. @Lone St. James- Yeah I probably wouldn't class Slaughterhouse 5 as YA but alot (most) of the books I read as a teen weren't designed with teens in mind. I think I actually probably read more YA now than I did then!

    @Niecole and Karen, I've seen so many common books pop up on the lists. Seems like all us bloggers are pretty in sync when it comes to things like this!

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  5. Oh! I was going to mention the Chrestomanci series!...but then, since I had to narrow it down to ten, I cut it off the list. Glad it's mentioned here.:D....I really like this list!

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  6. Yes to Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials series. Great choice. I have seen Maus on many lists and need to read this one.

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  7. Great list- I have not read the Chrestomanci series yet. I have heard they are good. I picked The Book Thief too- love that book!

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  8. Great choices! I like that many of these would stir up a bit of controversy :)

    I recommended Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials series to a family friend and after she read and loved the books, her mother went beserk bc another mother told her the books were Anti-Christian *sigh*

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  9. @Kat, Oh I find that so annoying! I was watching a doco tonight about the merging of pop culture into religion and there was this staunch christian who wars against Harry Potter, Twilight, Star Wars etc because they're dangerous and the works of the devil. I'm actually writing a post about it at the moment, but it really saddens me because they never read the books for themselves so they don't look at the deeper more crucial lessons the books try to teach.

    @Anne, definitely read the Chrestomanci series, it's wonderful!

    @Jan, Maus is fantastic and not at all what I'd expected. A wonderful, warm story.

    @Risa, thanks a bunch!!

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  10. The Book Thief is a wonderful choice! I also included it on my list, plus several others you have. Haven't read Maus ... need to!

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  11. I like the idea of adding a graphic novel- I don't know much about the genre, but I think it's definitely here to stay.

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  12. The Book Thief and To Kill a Mockingbird are on my list. I didn't think of His Dark Materials, although I love that series.

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  13. +JMJ+

    Yay for the Chronicles of Chrestomanci! =D I'm so glad to see they made someone's list, even if I wouldn't have put them on mine. =P

    I'm glad that you picked Carrie, which has some classic status, for the "topical" novel. Other lists include very "young" Contemporary YA novels, which are great, too, of course; but those seem to me to be books teens will get to anyway. Carrie is both written in an accessible way and something they have to reach a little further for, and I think that strikes a great balance. =)

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  14. Wow. EVERYTHING about your list makes me happy, other than the fact that I missed so many out of my own list!

    New Follower here!

    My Top Ten

    P.S. "7. Carrie by Stephen King
    - Because high school can be a bitch" = HEHEHEHE!

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  15. I think there are a couple of genres that high schoolers really respond to, or at least I did (besides YA of course). As a teen I was really into dystopias and philosophical novels. I think there is no better time in life for those books.

    Come visit me at The Scarlet Letter.

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  16. I haven't read a single graphic novel till now, but I guess I know where to start! And Carrie is a perfect high school read!!
    Love your list!

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  17. Thanks for stopping by and saying such nice things guys!

    @LBC - I completely agree, I think dystopians are almost guaranteed success with teens! I didn't actually read much YA as a teen, so I don't automatically think of it when I recommend titles to teens or younger friends.

    @Enbrethiliel, I think that's a great point. Classic YA style books will always be front and centre in library displays and on class lists, but it's nice to read something that pushes you a little out of your comfort zone. At least I think so!

    @Christine and Priya, definitely give the graphic novel a go, they can be incredible but a little hard to get used to when you're used to reading a normal novel! Maus is a great place to start as well, since it really balances the stories and the images.

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  18. After Persepolis I'm anxious to try another graphic novel. Thanks for the tip on Maus! One of these days I'll get around to reading more Shakespeare....

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  19. "Because high school can be a bitch" - ha! Great assessment. I'd also through King's Christine in there for good measure and under the same blanket.

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