Top 10 novels teens should be required to read

Question: Top 10 novels teens should be required to read

Answer:  Ideally, we want our hypothetical teenagers to read a wide range of novels... OUTSIDE the YA genre.  You might find a few YA books on our list this week, but our main goal is to prepare teens for a lifetime of reading.  We’re also assuming that many of the great YA books are already on their “un-required” reading list...      

1. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) – Amazing book!  Amazing narrator!
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) – Literature’s classic love story, although any Jane Austen book can be substituted here.
3. The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien) – The epic adventure that led to another 3 part epic adventure...
4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl) – So many readers (including us) missed this great author in their youths. James and the Giant Peach or Matilda can also be substituted here.
5. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging (Louise Rennison) – This is one of the funniest teen diary books we’ve come across.  Teens should be careful to avoid being as shallow as the main character... 
6. David Copperfield (Charles Dickens) – Our opinion has changed over the past few months, but this novel is now our favorite by Charles Dickens.
7. Bag of Bones (Stephen King) – Any Stephen King will do, and with close to a bazillion novels published there are plenty to choose from.
8. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) – “Don’t Panic” is the number one rule all teenagers should live by...  Okay, there might be a few others, but not panicking shouldn’t be undervalued.  This “guide” has more than a few tips!  
9. Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi) – Personally, we’re not that into graphic novels, but this novel was excellent.  Plus, it helps further the quest to read a variety of different genres.
10. Gone with the Wind / I Capture the Castle / Jane Eyre / Rebecca / A Room with a View – Take your pick!  We know our favorite, but any 1 of these 5 novels will provide a worthy final choice.

Have a great week and head on over to The Broke and the Bookish to join the fun!