26 Jun Classic Throwback: Revisiting Timeless Teen Reads
Take a trip down memory lane this summer by revisiting these timeless teen classics.
Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austin
1813
Pride and Prejudice has been described as a novel of manners. The story centers around the spirited Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters, as their parents try to marry the women off to secure their futures. This leads Elizabeth to meeting the haughty and aloof Mr. Darcy. The civil social sparring and friction between the proud Mr. Darcy and the opinionated Elizabeth that plays out over their courtship, leads them to play out a delicate dance of flirtation and intrigue.
The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
1925
The Great Gatsby is a classic novel that exemplifies the Jazz Age or, as many know it, the roaring twenties. This story tells of the wealthy and prestigious Jay Gatsby and his love of the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. It follows the perspective of narrator Nick Carraway as he interacts with the mysterious Gatsby and the obsessive love Gatsby has for Daisy. The story follows both the rise and the fall of the great Gatsby.
Lord of the Flies
by William Golding
1954
A British airplane is shot down amidst a wartime evacuation and the only survivors are a group of schoolboys who find themselves stranded on a deserted island devoid of adults. The boys celebrate their freedom from the confines of society, believing they can do anything. Though they attempt to create rules, the last vestiges of order fall away as the paranoia of an imaginary beast takes hold and the island descends into chaos.
The Golden Compass
by Philip Pullman
1996
Set on an alternate Earth in the age of Victorian England where magic is commonplace. Lyra has spent her life being raised by the scholars of Jordan College alongside her daemon familiar Pan. But when her uncle, Lord Asriel, is taken prisoner in the far north a land of cold where witch clans and armored bears rule. She joins a group of Gyptian clansmen who aim to rescue their missing children from the child snatching gobblers and rescue her uncle.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
by J.K. Rowling
1998
Raised by his magic-hating aunt and uncle, Harry Potter is surprised to find out that he is a wizard, as were his mother and father. After being introduced to the wizarding world – where Harry finds out that he is already well known – he meets new friends, gains new rivals, and learns just what it takes to be a great wizard at the prestigious Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson
1999
Since the first day freshman year Melinda has been an outcast, ostracized ever since she busted up an end of summer party by calling the cops after being attacked. She becomes increasingly isolated as time passes and practically stops talking. Her art class is the only place she can find any peace, and through her art she is able to face what happened at the party. After another encounter with her attacker, Melinda decides to stay silent no longer.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
by John Boyne
2006
A story of friendship in a time and place where everything seems impossible. After Bruno’s father is assigned to Auschwitz, Bruno and his family move to a place where a tall fence separates him from the camp. Bruno doesn’t understand why the people are inside the fence or why they all wear the same striped pajamas. Bruno meets a boy named Shmuel and through the fence they become best friends, leading to devastating consequences.
The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
2008
Nobody Owens seems like just your average boy, aside for the fact that he lives in a graveyard. Being raised and educated by ghosts and having a guardian who is neither of the living or the dead has led to a less than normal life. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for Bod, such as the ancient man beneath the hill, the gateway to the abandoned city of ghouls, friendship with a witch, and the terrible menace of Sleer. But the true danger might be just outside the graveyard.
A Monster Calls
by Patrick Ness
2011
When the monster comes for Connor – by crashing through his bedroom walls – Connor is unperturbed by the colossal being, simply responding with, “So come and get me then.” Connor has more to fear than monsters, but the monster tells Connor three stories before insisting that Connor tells one in return. Although Connor may not fear the monster, it forces him to face his true fears.
– Written by Alex B, Teen Central Library Assistant
