Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday--Books that should be required reading for teens

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This weeks topic is TOP TEN BOOKS THAT SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING FOR TEENS.

These are in no particular order. Just whatever I thought of first. I'm mostly trying to think of books that I tend to throw at everyone I can.

1. Harry Potter by JK Rowling:
This is a series that everyone needs to read. Not even a should, it is a need. These books changed the lives of so many people.

2. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer:
While this is not the best written series, it does do something to people who read them. I know many people, myself included, that after reading this series, they became obsessed with reading. Many people owe Stephenie a thank you for bringing them back to the reading world. This is why I have a Twilight background and Harry Potter. The first series I fell in love with and the second that brought me back to reading.

3. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:
These books are jaw droppers. I think it would be really cool to study these books in english class. It would be a whole lot cooler than the crap I was forced to read in school.

4. Looking For Alaska by John Green:
I was trying to decide which of his books to put on here and decided on this one. This would be a really cool but to rip apart and analyze the characters. John's writing is brilliant.

5. Far From You by Lisa Schroeder:
I think this would be a really good one to read in a creative writing class because it is written in a different format. Plus it's beautiful.

6. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare:
This would be a good book to read with Harry Potter and do a bunch of comparisons. A side by side look at writing techniques and so on.

7. Divergent by Veronica Roth:
I really don't know why I put this on here, but it kept popping out at me. Maybe just because I love it so much.

8. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll:
AIW is everywhere! I think this is the book that I see most referenced in literature. Plus it's full of awesomeness.

9. Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger:
I think they got this one right when they make you study it in school. I loved this book.

10. Anything by Shakespeare:
This one I do agree on because shakespeare is everywhere. You need to know these things. Bill Shakespeare will always be in style.

Books I think they should stop forcing down teens throats in school:
1. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne:
What a absolutely horrible book! Everyone has the exact same voice, it's boring, and all around just horrible. Why do they make kids read it????

2. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck:
Painful.

3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte:
I will never understand why people like this book. Cathy is obnoxious and Heathcliff is evil.

4. Paradise Lost by John Milton:
I honestly fell asleep three times while trying to read this epic poem. I've never before fallen asleep while reading. Who decided this was a good poem to have people read????

7 comments:

  1. I also think they shouldn't force Animal Farm down teens throats in school. Really who wants to read about the Russian Revolution played out by farm animals.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I also think Lisa Schroeder's Verse Novels should be included, I think they could be the perfect books to get more reading.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You're the first person I've seen who included Alice in Wonderland and I wish I'd remembered it myself because I so agree with how awesome it is.

    My top 10 list this week.

    ReplyDelete
  4. But Wuthering Heights is sooooo creepy!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yay! Another Wuthering Heights hater! I was blessed with a parent/teacher who dislikes the story enough that I didn't have to finish it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. +JMJ+

    I think your addendum is my favourite part--but I must put in a good word for Wuthering Heights. I reread it earlier this year (because a student I was tutoring had to study it) and finally realised that we're not supposed to admire or support Cathy and Heathcliff's love. Instead, we're supposed to find them obnoxious and evil--as you do! I think Emily Bronte was trying to warn readers away from what seems like love, but is really just obsession.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love Alice in Wonderland but I think I only truly appreciated it after reading it as an adult.
    Here's my Top Ten

    ReplyDelete

I love getting comments! I'm always checking to see if I have any new comments. It's actually pretty sad how often I check for them really. So if there is anything you want to say about a post of mine, please say it! I want feedback :)

As of lately, I'm making the blog a no-award blog. I love getting them and I'm always honored, but I don't have the time to do all the things that are required of them. Sorry :(
Also, my "reply" button does not seem to be working in my comments on my computer. I have to use a different computer to reply back so if I don't reply, it's not because I'm rude, it's just that I can't.