For those that don’t know: I work in a library. At my branch, I’m the youth “expert”. When people come in looking for recommendations for youth materials, I’m the go-to woman.
One of our regulars came in needing recommendations for her tween/teen son. He’s been a huge reader for years. He’s aged up enough that they’re looking into the YA books. Starting out, she wanted some recommendations of “classic” Young Adult books. She already had The Hate U Give and Hatchet in hand.
She only had a few minutes but I was able to think of some books off the top of my head:
- Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
- The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
I think this is a fabulous discussion and went down the virtual rabbit hole after she left. I found some good suggestions online and I found some interesting recommendations online.
Now I’m asking you readers: what book(s) would you say is a classic Young Adult book?
For the purposes of this discussion:
- This can be an actual classic book or it can be a modern classic or even something newer that has a lot of potential.
- Age ranges can be a bit funky in literature but the book really needs to be “appropriate” for a teen reader.
- Don’t forget that children as readers tend to read up (a 10-year old reads about a character who is 12; a 12-year-old reads about a character who is 15; etc.).
- We’re going to define ‘classic’ as something that has either stood the test of time or will likely stand the test of time.
- There are a lot of fun books out there but won’t be something that will be continued to enjoyed 10, 20, 30+ years down the road.
Leave your suggestions in the comments. Feel free to have discussions with others!
I’ll be working on (eventually) posting my own list of YA classics. If it’s okay with you, I’ll add your recommendations to the list as well!
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I’d definitely agree there are different categories of YA classics, one being things like The Hunger Games that have lasted a decade or more and still sell well and one being things like The Giver that are older and people tend to read in school.
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I think it’s fascinating to see how YA books have evolved over the years.
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the hunger games is definitely a “classic” young adult book. ngl, it’s the reason i’m reading today!
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That’s a good one! I picked it up as well when I was finally done with school and had time to read. It jumpstarted my love of reading.
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The Two classics that usually spring to my mind for young adults are A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith and To Kill a Mockingbird, which I just consider a classic everyone should read regardless of age, but it’s particularly poignant for young readers who might identify with Scout’s quest to come to terms with a world that’s difficult to understand.
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Great picks! It’s great when books can be read at any age but “strike” differently when you read them at a certain time in your life.
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[…] I asked for your input regarding classic Young Adult books. […]
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You listed some good ones.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak also comes to mind, as wells as The Fault in Our Stars or other books by John Green.
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Those are great choices as well. I still see The Book Thief circulating today.
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The fact that The Hunger Games is being discussed as a classic makes us feel old lol.
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I know! 🤣
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I agree with all of these (I actually studied Hunger Games in school alongside 1984) and would add The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Catcher in the Rye. I also think I’ll Give You the Sun by Nelson deserves classic status because it is absolutely stunning.
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Good picks!
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