Thursday, July 21, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday- Required Reading

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by 'The Broke and the Bookish'. These weeks theme is required Required Teen Reading.
Now, my own high school reading experience was not my favorite. Reading has always been a fun thing for me, but the books we had to read in english? So.... Boring.... Couldn't.... Stand.... Any.... Of... Them! The list, I kid you not, was the exact same list that my father (who attended the same high school) had to read. And that is the problem with reading in your teens-- most kids only find themselves reading stuffy classics, which then turn them off of reading in general. At least, that's my take on it.


This list was particularly hard!!!!!


Top Ten Five Teen Reads:


1-Enders Game by Orson Scott Card: I'm still surprised when people haven't read this book. It's an amazing story with so many elements that could very easily mirror what we see in society today.


2-Oedipus Rex by Sophocles: Why read this? Because it is a 'classic' that has an interesting story told in a more user friendly style than most Shakespearean tragedies. (No offence to those who actually enjoy Shakespeare intended!)


3-Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: Such a good story and one with a fantastic message.


4-Luna by Julie Anne Peters: This story is about a transgender male and his sister. It really is quite touching and opens the door to discussions on being okay with who you or others are.


5-The Outsiders by SE Hinton: Just like Enders Game, I'm surprised to hear when people haven't read this novel!


And there's my Top Five Teen Reads. These books are a handful of favorites. They all have some great messages and storywise-- they're spot on!

1 comment:

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

There are over 100 blogs on this linky, and you're the only one that has mentioned Oedipus Rex! Everyone else went straight for Shakespeare. =P

I deliberately picked a Shakespearean comedy for my own list because I think his comedies don't get as much love as his tragedies, but I don't think I'd be so cavalier with a Greek tragedy. If there's one thing teens could use, it's catharsis!

And now to completely shock you . . . I might have read The Outsiders, but I've never even opened the cover of Ender's Game. (Gasp!!!)