Tags
Top Ten Literary YA Reads by Beth Shaum
Many of us who read YA literature with regularity know what a wealth of great authors are out there writing today. So a rash of recent articles calling for us to only read Classics or proclaiming some books are more equal than others really bothered many of us who are fighting to show everyone what merit YA literature has in the 21st century. Thus this post was born.
So let’s start first with defining what “literary” means. While I like dictionary definitions, I have my own definition of the word and that is a book or piece of writing that can generate a prolific, educated discussion, removed from shallow statements like, “Are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?”
Now I feel that this list is almost arbitrary. I wrote it more to prove a point and generate discussion than to come up with THE ULTIMATE list of 10 literary YA books. So with that in mind, when you’re done reading this list, share with me your favorite literary YA reads.
In the meantime, here are my Top Ten Literary YA Reads:
1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Despite some criticisms that TFiOS is not an accurate portrayal of how teenagers actually talk and behave, this is one of the most moving pieces of YA lit ever written. And John Green has never been one to pander to popular culture so I don’t think he was going for “typical” anyway. He writes books for people who think critically and thoughtfully. Oh and let’s not forget that the title of this book is an allusion to the great work of Shakespeare, Julius Caesar:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
2. This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel
In this prequel to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, readers can see how Victor Frankenstein’s tragic downfall began at an early age. Want to teach teens about tragic heroes? How about allowing them to read about one their own age? Perhaps it might even be the impetus for them to pick up a classic text like Frankenstein and read it on their own.
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
When I first read this book, I had to sit with it for a while to really appreciate how truly special it was. But to have Death as a narrator? I bet a lot of authors who write for adults are kicking themselves for not coming up with something so ingenious and “literary.”
4. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
While many people would have probably chosen Speak for this list, I decided to choose a lesser-known LHA title instead. Wintergirls is much more haunting and poetic in its writing style than Speak and even though it’s been three years since I read this book, the main character of Lia still haunts me.
5. Going Bovine by Libba Bray
I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I love it because it is so full of the humor and wit we are used to seeing from Libba Bray. At the same time, it felt so over-saturated with literary elements that I often found myself forgetting to sit back and comprehend the story. Still, the characters were memorable (a yard gnome who thinks he’s a Norse god? Hilarious!) and I loved that there were lessons to be learned amongst the humor.
6. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Most of you would probably assume, as did I, that Beauty Queens is a light, humorous romp on a desert island with ditzy blondes in bikinis. And it is. At first. But the more you read, you begin to realize that this book is also a political statement, an imploring for the reader to question the gender roles and stereotypes we’ve become accustomed to in our society. It has quite the subversive message and yet somehow, Bray manages to do all this with her trademark wit and humor.
7. Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Upon first reading, I would never have labeled this book as literary. But the more I think back on it, there was so much going on that still leaves me with questions and I can imagine the discussions it could generate among teens. In the book, the main character Micah is a compulsive liar with a secret. The secret, you discover in the middle of the story, is so far-fetched and crazy that you wonder: is she a liar because she has to protect her secret or is her secret just part of her lying game? You want to talk to students about the idea of unreliable narrators? Here you go.
8. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
There are so many beautiful layers and corners to explore in this book that one could not possibly begin to cover them all. People who don’t like historical fiction are at first turned off from the fact that this book deals with the French Revolution, but it is not purely historical fiction; it is actually more a contemporary story since the main character lives in modern times. And the way Donnelly writes of music, both classical and contemporary, with such fluidly and authority, you would swear she moonlights as a music critic.
9. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
When you’re first introduced to the main character of Vera, you make a judgment about her: that she doesn’t care about school and that she’s turning into an alcoholic. This judgment begins to fall apart once you continue reading and realize that despite working a full-time job, she gets straight A’s in school, enjoys doing her homework, and is only drinking to numb the pain from her best friend’s death. I envisioned lots of thoughtful classroom discussion while reading this book.
10. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Since the popularity of The Hunger Games, the dystopian genre has been so over-saturated that, when this book first came out, I almost dismissed as just another author trying to cash in on a trend. However, what sets Delirium apart and also makes it “literary” is in the beauty of Oliver’s simple yet lyrical prose. Even further to Oliver’s credit is her ability to subtly weave a developing and evolving protagonist through a suspenseful, page-turning plot. And the idea that love is a disease? That’s certainly not going to generate classroom discussion. 😉
Okay… time to discuss. Do you agree with this list? What titles would you have liked to see on here instead?
Beth Shaum teaches middle school English and literature in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Her students straddle the line between middle grade and young adult literature in their maturity so she is always on the lookout for appropriate YA reads for her classroom. Follow her on Twitter: @FoodieBooklvr or read her blog: A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust
What a great list. I’ve read one, three, and four on your list and couldn’t agree more. Wintergirls was one those hard, ugly-beautiful reads for me, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. I’m dying now to read the other seven.
I just started becoming more interested in YA reads, except I wanted good books and your list makes for a great starting point. Thanks!
Here is my list, which is technically eleven:
1, 2, 3. Chaos Walking Trilogy: The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, and Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness, Candlewick Press.
4. Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet, Candlewick Press
5. Feed by M.T. Anderson, Candlewick Press
6, 7. Octavian Nothing Vol I & II by M.T. Anderson, Candlewick Press
8. Dying to Know You by Aidian Chambers, Amulet Books
9. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Jim Kay, Candlewick Press
10. The Watch that Ends the Night by Allan Wolf, Candlewick Press
11. Eli the Good by Silas House, Candlewick Press
I ALMOST put Feed on my list. But as I already said, there are so many great literary YA titles out there that 10 is just too small of a number! 🙂
You are right! Keeping the list to ten is TOUGH. Thank goodness there is so much good writing. I didn’t intend my list to be an almost exclusive Candlewick list, but there you have it. It is what it is. Great post, Beth.
Feed. Definitely. Excellent book.
ooohh. just requested your #3 pick.
Teresa, good list! I agree with your inclusion of Octavian Nothing. This was such a challenging read. I think it’d add a great depth and complexity to an American History class, if not an English course.
I shamefully admit I haven’t read Octavian Nothing yet. I have it in my house. M.T. Anderson signed it personally for me at NCTE last year. I just haven’t gotten around to reading it.
I’m not surprised to see TFiOS at the top of the list. What a wonderful piece of literature, by far one of my favorites. I feel compelled to thank John Green every time I talk about his book because I’m just so happy that the book exists! I’m SO excited to see Delirium, by Lauren Oliver, in the top ten as well! Her writing is gorgeous, and wow does she come up with some cliffhanger endings! I’m still reeling from the end of Pandemonium! Thanks for a great list!
I’ve not heard of Liar, so will be sure to look it up. Great list. I wonder at the criticism you shared about The Fault In Our Stars. How does one know how all talk and behave? I would say that living with cancer might change behavior too and John Green portrayed these two very well indeed. Like the commenter above, I would add Feed to your list. It’s so important to our consumer influenced kids.
LOVE your choices, Beth. I’ve read all 10 books and think they all belong on such a list. Of course, if I were making a list, I could not possible exclude books by Laini Taylor, Margo Lanagan, and Melina Marchetta!
Because I haven’t read all of these, I can’t suggest removing any of them, but I would also add OUT OF MY MIND by Sharon Draper and JERK, CALIFORNIA by Jonathan Friesen. I agree 100% on the ones that we’ve both read.
Thanks for a thoughtful post, Beth.
I’ve taught LIAR and PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ to teens in juvenile detention. Both great discussion books! I would also add A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness.
Divergent from Veronica Roth. Here’s the part that I think would generate good discussions: The characters have to go through what is called a “fear landscape” as part of the training. What are you afraid of and how do you conquer/survive it? Let’s discuss!
Thank you, Beth, for discussing the real literary quality behind many YA titles that skeptics and traditional teachers seem to ignore. I found myself nodding and “mmhmming” with each book you chose. Well done. I’d love to share this post with my English department. I’m curious how it might open a dialogue about alternative “shared, complex texts.”
I love that you want to share this post with your colleagues Erica. My goal for this post was to be more about dialogue than publishing a definitive top ten list. I’m glad to see it’s working! 🙂
Beth – I love seeing your list. I just can’t decide which ones to add (not repeating you or others) but probably if I was thinking “literary” I would add – Code Name Verity; Lions of Little Rock; Adoration of Jenna Fox; Countdown; Bruiser; In the Path of Falling Objects; How to Say Good-bye in Robot; Unwind; Hidden (by H. Frost); and probably a John Green but not sure which one.
Beth,
I love your list and I have read many of them and I completely agree that they are amazing literary reads. I need to get my hands on a couple (Liar & Viera Dietz). I think my list would include A Monster Calls, The Watch that Ends the Night, Under the Mesquite, Knife of Never Letting Go, Blink & Caution, Maus, I’ll Be There, Where Things Come Back, Sold, Ash, Speak, and Graceling, but I would have such a hard time narrowing it down to 10 because I’d want to include many of yours…
What a great post Beth and way to get us all thinking 🙂
Thanks for this thought-provoker! I generally shy away from “best of” lists but I would put FEED at the top of mine. I re-read that book nearly every year. As a matter of personal taste, I would’ve replaced WINTERGIRLS on your list with SPEAK, and REVOLUTION with A NORTHERN LIGHT. Another to add: SOLD. And whenever I need to feel good about life, I read a book by Joan Bauer.
I came really close to adding Feed to this list.
The reason I didn’t chose Speak was just because it’s already taught in so many high school classrooms already. It seems to be one of the very few exceptions to the rule of not teaching YA in high school.
What a great list!
I agree with every single one, and it’s hard just to pick 10, isn’t it?
Here’s my list of 10:
1. When a Monster Calls
2. Shine
3. The Fault in Our Stars
4. Feathers (while the main character is in 6th grade, we teach To Kill a Mockingbird in 9th in my system; this would be a nice companion novel)
5. The Patron Saint of Butterflies
6. Daughter of Smoke and Bone (this would be amazing in a mythology class)
7. Awaken (while the plot is simplistic, the overall idea is complex and relates to teens)
8. The Mockingbirds (a nice pairing/substitute for Speak)
9. Jane (to give kids the idea of Jane Eyre while reading a modern version)
10.This Dark Endeavor (what a great intro. to Frankenstein).
Love your list! I considered quite a few of them for my own, especially Shine and Daughter of Smoke and Bone.
I haven’t read all of these, but it’s a fantastic list, Beth! I agree with your definition, too. I love finding books that I can read and discuss with my students whether it’s in a formal classroom discussion or outside of class.
Beth,
I am getting a lot of books to add to my reading list because between your post and the comments, I see many new books I haven’t read.
I read a beautiful book by Cynthia Rylant this summer–more of a novella–but rich and powerful: I Had Seen Castles. That’s one I would put on my list.
Denise
I’m not sure that The Lovely Bones can be considered “YA,” but I still think it an important book that every young girl should read.
This a great list, and I’m so glad you wrote a post defending the merits of contemporary young adult literature. The classics have their place, of course, in jr. high and high school, but I really think it’s a book list like this that will get kids excited about reading and talking about reading! I liked Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak (Book Thief was his best, though), Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick (I haven’t read Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie but heard it was great), Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt, and Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, too. Isn’t it amazing how many great YA books we can all list?!
This is a great list, and I agree with many of the the titles (but haven’t read them all). I do like that the criteria for being “literary” is thought-provoking and generate discussion.
The two I would add are The Sharp Time by Mary O’Connell and The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforth. Both are hilarious and touching at times, and written with incredible voice. You may have inspired me to do my own top ten literary YA reads, but it will take some time limit the list!
The only book I’ve read on this list is Delirium, so this gives me a lot to add to my wish list. I took a class in college (15+ years ago) about teaching literature to young adults. The books that stood out to me then were The Giver by Lois Lowry, Jack by A.M. Homes, and We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier. I still recommend them today!
I would have included thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and would have left out Beauty Queens. Great list!
Pingback: Clock Rewinders on a Book Binge (28) | bookgoonie