Classic books for teens

I think it is important for teens to read good books, that appeal to them and will make them enjoy and appreciate reading. At the same time, I think it's important for teens to have some exposure to classics for a number of reasons.

First of all, classic books have a certain position in the culture that contemporary fiction, however good it may be, just doesn't reach. While reading Twilight may give you something to talk about at a dinner party, it's not something people are expected to know the way Hamlet is. Being familiar with the classics gives you a certain kind of clout that just can't be denied. As an educated adult, you should know who Big Brother and Atticus Finch are.

Second, classic books tend to be written on a higher level than popular, contemporary books. Reading books at a higher level helps teens (and adults) to build analytical skills as well as to improve their vocabularies. That doesn't mean you should always read things that are hard for you, just that challenging yourself sometimes helps to build skills you can apply through your whole life.

Finally, what I always tell my students: if you know the classics, you get more jokes. The Simpsons is much funnier if you've read "The Most Dangerous Game" and "The Raven." Oh Brother Where Art Thou will absolutely kill you if you know The Odyssey. I can think of few better reasons to read.