Selections of the best books for teenagers according to Time magazine, The Guardian newspaper, the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, and also, as a bonus, according to the editors of Lifehacker. In this case, we will consider adolescents to be boys and girls aged 10 to 19 years, according to the terminology of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Time's 10 Best Young Adult Books
In 2015, the weekly Time magazine published a selection of the hundred best books for young people. The list was compiled based on recommendations from reputable critics, publishers and reading clubs from around the world. You can see the full list, but here are the top ten.
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Half-Indian by Sherman Alexie. Original title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. A partly autobiographical book about a boy growing up on an Indian reservation, for which the author received a National Book Award. The main character is a “nerd” who dreams of becoming an artist, challenging the system and prejudices of society.
- Harry Potter series, JK Rowling. The first of seven books about a young wizard and his friends studying at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was published in 1997. The story of Harry Potter has become incredibly popular all over the world. The books have been translated into 67 languages and filmed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The series, starting with the first novel, has won many awards.
- "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. Original title: The Book Thief. The novel, written in 2006, tells about the events of World War II, Nazi Germany and the girl Liesel. The book is on The New York Times bestseller list and, as the literary magazine Bookmarks aptly notes, is capable of breaking the hearts of both teenagers and adults. After all, the story in it is told from the perspective of Death.
- "A Crack in Time" by Madeleine Lengle. Original title: A Wrinkle in Time. A science fiction novel about thirteen-year-old Meg, who is considered too wayward by her classmates and teachers. Perhaps the girl would have remained a thorn and would have continued to suffer due to the sudden disappearance of her father, if not for one nightly incident... The book was published in 1963 and received a number of awards.
- Charlotte's Web by Alvin Brooks White. Original title: Charlotte's Web. This beautiful story about the friendship of a girl named Fern and a pig named Wilburg was first published in 1952. The work was twice filmed in the form of animated films, and also formed the basis of a musical.
- "The Pits" by Louis Saker. Original title: Holes. This novel by a Danish writer has won several awards and is ranked 83rd on the BBC's 200 Best Books list. The main character's name is Stanley, and he has absolutely no luck in life. So much so that he ends up in a correctional camp, where he has to dig holes every day... Unfortunately, the book has not been translated into Russian, but has been filmed under the title “Treasure.”
- "Matilda", Roald Dahl. The original name is Matilda. This novel came from the pen of an English writer, whose children's books are famous for their lack of sentimentality and often dark humor. The heroine of this work is a girl named Matilda, who loves to read and has some supernatural abilities.
- "The Outcasts" by Susan Eloise Hinton. Original title: The Outsiders. The novel was first published in 1967 and is a classic of American teen literature. It tells about the conflict between two youth gangs and a fourteen-year-old boy, Ponyboy Curtis. It is noteworthy that the writer began working on the book when she was 15, and finished it at 18. In 1983, Francis Ford Coppola shot a feature film of the same name.
- "Cute and the Magic Booth" by Jaster Norton. Original title: The Phantom Tollbooth. A work published in 1961 about the exciting adventures of a boy named Milo. Readers can expect puns and naughty wordplay, and Jules Phifer's illustrations make the book feel like a cartoon.
- "The Giver", Loris Lowry. Original title: The Giver. This novel, written in the dystopian genre, rare for children's literature, received the Newbery Medal in 1994. The author paints an ideal world where there are no diseases, wars or conflicts and no one needs anything. However, it turns out that such a world is devoid of colors and there is no place in it not only for suffering, but also for love. In 2014, the film “The Dedicated” was made based on the novel.
The Guardian's 10 Best Books for Teens
In 2014, the British daily newspaper The Guardian published a list of 50 books that young men and women should read. The list was compiled based on the results of voting by 7 thousand people. The works were divided into categories: “books that help you understand yourself,” “books that change your worldview,” “books that teach you to love,” “books that will make you laugh,” “books that will make you cry,” and so on. Here is the list.
The top ten included books that help shape the personality of a young reader and inspire them to overcome difficulties.
- The Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins. Original title: The Hunger Games. The first book in this series was published in 2008 and within six months became a bestseller. The circulation of the first two novels exceeded two million copies. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, and Collins said she was inspired by ancient Greek mythology and her father's military career. All parts of the trilogy have been filmed.
- “The Fault in Our Stars”, John Green. Original title: The Fault in Our Stars. The touching love story between sixteen-year-old Hazel, who has cancer, and seventeen-year-old Augustus, who has the same illness, was published in 2012. That same year, the novel entered The New York Times bestseller list.
- To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee. Original title: To Kill a Mockingbird. This work was first published in 1960, and a year later the author received the Pulitzer Prize for it. In the USA they study it as part of the school curriculum. This is not surprising, because through the prism of a child's view, Harper Lee looks at very adult problems such as racism and inequality.
- Harry Potter series, JK Rowling. Here The Guardian coincided with Time.
- "", George Orwell. A dystopian novel about totalitarianism, published in 1949. Along with Zamyatin's "We" is considered one of the best in its genre. Orwell's work is ranked eighth in the BBC's list of the 200 best books, and Newsweek magazine ranked the novel in second place in the hundred best books of all time. Until 1988, the novel was banned in the USSR.
- "The Diary of Anne Frank". Original title: The Diary of a Young Girl. The only non-fiction work on the list. These are the records kept by the Jewish girl Anne Frank from 1942 to 1944. Anna made her first entry on June 12, her birthday, when she turned 13. The last entry is dated August 1st. Three days later, the Gestapo arrested everyone hiding in the shelter, including Anna. Her diary is part of the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
- "A Street Cat Named Bob" by James Bowen. Original title: A Streetcat Named Bob. James Bowen was a street musician and had problems with drugs until one day he picked up a stray cat. The meeting turned out to be fateful. “He came and asked me for help, and he asked for my help more than my body asked for self-destruction,” Bowen writes. The story of two tramps, a man and a cat, was heard by the literary agent Mary Paknos and suggested that James write an autobiography. The book, co-authored with Gary Jenkins, was published in 2010.
- "The Lord of the Rings", John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Original title: The Lord of the Rings. This is one of the most popular books of the twentieth century in general and in the fantasy genre in particular. The novel was written as a single book, but due to its large volume, it was divided into three parts when published. The work has been translated into 38 languages and has had a huge impact on world culture. Films have been made based on it and computer games have been created.
- "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. Original title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This is a story about a guy named Charlie, who, like all teenagers, acutely feels loneliness and misunderstanding. He pours out his experiences in letters. The book was published in a million copies, critics dubbed it “The Catcher in the Rye for new times.” The novel was filmed by the author himself, with Logan Lerman playing the main role and his girlfriend Emma Watson.
- "Jane Eyre", Charlotte Brontë. Original title - Jane Eyre. The novel was first published in 1847 and immediately gained the love of readers and critics. The focus is on an early orphaned girl, Jane, with a strong character and a vivid imagination. The book has been filmed many times and is ranked tenth on the BBC's list of the 200 best books.
Patrick Marioné - thanks for > 2M/Flickr.com 10 best books for schoolchildren according to the Russian Ministry of Education and Science
In January 2013, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation published a list of one hundred books for secondary school students for extracurricular reading. The list includes works outside the school curriculum.
The creation of the list and its contents caused a lively discussion in the press and on the Internet. Much criticism was expressed against the Ministry of Education and Science, and some literary figures proposed alternative lists.
Nevertheless, here are the first ten of “100 books on the history, culture and literature of the peoples of the Russian Federation, recommended for schoolchildren to read independently.”
Please note: the list is compiled alphabetically, so our top ten consists of the first ten surnames. We will consider two works by the same author as one item. This is by no means a rating.
- “The Siege Book”, Daniil Granin and Alexey Adamovich. This is a documentary chronicle of the blockade, first published with banknotes in 1977. In Leningrad, the book was banned until 1984.
- “And the day lasts longer than a century” and “The White Steamship”, Chingiz Aitmatov. The title of the novel “And the day lasts longer than a century” contains a line from a poem by Boris Pasternak. This is Aitmatov's first major work, published in 1980. The story “The White Steamer” about a seven-year-old orphan boy living on the shores of Issyk-Kul was published ten years earlier.
- “Star Ticket” and “Island of Crimea”, Vasily Aksyonov. The story of the Denisov brothers, told on the pages of the novel “Star Ticket,” at one time “blew up” the public. The most harmless thing that Aksenov was accused of was the abuse of youth slang. The science fiction novel “Island of Crimea,” published in 1990, on the contrary, was received with a bang and became the main all-Union bestseller of the year.
- “My brother plays the clarinet”, Anatoly Aleksin. The story, written in 1968, is in the form of a diary of a girl, Zhenya, who dreams of devoting her life to her musician brother. But it turns out that each person is like a separate planet, and everyone has their own goals and dreams.
- “Dersu Uzala”, Vladimir Arsenyev. One of the best works of Russian adventure literature. The novel describes the life of the small peoples of the Far East and the hunter Dersu Uzal.
- “The Shepherd and the Shepherdess” and “The Tsar Fish”, Viktor Astafiev. Two stories on two main themes in Astafiev’s work - war and the village. The first was written in 1967, and the second in 1976.
- “Odessa Stories” and “Cavalry”, Isaac Babel. These are two collections of stories. The first tells about pre-revolutionary Odessa and the Benny Krik gang, and the second about the civil war.
- “Ural Tales”, Pavel Bazhov. This is a collection created on the basis of mining folklore of the Urals. “Malachite Box”, “Mistress of the Copper Mountain”, “Stone Flower” - these and other works by Bazhov have been known and loved by many since childhood.
- “Republic of SHKID”, Grigory Belykh and Alexey Panteleev. An adventure story about street children who lived in the Dostoevsky School of Social and Labor Education (ShkID). The authors themselves became the prototypes of the two characters. The work was filmed in 1966.
- “Moment of Truth”, Vladimir Bogomolov. The action of the novel takes place in August 1944 on the territory of Belarus (another title of the work is “In August of forty-four”). The book is based on real events.
The best books for teenagers according to Lifehacker
We decided to find out what the Lifehacker team read as teenagers. They called “Harry Potter”, and “The Lord of the Rings”, and other aforementioned works. But there were a few books not mentioned in the top ten of any of the lists.
I read the Great Soviet Encyclopedia. There are thousands of thousands of unfamiliar interesting words, and I, being small, sat down in the toilet, simply opened it to any page and read, read, read, learning new terms and definitions. Informative.
One of the books that most influenced me as a teenager was the novel “A Hero of Our Time” by Lermontov. Love, passion, nature, philosophy of nihilism - what else does a teenager need? :) Here it is, fertile ground for youthful maximalism. The work made me think about my place in this world, about the essence of existence and all that, eternal.
Sergey Varlamov
SMM specialist at Lifehacker
At the age of 12–13 I read the book “The Mysterious Island”. At this time I was generally interested in the books of Jules Verne, full of adventures and surprises. Mentally, together with the heroes, he overcame difficulties and traveled. “The Mysterious Island” taught that even in the most hopeless situation you should not give up. You need to dream, believe, and most importantly, do.
What did you read when you were 10–19 years old? What book will you definitely buy for your children when they are this age? And what do you think is a must-read for Generation Z?
Producing
deep impression on the young
mind, constitutes an era in life
person.
Smiles S.,
English philosopher
The problem of choosing books at this age is related to two things. Firstly, with the internal state and reading needs of an individual child. Secondly, for parents of a fourteen to fifteen year old child, the task is still urgent not to scare them away from reading, but, on the contrary, to make them want to do this activity in every possible way. The recommended list includes books that are truly beloved by children. S. Averintsev noted that if a person knows only his time, his narrowly modern range of concepts, he is a chronic provincial. In order not to be a chronic provincial, by the age of seventeen you need to read a lot of all sorts of books - just about life, about the way of life and customs of different peoples and eras.
The books in this list are grouped rather conventionally, and the groups are arranged in order of increasing “maturity”. As we present the texts, we offer comments on some of them.
Still “children’s” books
A. Lindgren. Super detective Kalle Blomkvist. Roni is the daughter of a robber. Brothers Lionheart. We are on the island of Saltkroka.
Last book - the most “adult” on the list, but, strictly speaking, all this should have been read by the age of 12-13. As, indeed, other books in this section. They are specifically for teenagers.
V. Krapivin. Knee-deep in the grass. The shadow of the caravel. Squire Kashka. Sailor Wilson's white ball. Captain Rumbaud's briefcase.
Perhaps someone will prefer V. Krapivin’s “mystic-fantasy” cycles. These books contain memories of childhood. The story about Captain Rumba is funny and cheerful.
R. Bradbury. Dandelion wine.
A story about how difficult it is to leave childhood.
A. Marshall. I can jump over puddles.
R. Kipling. Pack from the hills. Awards and fairies.
Lloyd Alexander. A series of novels about Taren (The Book of Three. The Black Cauldron. Taren the Wanderer).
History, geography, zoology and more
D. London. Northern stories. Smoke Belew. Smoke and baby.
D. Curwood. Vagabonds of the North.
Jules Verne. Everything that hasn't been read yet.
A. Conan Doyle. Lost World. Brigadier Girard.
W. Scott. Ivanhoe. Quenin Dorward.
G. Haggard. Daughter of Montezuma. King Solomon's Mines.
R. Stevenson. Kidnapped. Catriona.
R. Kipling. Kim.
A. Dumas. Count of Monte Cristo.
WITH. Forester. The Saga of Captain Hornblower.
The book was written in the 20th century: the story of an English sailor from midshipman to admiral during the Napoleonic wars. The story is adventurous, authentic, charming. The hero evokes great sympathy, remaining an ordinary, but very worthy person.
I. Efremov. The Journey of Baurjed. On the edge of the Ecumene. Andromeda's nebula. Stories.
These books are a great help in the history of the ancient world (Egypt, Greece), and geography (Africa, Mediterranean). Efremov is good as a popularizer of science. He has a documentary story about paleontological excavations in Mongolia "Wind Road"- very curious.
M. Zagoskin. Yuri Miloslavsky.
A.K. Tolstoy. Prince Silver.
What girls love
S. Bronte. Jane Eyre.
E. Porter. Pollyanna.
D. Webbster. Long-legged uncle. Dear enemy.
A. Egorushkina. A real princess and a traveling bridge.
M. Stewart. Nine carriages. Moon spinners.
This reading is for girls 14-16 years old. English life after the war, Europe (Greece, France), marvelous landscapes, love...
Something from Soviet literature
I. Ilf, E. Petrov. The twelve Chairs. Golden calf.
L. Solovyov. The Tale of Khoja Nasreddin.
The text is charming and mischievous. Perhaps the most suitable for getting used to adult conversations “about life”.
V. Astafiev. Theft. Last bow.
“Theft” is a very scary story about an orphanage in the Arctic Circle, where children of exiled and already dead parents survive.
V. Bykov. The dead don't hurt. Obelisk. His battalion.
E. Kazakevich. Star.
N. Dumbadze.Me, grandma, Iliko and Illarion. White flags.
Ch. Aitmatov.White ship.
Memories of upbringing
A. Herzen. Past and thoughts.
TO. Paustovsky.A story about life.
A. Kuprin.Junker. Cadets.
A. Makarenko. Pedagogical poem.
F. Vigdorova.The road to life. This is my home. Chernigovka.
The trilogy is written about an orphanage created by Makarenko’s student back in the 30s. Lots of interesting details about life, schools and problems of that time.
D. Darell. My family and other animals.
Fantastic
A. Belyaev. Amphibian Man. Professor Dowell's Head.
A. Tolstoy. Hyperboloid of engineer Garin. Aelita.
G. Wells. War of the Worlds. Green door.
WITH. Lem.Stories about the pilot Pirx. (Magellan Cloud. Return from the Stars. Star Diaries of Jon the Quiet.)
Smart stories with good humor .
R. Bradbury. 451 ° Fahrenheit. The Martian Chronicles and Other Stories.
A. B. Strugatsky. The road to Almaty. NoonXXIIcentury It's hard to be a god. Attempt to escape. Inhabited island. Monday starts on Saturday.
G. Harrison.Indomitable planet.
An ecological novel, wise in its main idea and charming thanks to its rogue hero.
Fantasy
A. Green. Gold chain. Running on the waves. Brilliant world. Road to nowhere.
D.R.R. Tolkien. Lord of the Rings. The Silmarillion.
TO. Simak. Goblin Sanctuary.
Ursula Le Guin. A Wizard of Earthsea.
Diana W. Jones. Haul's walking castle. Castle in the air. Worlds of Chrestomanci. Merlin's conspiracy.
M. And S. Dyachenko. Road magician. Oberon's word. Evil has no power.
S. Lukyanenko. Knights of the Forty Islands.
A book about growing up and moral problems that have to be solved in artificially constructed conditions.
M. Semyonova. Wolfhound.
D. Rowling. Harry Potter.
Detectives
A. Conan Doyle. Stories about Sherlock Holmes.
E. Po. Stories.
W. Collins. Moon rock.
A. Christie. Death on the Orient Express.
G.K. Chesterston. Stories about Father Brown.
M. Cheval and P. Valeux. Death of the 31st department.
Dick Francis. Favorite. Driving force.
Francis's novels are an encyclopedia of reality. The author is amazing for shaping your horizons and life attitudes.
A. Haley. Airport. Wheels. Hotel. Final diagnosis.
Great novels and serious stories
V. Hugo. Les Misérables. Notre Dame Cathedral.
Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist. David Copperfield. Cold house. Martin Chuzzlewit. Our mutual friend. Dombey and son.
D. Austin. Pride and Prejudice.
G. Senkevich. Flood. Fire and sword. Crusaders.
D. Galsworthy. The Forsyte Saga.
T. Mann. Buddenbrooks.
R. Pilcher. Shell finders. Homecoming. September. Christmas Eve.
Everyday, charming books about England from the Second World War to the 1980s.
E. Remarque. Three comrades. No change on the Western Front.
E. Hemingway. A Farewell to Arms! Stories.
G. Böll. A house without an owner. Billiards at half past eight.
M. Mitchell. Gone With the Wind.
T. Wilder. Theophilus North. Day eight. Ides of March.
I. Vo. Return to Brideshead.
Student life is described in detail and nostalgically. Where does hypocrisy and rebellion against it lead is the question that the author is trying to answer.
M. Stewart. Crystal Grotto. Hollow Hills. The Last Magic.
G.L. Oldie. Odysseus, son of Laertes. The author is not English. These are two Russian-speaking writers from Kharkov. They write fantasy and novels like this - reconstruction of myths. They write very well and very unusually, unexpectedly.
R. Zelazny. Chronicles of Amber.
IN. Kamsha. Red on red. This is the most sober and adequate understanding of our current troubled life. The book is smart and tough.
Here is a large and rather incomplete list of literature for children 14-15 years old that we offer. We really hope that many of these books will be read by your children. These books will open up to them the wonderful world of fiction, teach them how to correctly solve the problem of choice and help your children gain social experience.
Material provided by N.S. Venglinskaya, methodologist of MOUDO "IMC".
How to choose interesting and instructive book , which is suitable for a teenager of 14 years old?
We offer you a unique selection of 14 books that inspire, teach love, hard work and empathy.
Erich Maria Remarque
A “living” book, full of love, deep friendships, severe trials, caustic loneliness and endless grief. The development of events takes place in the post-war period, and we are talking about the problems of a person who lived through this war.
The book will teach humanity, sincere empathy, and understanding of the inner world of others at the tender age of 14 years.
Paulo Coelho
Shepherd Santiago one day has a dream that tells him about treasures lying near the Egyptian pyramids. The call of fate forces him to sell his sheep and set off on a difficult journey.
“The Alchemist” is a popular novel by a Brazilian writer that gives us inner direction, the desire to follow our destiny and know the “soul of the world.”
Daniel Defoe
The work is presented in the form of a diary of the main character, who was shipwrecked and thrown ashore. A book showing the incredible capabilities of a person striving to survive on a desert island.
The realistic description of all the difficulties and obstacles in the life of the tireless Robinson Crusoe captivates and amazes so much that it gives you the feeling that you yourself are on an island in the Caribbean.
Ethel Voynich
A novel that touches on the most subtle thoughts, excites the purest notes of the soul, giving rise to the deepest response in our heart. When reading this book, everyone lives life together with a tireless young man, a fighter for justice and independence.
A must read for everyone at the age of 14, when a person is most susceptible to the tragedies, joys and trials of someone else's fate.
Mark Twain
A fascinating story of the “exchange of destinies” between the thief Tom and Prince Edward. How can a pampered person from the royal palace cope with the difficulties of street life? What awaits the fake prince in luxurious surroundings?
This is an invaluable description of someone else’s experience during a radical change in life circumstances.
Ernest Hemingway
A touching story about a poor old man living in the here and now, enjoying every day. He enters into a fight with the “big fish” - the first success in recent times - which proceeds with varying degrees of success.
Hard work and a steady pursuit of the goal—that’s what the pages of this book reveal.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
A novel that at one time changed the public's views on slavery in America. The book talks about how those who own people can forget about simple humanity and begin to consider their charges as simple things.
After reading, the view on many events in life will no longer be the same, the suffering of other people will be perceived more deeply and will cause a desire to help.
Mayne Reid
A beautiful love story that takes place against the backdrop of a frightening and mysterious event - the appearance of a headless horseman wandering around Texas.
The richness of events makes the book truly exciting, and the suspicion of the murder of an innocent person raises a storm of emotions and affects our sense of justice.
Haruki Murakami
The novel by a Japanese writer is categorically different from everything that teenagers are used to reading in the school curriculum. This book can instill a love for modern literature and a completely different appreciation of the printed word. The author's unusual language fascinates and attracts.
The mystical plot makes you stop and think, and sometimes just baffles you. Once you “taste” Murakami, it is no longer possible to forget him.
William Shakespeare
Everyone knows from childhood the tragedy of love between a boy and a girl from warring families. Even those teenagers who are not inclined to read will easily read this masterpiece of the English classics.
And, undoubtedly, they will remain full of impressions and conflicting feelings, and will also be full of desire to become more familiar with the work of this writer.
Ray Bradbury
One of the greatest dystopian books. Talks about the possible development of our society in the future. The fictional world evokes a deep sense of injustice and detachment, allowing us to more fully appreciate the opportunities that we have in our time, but, unfortunately, we rarely use them.
Awakens in a person sensuality and the desire for spiritual pleasures in life.
Robert Monroe
The fascinating adventures of Mr. Monroe beyond reality. This book of an esoteric nature, written as a fiction novel, will help everyone expand the boundaries of their worldview and look beyond the boundaries of our everyday life. It will be of particular interest to teenagers due to the growing popularity of the phenomenon of out-of-body travel.
Robert Stevenson
This adventure novel gives you a break from reality and immerses you in its unique atmosphere. A book that is read avidly.
Tells about the extraordinary intelligence of the main character, his ability to be in the right place at the right time and his many tricks taken to deceive the pirates and find treasures.
Richard Bach
A novel written by Richard Bach in moments of wonderful insight. As a result, it turned out to be a kind of teaching of life, teaching of self-improvement, finding a path, feeling right and wrong.
And all this is told in the form of a stunning metaphor about the flight of a seagull.
At school, children study the literature of past centuries, but they have the vaguest ideas about modern Russian (as well as foreign) prose. Meanwhile, there are many modern stories that are not just accessible, but quite interesting for a teenager. But not only that: if children read them and discuss them with their parents, such reading can greatly bring different generations together. Recommendations for such family reading are given by Rimma Isakovna Zandman, Honored Teacher of Russia, teacher of Russian language and literature at Moscow gymnasium No. 1512.
At my gymnasium, in addition to Russian language and literature lessons, I run a literary studio, where teenagers come from the age of 13-14. During these classes, the children and I read and discuss the latest Russian prose. It is a misconception that it is inaccessible to teenagers, that they are only attracted to fantasy and horror films. No, they read with keen interest the stories of modern Russian-speaking writers that I recommend to them, and vigorously discuss them. Our studio is open; parents often come to classes and participate in discussions along with their children.
So, I have long noticed that such joint reading and discussion not only develops children, but also improves their relationships with their parents (as well as with grandparents), and helps different generations in the family better understand each other.
And, of course, such joint reading and discussion can take place not only in the format of a school literary studio, but also simply at home. The initiative, of course, should come from the parents.
However, the question immediately arises: what exactly to read with children? In my opinion, short stories are best suited for this, rather than stories and novels. This is a reading that is not annoying, but very meaningful, deep, and can be discussed in detail in the family. It is important that these are stories from today, from life that children can understand.
But where exactly can we get them, such stories? I have long taught my children to use the largest online resource that publishes high-quality modern prose and poetry - “Magazine Hall” (magazines.russ.ru). In addition, a lot of good stories can be found on the long list of the Yuri Kazakov Literary Prize (it is also published in the Magazine Hall).
It is clear that selecting such stories to read and discuss with teenagers requires a lot of work. I constantly monitor periodicals, travel to bookstores and study the contents of shelves with modern prose. But I am a teacher, this is my job, but it will be more difficult for parents, especially those who are far from philology. Therefore, I took the liberty of recommending to the readers of “Foma” several stories from those that we discussed with children and parents in our literary studio classes. All these stories are freely available on the Internet.
1
Irina Polyanskaya. "Iron and Ice Cream"
This is a sad story that clearly poses the problem of the relationship between the child and the family. A story about how tragically parents can fail to understand their children and how children lose trust in their families. Of course, this topic is now being developed very actively in the literature for middle and older teenagers.
2
Vyacheslav Komkov. « I am German"
The story is on the same topic - the relationship between parents and children, but here the situation is the opposite. A very difficult child - and the patience and love of the parents... Such stories should definitely be discussed after reading together, and the situations described there should be analyzed. But to show the artistic features of the text is the teacher’s job.
3
Elena Tarsier. "Watch"
This story is fantastic, or rather, even fabulous - where the teenage hero has the opportunity to change something in his past, but any such change changes his present. Is it worth it? A question that is very useful to discuss with children. After all, behind the fantastic surroundings there is a very real problem here - responsibility for any of your choices, awareness of its consequences.
Suitable for teenagers from 12 years old.
4
Anna Ignatova. "Djinn Seva"
This is a terribly funny story. We were drinking Jay Seven juice - and suddenly an orange person appeared from the package. They ask him - who are you? He replies that since it is made of liquid, it means gin. Why not from a bottle? Because, he replies, you can’t save enough bottles for us genies. And this genie Seva, according to all fairy tale canons, must fulfill the wishes of the heroine girl. The encounter with this genie of a new formation is very funny, and the girl in it turns out to be kinder and better than the genie. When she has only one wish left, she asks: may there be peace in the whole world for at least five minutes...
Suitable for children from 10 years old.
By the way, I draw your attention to the magazine “October”, which periodically publishes children's issues - entirely consisting of works addressed to the young reader. And there you can also look for stories to read with your children.
There are stories that are best given to high school students (although in some cases they are quite accessible to children over 14 years old). For example, these:
5
Nina Litvinets. "Antique"
A sad story about old people, about their perception of life. There is also a sharp social line - the plot is based on how a certain antique swindler deceives an elderly woman. It seems that, from a rational point of view, nothing like this happened, but the heroine of the story could not survive what happened. “She was tormented by her conscience, she felt like a traitor - in relation to Alyosha, to the happy years lived together, to the things acquired together that had no antique value, but were so dear to both of them.” Thanks to such stories, teenagers will be much better able to understand the inner world of their grandparents.
Suitable for teenagers from 14 years old.
6
Oleg Ryabov. "The Death of an Old Man"
This very lyrical, piercing, touching story has a very important theme - coming to faith. If you read it with children, it will contribute to the spiritual rapprochement of elders and younger ones.
7
Andrey Volos. "Gate"
The story is about how an old man’s wife died and he lost the meaning of life - and this is a reason to talk about how love gives meaning to life. Here you can talk about how fragile human life is. The story ends with the old man, having cried at his wife’s grave, stepping over the low fence without opening the gate, and suddenly thinking: Lord, what is human life? Just like that, you stepped over - and you are in the world of the living; you stepped back - and you are already in some other world.
Suitable for teenagers over 16 years old.
8
Leonid Yuzefovich. "Late Call"
This is a story that both 10th and 11th grade students and parents will enjoy reading. A story about how a work appeared in which, by some indirect signs, a person recognizes the fate of his grandfather. And since in the work the grandfather looks very unpresentable, his grandson calls the author, a showdown begins... And here the correlation between creativity and life is very interesting, the desire to preserve the reputation of the family is important here. This is very important for discussion at home. Moreover, in some cases you can read it with 13-14 year olds.
Suitable for teenagers over 16 years old.
9
Elena Tarsier. "The Stingy Knight"
How wonderfully the literary tradition can be traced here! How interesting it is to show what life is all about! And how unexpectedly it is shown here that any house in which there is love and goodness can become a kind of Noah’s Ark. Moreover, all this is not divorced from the ground; it depicts very interestingly the intersecting spaces of human life - from the market to the monastery. And the hotel - with the meaning that here on earth we are only guests. In general, there are many layers of meaning in this story.
From the “must read” list. It included mostly books from the 2000s. Of course, readers have a question - where are Salinger and Remarque? In this review, Russian language and literature teacher Tatyana Kokuseva reminds us of classical foreign literature. Not all of these works are written about teenagers and for them, but it so happens that these are the books you read at the age of 16-17.
For those preparing for the main school exam
1. Jerome Salinger "The Catcher in the Rye"
What are we talking about?: Holden Caulfield, a troubled teenager, tells his story while reflecting on life.
Why do teenagers need this?: Honest, raw and frank about life in this complex, confusing and not particularly pleasant world. Caulfield's worldview is still not favored by decent parents of decent children, believing that poor Holden is a bad influence on fragile minds, calling for rebellion and escapism. The more interesting the book is among teenagers themselves.
2. William Golding "Lord of the Flies"
What are we talking about?: A group of children find themselves on an island and quickly reach a primitive state, choosing to obey the authority of the force.
Why do teenagers need this?: A tough and even cruel novel-reflection on human nature. The age of innocence is over, the teenager turns into an independent person. It's time to think about what you will become when you grow up, who will win in you - the beast or the man.
3. Harper Lee "To Kill a Mockingbird"»
What are we talking about?: Three years in the life of the Finch family during the Great Depression in a small town in Alabama.
Why do teenagers need this?: The Great Depression, Lynch law, simple cruel people, racism and injustice - against such a pretty background, the hero of the book Atticus, the father of the family, shows courage unexpected for an ordinary person. For the heroes of the novel, the moral law stands above fear. One of the best books about choosing the right action in a difficult situation.
4. Ray Bradbury "Fahrenheit 451"
What are we talking about?: Literature is subject to immediate destruction by fire, and book owners are subject to arrest and treatment.
Why do teenagers need this?: A scary dystopia about totalitarianism. People remain silent, opening their mouths only to discuss nonsense. Books are burning, the past is in the past, in the present there is only interactive television and endless happiness. In this prosperous world, of course, there are dissatisfied owners of inquisitive minds and doubts.
The novel poses unpleasant questions of the next choice: is your brain enough of chewing gum, are books needed by society, or will any thinking person soon be outlawed.
5. Hermann Hesse “Steppenwolf”
What are we talking about?: Notes from Harry Haller, a very lonely man.
Why do teenagers need this?: Actually, Hesse wrote a book for adults, but the misunderstood soul of the main character immediately attracted misunderstood and suffering teenagers. Loneliness in a well-fed philistine world, contradictions with oneself, where to go if you are a sensitive, thinking person, and there are crowds of ordinary people around you.
6. Aldous Huxley “Brave New World”
What are we talking about?: A dystopian novel about a happy brave new world in which something is wrong.
Why do teenagers need this?: What does a world without suffering look like? Something like this - people are artificially grown in test tubes, then they are divided into castes, all questions have ready-made answers. “History is complete nonsense” in the new state, love and emotions interfere with life. If someone is depressed, there is an excellent antidepressant - soma. “Sommy grams and no drams.” It would seem that everything is perfect, all that remains is to answer the question - do we want to live in such a world, enjoying standardized happiness.
7. Evelyn Waugh “Vile Flesh”
What are we talking about?: Life is fun, there is a carnival around and money is pressing on your pockets. A satire on British high society.
Why do teenagers need this?: The dream of a well-fed, carefree life, belonging to the elite of society, a sports car and clothes from famous Parisian fashion designers excites young hearts. It is all the more interesting to plunge into the toxic world of Evelyn Waugh, who ridicules the British aristocracy. It turns out that the cream of society may not be very smart, and their stupidity sometimes comes at a cost.
8. Julio Cortazar “Hopscotch”
What are we talking about?: In spiritual and intellectual quests, you may not notice what you are losing.
Why do teenagers need this?: The main character of the novel, Horacio Oliveira, is no longer a teenager in age, he is forty. However, his actions, doubts and searches look very infantile. Not appreciating what he had, he betrayed his beloved girl, losing her, got confused and either committed or did not commit suicide. The reader must decide for him.
9. Ken Kesey "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
What are we talking about?: Even in a psychiatric clinic you can remain yourself.
Why do teenagers need this?: Patrick McMurphy is a symbol of rebellion and freedom. We all live in a big madhouse where they are trying to turn us into rabbits. What to do - adapt to a quiet life or fight, not caring about all the rules? And if you choose the path of struggle, then what to do with responsibility for those who follow you but are not so confident in themselves?
10. Irvine Welsh "Trainspotting"
What are we talking about?: Oh God! About addicts and drugs!
Why do teenagers need this?: The characters in the book, in their early twenties, are heavily addicted to heroin. The topic is covered a little more than completely. Drugs mean zero work, zero disgust, half-living relationships, interest in life has gone into the minus. The more problems, the more regrets. Written in honest and tough language, far from the didactic, meaningless horror stories about drugs that are popular in every school.
