Should Be Required

September's Monthly Recommendations topic is Books You Think Should Be Required Reading.

I decided to go with required reading for high school. They make high schoolers read the most horrible crap. Great Expectations anyone? Gah!

Anyway, here are some books I think should be required reading in High School.

The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas - This is a book about a girl who watches her best friend get shot by police while she was unarmed. She doesn't know who to tell. Who would believe her? Very now.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - Along those same lines, this one should stay on the curriculum. It's so important.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - Another story about marginalized people. This is a thing we could easily see happen in this country if we aren't careful.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan - Not only does this one give us some insight into cultural differences, it also helps us relate to our parents. This is important for teenagers while they try to navigate their way to adulthood and think their parents are doing it wrong.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls - This memoir about a severely dysfunctional family is heart breaking, but think about what it could mean to a kid in a similar situation. They may be given the courage to follow their dreams and change their situation like the narrator of this book.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - This books lends itself to discussion about science and the idea that just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD.

What would you like to see required for high schoolers?