Some books are just classic. Movies are made of them and thousands of words are written about them. They have weaved their way into popular culture so fully that it seems as if they have always been there. But the following books are classics for good reason. Their authors are masters at their craft, who hook you in, demand you keep reading, and don’t let you go until they toss you out at the end, forever changed.

You may think you know the story, you may think you know what happens, but believe me, these books deserve all the love. Read them again just for the pleasure, gift them to a teenager who hasn’t read them yet, or if you’ve never gotten around to reading them, then get to it immediately!

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

First Published 1967

The Outsiders is an outstanding story of teenage rebellion, written when the author was only 17 years old and is still as exciting and fresh as the day it was first published.

The Greasers and the rich-kid Socs are at war on the Tulsa streets. Ponyboy, a fourteen-year-old brawler, chainsmoker and dreamer, is a fiercely loyal greaser. But a single, murderous catastrophe is to wrench him from his old life and overturn everything he thinks he knows.

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

First published 1992

Melina Marchetta’s stunning debut novel Looking for Alibrandi is one girl’s story of her final year at school, a year she sets herself free. This is the year Josephine Alibrandi meets her father, the year she falls in love, the year she searches for Alibrandi and finds the real truth about her family - and the identity she has been searching for.

This is a moving and revealing book, unusual for its honesty and its insight into the life of a young person on the brink of adulthood.

Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder

First published in English 1995

When 14-year-old Sophie encounters a mysterious mentor who introduces her to philosophy, mysteries deepen in her own life. Why does she keep getting postcards addressed to another girl? Who is the other girl? And who, for that matter, is Sophie herself? To solve the riddle, she uses her new knowledge of philosophy, but the truth is far stranger than she could have imagined.

We are the white rabbit being pulled out of the hat. The only difference between us and the white rabbit is that the rabbit does not realize it is taking part in a magic trick.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

First published 1999

Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie is attempting to navigate high school. Standing on the fringes of life Charlie has a unique perspective of the world around him, but there comes a time to stop being a wallflower and see what it looks like from the dance floor.

This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion has become a modern classic. Charlie’s letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

First published 2005

When 17-year-old Bella moves to Washington she finds that her new classmates are drawn to this pale, dark-haired new girl in town. But not, it seems, the Cullen family. These five adopted brothers and sisters obviously prefer their own company. Bella is convinced that Edward Cullen in particular hates her. Despite her attraction to him, he seems determined to push her away – until, that is, he saves her life from an out of control car.

Bella will soon discover that there is a very good reason for Edward’s coldness. He, and his family, are vampires – and he knows how dangerous it is for others to get too close.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

First published 2008

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts.

In this dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called The Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed. When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her younger sister’s place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

This is the first book in a nail-biting trilogy that is a classic dystopian vision.