As part of world book day, the public has voted on their favourite stories to share for teens. Interestingly, several of the books are GCSE set texts, or commonly feature in the KS3 curriculum. Below, I share my thoughts on why I think these books are great and how they can benefit your teen.
Of Mice and Men
There is a reason why this novella is a favourite on many secondary school curricula. It is brilliant on so many levels. Despite its context being unfamiliar to many teens (1930s California), it is accessible in the way that is written, and almost poetic without being pretentious. Just look at how Steinbeck paints an idyllic, almost Edenic scene at the opening of the novel.
Then there’s the characterisation. The plight of itinerant workers George and Lennie, who don’t have a hope of realising the humblest version of the American Dream is truly heart wrenching. We can relate to their rare friendship; the fact that they need each other makes the novella’s tragic ending very poignant, despite its inevitability. Any teen can relate to the themes of loneliness and hope that run through the novel.
Of Mice and Men is almost like a play: Steinbeck’s ‘scenes’ are so carefully constructed and so vivid. As a tutor, I often explore the layers of meaning conveyed by his description.
To Kill a Mockingbird
As a teenager, I had strong ideas of what constituted justice and had been on the receiving end of prejudice myself, so I suppose that’s why the themes of the book resonated with me. It wasn’t just the plot that captivated me, but the finely drawn characters, who both amused me and demanded my sympathy. I vividly remember my relief when Boo Radley was spared prosecution! It’s a book that completely involves you emotionally, despite its context being perhaps very alien to many British-born teenagers.
As a tutor, I make use of Harper Lee’s character descriptions when I’m teaching students characterisation in the creative writing question of the language paper. Just look at how she provokes a disgusted reaction to Mrs Dubose:
I am Malala
Malala’s young age and astounding bravery makes her a very engaging subject for teens. The intrinsic interest of her biography means that students are generally happy to explore her use of language: they want to hear what she has to say.
This is very useful when I’m teaching rhetoric: Malala relatively simple use of language makes her speeches accessible and amplifies the shockingness of her story. It also frees a teacher up to concentrate on her use of rhetorical techniques. For example, here, I’m encouraging students to focus on the impact of her use of simple sentences.
For teenagers who struggle with fiction, autobiographies such as I am Malala provide a relatable alternative. I often suggest her autobiography, along with Michelle Obama’s Becoming, or Greta Thunberg’s No one is too small to make a difference to reluctant readers.
As a tutor, I like to think that my passion for language and literature is infectious. If you’d like me to reignite your teen’s interest in reading for pleasure, and to increase their motivation to study, just get in touch.
