Mark Twain called a classic "a book which people praise and don't read," but that certainly isn't the case with many contemporary classics. They are well-written, in modern English and are approachable for today's high school students.  Great Books for High School Kids: A Teacher's Guide to Books That Can Change Teens' Lives provides a wonderful introduction to what makes a book a classic, and while subjective by any measure, the list of over 400 fiction, non-fiction and poetry titles is a wonderful place to start.

In the meantime, check out some of our favorite contemporary classics, featured on the list below. New copies of each book are located in the Classics Room, and many of them are also available in large print and audiobook, as well as part of our Books in a Bag program for reading groups.