Let’s face it…you have a shelf of books in your living room of stuff you read in middle school and high school and then never read again. I know, I do, too. And I’m betting sprinkled throughout that shelf are books you were SUPPOSED to read in middle school and high school but just never did…again, guilty of that, too. But now that you’re older and wiser, some of those books might be worth revisiting. And who knows, you might actually find yourself liking them!
When I graduated from college, I embarked on a journey to go back and read these once assigned materials and actually take the time to let them sink in. Some I found myself loving, despite hating it years ago (Macbeth and Dark Princess), while others I just still hated (sorry Moby Dick fans!). And there were some I loved reading in school and found a new appreciation for later on in life (Persuasion, The Alchemist, and The Phantom Tollbooth).
If you’re looking to expand your reading list this summer, this is a great place to get started. Filled with short, enjoyable reads (and some doozies), this list had me falling in love with literature all over again.
So, as my mom would say, put on those big girl pants and admit defeat…your teachers had it right. These are the books that will stick with you and will continue offering life lessons each and every time you jump in.
33 Books that are Worth Re-Reading
- The Diary of a Young Girl
- The Golden Ass
- Dark Princess
- Fahrenheit 451
- The Phantom Tollbooth
- Macbeth
- The Giver
- The Catcher in the Rye
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- The Lorax
- Frankenstein
- The Missing Piece
- Doctor Faustus
- The Great Gatsby
- Where the Wild Things Are
- Night
- The Alchemist
- Where the Sidewalk Ends
- The Golden Compass
- Anne of Green Gables
- Revolutionary Road
- Beloved
- Hamlet
- Everything that Rises Must Converge
- Persuasion
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- As I Lay Dying
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
- Watership Down
- Animal Farm
- A Separate Peace
- Pride and Prejudice
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.
The Hob-bee Hive 