Unsuitable Books for Teens

Once in a while, a book comes along that is so inappropriate in so many ways - drugs, sex, abuse, disrespect of authority, lack of consequences, vulgar language - that it just shouldn't be read by anyone under the age of 18.  And so, naturally, it is read in droves by exactly that same group of people.  This explains why in sixth grade, my friends and I were addicted to V.C. Andrews.  (Though I still can't explain why my devout Catholic mother read and owned those books AND allowed me to read her entire collection and share it with friends.  Of course, she's a librarian too and encourages people to read whatever they love, so I guess it makes some sense.)

Anyway, all this is to say that Patrick Ness has created a list of his Top 10 'Unsuitable' Books for Teenagers. While V.C. Andrews didn't make the official list, I was especially delighted to see Stephen King's The Stand, which I read in 7th grade, after watching the miniseries (Rob Lowe's return to stardom!) on TV with my family.

The LibrariYAn is an Amazon Associate. If you click from links on this blog to Amazon and buy something (anything!), I receive a small percentage of the purchase price.

What Do Middle Schoolers Read?

As previously mentioned, I'm embarking on a new career as a middle school librarian this fall. I'm very excited about this, but I'm also very nervous because, while I have read and do read books that are targeted to the middle school audience, my reading tastes generally tend toward the older end of the YA spectrum, and as I reflect on the books that I personally read when I was in middle school, the list contains mostly V.C. Andrews, R.L. Stine's Fear Street series, Stephen King's The Stand, Treasure Island (assigned), Animal Farm (assigned), 1984 (assigned), a few Agatha Christie mysteries and an assorted array of books that causes me to wonder "What on earth was I doing reading those books?". I mean, a book is a book, and it's great that I was reading, but couldn't I find something more appropriate for my stage in life?

My doubts about my own reading choices have left me anxious about building a collection others. The former librarian was awesome, so I believe that the existing collection should be well-stocked, but I'm not sure whether I know what "classic" titles are "must-haves" for middle schoolers, and most teen lists don't separate out this group. So I'm coming to you, dear blog readers, for suggestions of titles new and old. I've brainstormed a short list of newer titles that I think will be good selections, but I need your help!


Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
Cold Hands, Warm Heart by Jill Wolfson
If I Stay by Gayle Foreman
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

What other titles, new and old, would you put in a middle school collection*?

*The only real guidelines I have from the previous librarian are "no sex."