“What are some of the best classic literature books for high school students and why do you recommend them?”
Here is what 20 thought leaders had to say.
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton is an excellent choice for high school students because it dives deep into the impact of social pressure and ambition. Teens may feel they understand peer judgment, but Wharton shows how the stakes become much higher when society’s expectations and class dynamics dictate someone’s future.
Through Lily Bart’s struggles, readers see how personal choices can collide with social norms in ways that feel painfully relevant even today. It’s a story that challenges young people to think critically about status, reputation, and the cost of living for others’ approval, making it both timeless and eye-opening.
Adrian Iorga, Founder, 617 Boston Movers
Wide Sargasso Sea challenges high school readers to rethink classic stories through the lens of those often silenced or marginalized. Instead of seeing Bertha from Jane Eyre as just a madwoman, the novel gives her a voice shaped by identity, race, and colonial history. Encouraging students to explore this perspective teaches them to question whose stories get told and how power shapes narratives. This approach develops critical reading skills by inviting them to compare different viewpoints and consider the historical and cultural contexts behind the text rather than accepting one dominant version. It opens up literature as a conversation rather than a single truth.
Chris Roy, Product and Marketing Director, Reclaim247
Virginia Woolf’s The Waves challenges readers to experience narrative as a fluid, almost musical interplay of six characters’ inner thoughts rather than a traditional plot-driven story. This novel is an excellent way to expand a high school student’s understanding of how stories can be told—not just through actions or dialogue but through the rhythm and merging of consciousness. Engaging with The Waves encourages readers to notice subtle shifts in mood and perspective, helping them appreciate how language itself shapes meaning beyond standard narrative structures. It’s a valuable tool for developing sensitivity to tone and voice, essential for any young writer looking to break free from conventional storytelling.
Shannon Smith O’Connell, Operations Director (Sales & Team Development), Reclaim247
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is a must for high school students because it takes a surreal, almost absurd situation and makes it painfully human. Gregor Samsa wakes up as an insect, but the real sting comes from how his family reacts—first with concern, then with embarrassment, and finally with rejection.
Teenagers, who are already navigating feelings of isolation or struggling to find their place, can see their own experiences reflected in Gregor’s transformation. The story sparks empathy, showing how easy it is for people to be pushed aside when they no longer meet expectations.
It’s unsettling, thought-provoking, and unforgettable, and it challenges young readers to think about how we treat those who suddenly “don’t fit” in families, schools, or communities. It’s less about the bug and more about the very human hunger for acceptance.
Ben Bouman, Business Owner, HeavyLift Direct
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois deserves a place in every high school reading list because it gives language to experiences students may feel but haven’t yet been able to describe. Du Bois’ idea of “double consciousness” explains what it’s like to see yourself through your own eyes while being judged through the lens of society at the same time.
In a diverse classroom, that concept creates space for meaningful conversations about identity, inequality, and resilience. It shows how literature can name invisible struggles and remind students that their stories and perspectives matter.
Ian Gardner, Director of Sales and Business Development, Sigma Tax Pro
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a fine choice among high school students since it reflects the 1920s excitement and expresses such themes of love, wealth and dreams. The students can observe how the characters pursue the American Dream and soon realize that it is usually based on illusions. The novel explores the theme of how individuals can be misguided into equating money and status with happiness, thereby revealing the true definition of success.
The novel seems natural as the characters are fallible and human. The desire, regret, and pursuit of perfection are questioned by the way Gatsby yearns over the past and the decisions made by Daisy. This book can be read by students to make them consider their own values and reflect on the way they define happiness in their life. It makes them look deeper and realize the dangers of living for just money and fame.
Marta Pawlik, Co-Founder & Director, Laik
The Stranger by Albert Camus isn’t just another philosophical book thrown into a reading list; it’s a mirror that pushes students to confront tough questions about life, purpose, and choice. Instead of handing them meaning on a silver platter, Camus paints a world that feels indifferent and asks them what they plan to do about it. That’s a powerful challenge for high schoolers who are often balancing cynicism, pressure, and uncertainty.
The story is more than Meursault’s detachment. It’s an invitation for teens to decide how they want to live when the universe does not provide a script. Do they drift through, or do they take the messy but exciting responsibility of writing their own meaning? It’s unsettling in the best way because it shows that freedom can feel heavy and thrilling at the same time. For students figuring out identity and purpose, this book turns into fuel for real conversations that stick long after class is over.
Andy Wang, Marketing Manager, Skywork.ai
For high school students, I’ve found that Pride and Prejudice works particularly well because it sharpens cultural awareness and teaches how different viewpoints shape human interaction. When we used it in a cross-cultural program, students were surprised by how relevant the themes of judgment and communication still felt today. On the other hand, Les Misérables gave them a chance to deeply reflect on justice and resilience, making it ideal for those developing intercultural competency.
Yoan Amselem, Managing Director, German Cultural Association of Hong Kong
If I tie it closer to the work I do every day, the books I’d recommend are the ones that help students think about responsibility, impact, and change.
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson isn’t always on the high school list, but it should be. It opened the world’s eyes to the consequences of ignoring the environment. For students, it’s a powerful reminder that their choices matter and can shape the future.
Walden by Henry David Thoreau is another. It’s about living simply and valuing what you already have. That message connects directly with today’s conversations around sustainability and mindful consumption.
And Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, beyond the horror story, teaches what happens when innovation runs ahead of responsibility. It’s a cautionary tale that’s just as relevant in a world full of new technologies.
These books make students think not just about literature, but about the footprint they leave behind. They encourage responsibility, awareness, and a willingness to be part of solutions.
Waiting for Godot pushes students beyond traditional storytelling by immersing them in a world where plot barely moves and meaning feels slippery, inviting them to explore the idea that not every story has a clear purpose or resolution. Instead of searching for a linear narrative, students can focus on how repetition and silence create tension and reflect existential uncertainty. This approach encourages analysis through the lens of how language itself can fail to communicate, highlighting human isolation and dependence on companionship without offering easy answers. Engaging with these elements helps students develop critical thinking about how literature can question the need for meaning, rather than just convey it.
Andrew Franks, Co-Founder, Reclaim247
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton is a powerful book for high school students because it takes massive issues (racism, inequality, and justice) and makes them deeply personal. Through the story of a humble pastor searching for his son, students see how fractured systems ripple into families and communities. It doesn’t hand out easy answers, which is exactly why it sticks.
The novel encourages young readers to wrestle with questions of fairness, forgiveness, and social responsibility in a way that history lessons often can’t. It’s a story that builds both empathy and awareness, reminding students that real change begins with understanding the human cost of injustice.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a must-read for high school students because it shows how the ability to read and write can change the entire course of a life. Douglass makes it clear that literacy isn’t simply about books, it’s about freedom, power, and self-determination.
For teens who may see school as routine, his story is a wake-up call that education is a tool of liberation. It leaves young readers with a lasting respect for the privilege of learning and a deeper understanding of how knowledge can fuel both personal and societal change.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a powerful book that continues to work today. Teachers I work with have continued to recommend it because it combines accessible storytelling with serious discussions of justice and fairness. It provides students with an entertaining narrative, but also with a forum to discuss issues that are still topical today.
Another is the book Animal Farm by George Orwell. Its concise length allows it to be used in a crowded schedule, but it opens up discussion of power and responsibility that continues to ring throughout civic education today.
Shakespeare is still necessary, but schools can be better if they are performance-based instead of textual analysis. The high school I worked with used ICT curriculum support to present a virtual stage production of Macbeth. This mixture of literature and performance provided students with confidence in the use of a language that can sometimes feel out of reach.
Mark Friend, Company Director, Classroom365
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a great book to recommend high-school students to read as it is not only easy to read but also thought-provoking. The novel is brief thus it is easy to handle by students, but it is full of profound themes that give rise to good discussions. In its core, the novel is a friendship of two migrant workers, George and Lennie, the dream of owning land and living free. Their relationship is full of faithfulness and self-sacrifice, and hardships they go through reveal the horrors of the Great Depression.
The book is an empathetic one because it demonstrates the unfair treatment of people who are at the margins of the society, such as Lennie, a mentally disabled person, and Crooks, a victim of racial prejudice. Students are able to observe how these struggles still relate to problems in the present day. It is a moving book to read that brings about a sense of human dignity.
Emily Demirdonder, Director of Operations & Marketing, Proximity Plumbing
I discovered The Outsiders in my worst year of high school when our gaming group was split into two factions and each one was fighting the other to the point of guts. S.E. Hinton was only 16 at the time of writing this and she got it all correct about how teenagers actually think and fight. Ponyboy was a reminder of me, between the desire to fit into some group and what some groups do to people, which is terrible. Operating game servers taught me that communities can become toxic quickly when individuals choose sides over trivial matters. Hinton demonstrates what it is like when violence becomes normal. None of that sugar coating, none of that happy ending that doesn’t make sense.
The book is unique in the sense that it informs you how to navigate the politics in high school without turning out to be one of the people you despise. Johnny begins as being scared of everything, only to save children in case of a burning building. That personality development is close to me since I have seen silent gamers emerge as leaders at the time when their community needed them the most. Those students who read this book understand that being tough does not mean being mean, and at times it takes even more courage to walk away when a fight breaks out than it does to swing a punch. This tale is memorable in that it reminds you that a single moment can alter the whole of your life and you must be prepared to decide who you wish to be.
Michael Pedrotti, Founder, GhostCap
I always push for Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Beyond the surface, it’s a lesson in unintended consequences. High schoolers today live in a world of AI, biotech, and rapid innovation. Frankenstein forces them to ask: “Just because I can build it… should I?” It’s a surprisingly modern book about accountability and the ripple effect of decisions.
Austin Benton, CEO & Founder, SpeakerDrive
Emily Dickinson’s complete poems are an excellent choice for high school students seeking to understand how much can be conveyed with minimal words. Her poetry teaches that brevity does not sacrifice depth; rather, it invites readers to engage actively, filling in emotional and intellectual gaps. Encouraging students to reread her poems several times and focus on the spaces between words helps develop sensitivity to ambiguity and subtlety in literature. This sharpens skills not just in poetry but also in prose analysis, fostering an appreciation for what remains unsaid as much as what is written.
High school students are digital natives and are assaulted with a large quantity of information, much of it promotional and coercive. Orwell’s 1984 gives them a clear understanding of propaganda and how to think critically, no matter the circumstance. Even though it was written after the fascists fell in the mid-20th century, there are new iterations that are popping up and cloaking themselves in airs of reasonableness. It is not enough that teenagers choose truth over comfort; they must also hone their character.
I’d go with Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. It’s short, which makes it great even for students who don’t naturally enjoy reading, but it delivers substantial themes that stay with them. The story moves quickly enough to keep them engaged while building toward conversations that feel much bigger than the book itself. That balance works for both avid readers and students just trying to complete the assignment.
The story – firemen burning books, a protagonist questioning his role, a society numbed by entertainment – becomes a launching point for today’s discussions. High schoolers can connect it to things they already see: how social media shapes information, how misinformation spreads, or how convenience sometimes replaces critical thought. But what makes it so amazing in classrooms is that it doesn’t lecture. It simply creates space for students to challenge ideas and debate censorship, freedom, and individuality in ways that will 100% feel relevant to their own lives.
Austin Heaton, Head of Content, Rise
Being an educator myself, I have read many books about adolescence, leadership and morality. But if there is one I would recommend for high school students, it would be Lord of the Flies by William Golding. The reason why I vouch for this is that it challenges students with the harsh reality that structure and civility are tenuous. Like, when the boys arrive on the island, they start with assemblies, voting and rules, but within weeks, the conch’s meaning evaporates, violence becomes part of daily life and civility and reason are drowned out. The fall into chaos and disorder is not abstract here. It is marked by destroyed symbols, broken rules and the lives that were lost.
Other books base students’ understanding of morality in law and community, such as To Kill a Mockingbird, but Lord of the Flies requires students to explore the tarnished, delicate line between cooperation and violence, thus making it one of the most profound lessons each student will draw on for the foreseeable future.
Nicola Leiper, Director & Head of Project Management, Espresso Translations
