Sometimes the only thing that can ruin a good read is when we’re forced to read it. For many of us books read in school are the only books we read growing up and for others they were a merely a distraction from what we really wanted to be reading.
But sometimes, in the midst of all them, there are a few books that are forced upon us that are too good for us not to fall in love with. After all, aren’t the books we read in school are supposed to be the greatest classics ancient and modern.
Today we’re searching for some of the best and most impactful books that we read in school.
Last year we put out a small survey asking what books from your schoolyears had the biggest impact on you.
You told us that you loved these books because it felt like they understood you, they aspired you, they made you appreciate things, and because they took your own experience and made you see the world differently. These are the top three we found.
To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee and published in 1960. As one of the greatest classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird is the story of eight-year old Scout Finch. We get to see the world from her point of view, as she experiences life in the south with her brother, Jem and father, Atticus. It deals with issues of rape, racial inequality and injustice, as Scout’s dad defends a man accused of rape.
The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner, the most recent book to make our short list, was written by Khaled Hosseini in 2003. This book is the story of Amir recalling the events of his childhood in Afghanistan during a politically tumultuous time. This heavy story deals with intense subject matter such as sexual assault at the same time as, what Hosseini describes the focus of the story as, the father-son relationship.
Where the Red Fern Grows
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls was published in 1961. This classic children’s novel is, as the subtitle suggests, a story of two dogs and a boy. This heart wrenching tale is the story of Billy Coleman, a young boy who works hard to earn his own hunting dogs and the adventures that they go through together. This coming of age story teaches the meaning of friendship and loyalty.