The BEST classic books for kids and teenagers (ages 7–16)

Hello, and thank you very much for finding your way to this video, in which I'm going

to be guiding you through some of the classics of children up until adults' literature, roughly

divided up into reading age and classic selections for each of these age groups, all the way

from ages 7 up to 16.

A couple of notes on that. Firstly, what is suitable for one child to be reading at the

age of 7 will not be appropriate for another child. So, it's about finding things that

is just out of the comfort zone of your child, while still making sure that the material

is thoroughly enjoyable and engaging. The important thing here is that children learn

to love reading, so we've got to be making sure they are reading things that they enjoy.

Classics are established as - well, these are established as some of the best works

of literature for young readers and old alike, and generations sometimes of readers have

enjoyed some of these books. Some of them are more modern, for example, Harry Potter,

but the sheer volume of people who have read that series establishes it as a classic.

Now, a lot of people watching this video will not be native speakers of English. However,

I feel that this list is still important for you, because if you're - if the target culture

is the English-American culture, then we've got to be looking at reading within that culture.

Now, typically, students who come from foreign countries and come into the British education

system make progress at a much faster rate than students who have always been in the

UK, because they know they have to work that much harder. So, if you, as parents of children

who are new to the British or American system, can encourage your child with reading, then

that will make a difference, but they're getting a little bit of help and support with their

English from home.

So, I think that's probably all I need to say to introduce this video. Now, the age

recommendations are quite loose, okay? So, you know, roughly speaking, we're going from

young through to 15-16, but please don't take it as read. Please don't just say, "Oh, right,

my child's 7, so they have to read this. My child's 9, so they have to read this." It's

a rough guideline. Have a look at the book. Is your child going to enjoy it? That's the

main question.

So, Winnie-the-Pooh definitely has a very strong place in the children's literary heritage

of the UK. This delightful bear who always has his paw in the jar of honey, and Roo,

the very sweet but terrified little friend, and bouncing tigger full of energy. So, yes,

this is just a, you know, very sort of warm series of stories that can stay with one for

one's whole life. I think my grandmother actually asked to have Winnie-the-Pooh read to her

in her sort of dying days. So, it can... These books can stay with you your whole life.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl, the king of incredible imagination when it

comes to children's literature. Also made into a film with Johnny Depp, so... But I

always think it's best to try and read things before you watch the film. That way, when

you're reading, your imagination is creating these pictures rather than getting the pictures

from the film and applying it to the book. You're doing the imaginative work.

Charlotte's Web, a lovely story. I think it's a long time ago since I read this. I think

there's a pig, obviously a spider, but it's a very touching, you know, heartfelt story

about animals.

Harry Potter, wizardry and excitement, and twist plots, and characters. If you can get

your child into Harry Potter, they're going to want to read the whole series. Not a bad

way for them to spend some time.

101 Dalmatians, you know, a lot of... Lots of these stories feature animals and kind

of encourage a healthy respect and love of animals.

The Railway Children, a little bit dated now, some would say, but a fantastic story nonetheless.

The Hobbit, the precursor to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. J.R.R. Tolkien, you know, definitely

worth reading if you're interested in sort of, you know, other worlds and kind of fantasy

and myth.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, a book of different dimensions, and

actually if you read at a deep level, there is a lot of symbolism and a lot of meaning

that you can take from that story. Some wonderful quotes, you know, that are worth writing down.

Crittership Down, a rather tragic tale about rabbits that will make you think twice about

having rabbit stew. You know, a very emotional story, that one.

Peter Pan, a tale full of, like, bright-eyed adventure, and these fairies Tinkerbell and

Peter Pan. I've got a friend who thinks he's a bit like Peter Pan, full of magic and...

you know, very special energy.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, a Second World War story, true story, written

by a girl who was in hiding in Amsterdam from Nazi soldiers. Very moving story.

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo, again set in war, this time the First World War. It was

set down where I come from, in Devon in the southwest of the UK, and the central character

Joey and how he has this incredibly strong relationship with his horse, which sees them

through the war. It's now been turned into a play and a Hollywood blockbuster as well.

Again, try and read it first. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. Again, on that horse theme.

If your child's into horses, or even if they're not, again, it's quite a poignant story.

This is more comedy. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, age 13 and three quarters. When anyone

ever says to me the name Pandora, I will also always think of this infatuated teenager,

Adrian Mole, who develops a bit of a crush on a girl in his class. Very amusing take

on sort of the transition into teenage/adolescent years.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. This is kind of a look at how childhood

could be, sort of, that's maybe now quite difficult for us in our fear-driven society

where children are playing less outside, but this looks back at a day and an age where

children were outside all the time and getting up to all sorts of adventures.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London. Again, another really strong story set in nature

with wolves up in North America. Some of my friends really enjoyed this book.

Okay, moving on now, we're looking through to 12 years on. Here we have some absolute

classics of literature. Animal Farm by George Orwell. It's a political allegory. What that

means is that on the surface we have a tale about some pigs on a farm, but there's a deeper

symbolism behind the story, which is an exploration of the political systems of capitalism and

socialism. Very entertaining read, and it's not too long, either.

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, just as I get into a bit of a tangle down

here. This is a story from the perspective of an autistic boy, and it's just wonderful

how - to get an insight into the workings of his mind, and every chapter, title has

to be a prime number, and it was successfully adapted into a West End play. So, very enjoyable

read. Curious Incident. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, comic science fiction. We should

really have a capital G here and a capital G here. So, if you enjoy thinking about the

nature of our existence and what might be out there, then this is a really, really entertaining

and thought-provoking read. More mystery here. Be the detective in mysterious

Dartmoor as you try to work out the mystery behind the Hound of the Baskervilles.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding. This looks at how children sort of organise themselves

in a group dynamic when they are away from the guiding influences of authority. The fittest

survive and how do they look after the weaker ones? Find out in Lord of the Flies.

1984. From this book came ideas such as Big Brother. It explored - written about 50 years

ago now - it explored the idea of a totalitarian state that was always observing individuals

and controlling their every move. A very hard-hitting and thought-provoking book.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. This - take yourself off on the high seas

on this frolicking adventure in search of treasure. Now, it's often said that we only

live one life, but through the books we read, we can live several more. So, I wouldn't mind

going off to sea. Go there in your imagination in Treasure Island.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Very interesting story written in the context of the Great

Depression in America. Two quite vulnerable, lonely men trying to make ends meet by going

around and working on different farms, but it all ends rather tragically. Studied as

a GCSE text in the UK. Again, not too long a read, but if you're into reading about America,

again, good book for you. Dracula by Bram Stoker. Lovers of dark and

gothic worlds will enjoy this. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Takes one

small - well, not small - one episode, and turns it into a huge novel as the fisherman

is battling his way in a battle of wills with the very, very big fish. A gripping read.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Again, it's been studied as a GCSE text in the UK.

To Kill a Mockingbird, so much to say about this book. Explores themes of racism, innocence,

childhood going into adulthood. Beautifully written book. A lot of imagery and language

to explore in To Kill a Mockingbird. Okay, now looking at the 15 to 16 - 14 to 16 age

bracket. So, all of these stories here and all of these

novels here are appropriate for adult readers as well, and they were written for adults,

but to really encourage your child, or if you are a student, to develop your love and

understanding of literature, I'm recommending them for this age group.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was wrote - written by Shelley whilst on holiday in the Alps.

They were having - this is before the age of the iPhone and Spotify. They created their

entertainment. They were sitting around and they had to come up - they were having a story

telling competition. Who could tell the most terrifying tale? That's what she came up with.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Has some very, very memorable characters. The wild

Heathcliff and it's a very sort of evocative atmosphere up in Yorkshire.

These Expectations by Charles Dickens. You go on a huge journey in this story, starting

in the marshes down in Kent, and you follow this boy, Pip, his journey through life.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Last night I dreamt of - last night I dreamt I went to

Mandalay again. Set down in Cornwall and in Monte Carlo. This is an absolute classic of

literature and I heartily recommend it.

John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. Again, exploring the Great Depression in America and one family's

journey out to California. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. If you're into, you know, very intricate

plots and trying to work out exactly what's happened, this is probably the finest work

of more than spy detective thriller writing by John Le Carre.

Divided with Rosie by Laurie Lee. Set in the Cotswolds in 1962. Looks at a couple's fateful

wedding night.

And onwards, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. A curious central character, a bit of a drifter.

It looks - it's one of those stories that sort of focuses on a very short time span

and expands it into tremendous detail. It looks at this boy who leaves school, he's

quite unhappy and he kind of - I won't spoil the plot, but you really sort of understand

for this character and it's, you know, you go on a journey with him. As you go on a journey

with all these characters.

Remains of the Day by Katsuo Ishiguro. This is set in England and it looks at - it's kind

of - well, it's written about this butler and as he's sort of driving through England,

it's kind of a memory of things gone past, things gone by.

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. A wonderful work of satire. So he's pointing fun, he's

ridiculing various things that were happening at the time and exploring them in this wonderfully

imagined world. Gulliver goes off and is in sort of lands of giants and lands of tiny

people and every detail is - it's kind of commenting on the society that Jonathan Swift

was living in at the time. You understand a lot about the human condition from reading

this book.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. This is called a frame narrative, so it's like a story within

a story. Quite short, so science fiction and this book kind of developed - well, was the

first time that the idea of time travel had been discussed.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hussaini. Set in Afghanistan and the contrasting fortunes of

two boys who kind of grow up together but grow apart in the time of the Taliban. Been

made into a play, into film and I had a friend who was in the West End cast of this.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Sort of period comedy, an absolute classic, hence

being in this list. Bennett's five daughters and what happens when Mr. Darcy arrives in

town.

Don Quixote, translated from the Spanish. Really quite a hefty book, but wonderfully

amazing for want of better words. So you've got this crazy old duke who just reads an

reads - not duke, a sort of member of the aristocracy - and he reads and reads and reads

and reads and reads and then decides that he is a knight errant who's going to save

the world and persuades a guy basically from the local pub to come off with him, go away

with him and off they go to go and save the world.

So that draws us to a conclusion. It's been quite a task talking to you about all of these

books. There's so much depth, so much to be gained from reading these books and I hope

the habit of reading lasts you a lifetime. If this is the first time watching my channel,

this is predominantly a channel for people learning English as a foreign language, but

if you're a native speaker, welcome. Thanks for watching this and please do subscribe

to my channel. See you next time. Bye.