THE BARE MINIMUM

Five Must Reads for High Schoolers

The books that you read in your teens stay with you forever. And if you are preparing for college, the best move you can make is to read, read, and read! This is the Star's list of five books that every high school student must read.

The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger
Every teenager has something in common with Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of Salinger's classic. Teenagers coming of age can relate to Holden's fear of adulthood, and his struggle in communicating with his family, friends and the society at large.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
High school turns out to be a blessing in disguise for shy, neurotic freshman Charlie. When he befriends some seniors at school, Charlie learns that it is far more important to maintain his individuality than to fit in with the crowd.

1984 by George Orwell
Big Brother is watching! Orwell's dystopian novel was published in 1949, but it's an accurate portrayal of a post-modern society so obsessed with surveillance that it doesn't hesitate to encroach on the rights of individuals. Sounds familiar?

Frankenstein by Marry Shelley
Writers Mary Shelley, Percy Shelly, Lord Byron and John Polidori had a competition to see who could write the best horror story. Mary dreamt about a scientist who was repulsed by the life-like creature he created. The rest, as they say, is history.

Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
Russell's first novel is the story of a family of alligator wrestlers who live in an alligator-wrestling theme park called – you guessed it right – Swamplandia! The story beautifully integrates imagination to deal with the loss of a loved one.