- “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
- “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger
- “1984” by George Orwell
- “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury
- “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker
- “The Lord of the Flies” by William Golding
- “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
- “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck
- “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck
- “Beloved” by Toni Morrison
- “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain
- “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
- “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey
- “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller
These books have been challenged and/or banned at various times due to their controversial themes, language, or content. However, they also offer valuable perspectives, provoke thoughtful discussion, and encourage critical thinking among young readers. Reading these books before 12th grade can broaden students’ understanding of different cultures, historical events, and societal issues.