Throughout high school literature and English, students will have the opportunity to read countless books, from classics–such as “Pride and Prejudice”– to more modern novels.

In honor of “Read Across America Week,” these are the books that stood out to us–from two high school students who have read them all!

Now, onto the list!

No. 10: “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury

“Fahrenheit 451” is set in a dystopian world in which books are illegal and must be burned, as is a firefighter’s job in that world. Our leading character is Guy Montag, and the main focus of the novel is about his growth from a brainless follower of the law, to an advocate for the preservation of literature and knowledge. “Fahrenheit 451” plays with an interesting concept and tackles real-world issues in an indirect and satirical way, creating a scarily plausible story.

Our main issue with this book stems from its complicated and cryptic way of getting its message across. It is hard to understand how and why Guy reacts and responds to certain events. We read this book as ninth graders–and at the time certain things may have gone over our heads. One troubling scene was ‘Denham’s Dentifrice’, in which the same phrase is repeated over and over until Guy goes insane and yells at the speaker that is projecting the message. For us, this scene was difficult to understand and only made Guy an unreliable narrator, bordering on insanity. If this was Bradbury’s intention, then kudos to him, but it didn’t work for us.

No. 9: “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

Despite being a classic, we can’t help but put “Pride and Prejudice” relatively low on our list. When thinking about high school level teaching and learning, discussion in the classroom is important to think about, and overall, “Pride and Prejudice” is a boring read and an even more boring topic of discussion. Paired with how difficult it is to read for an average reader, we did not enjoy the time spent on it in class and even felt as if the lesson dragged on.

However, Jane Austen’s brilliance can still be recognized through a few key elements of “Pride and Prejudice.” The foil characters of Mr. Darcy, proud and arrogant, and Mr. Wickham, handsome and charming, are nothing short of brilliant writing that feeds into the themes of the book. Where Mr. Wickham may seem superior to Mr. Darcy at first glance, the opposite is true, and the reader may find Mr. Wickham’s true intentions to be disgusting and rotted. Not to mention that Elizabeth Bennet is a clever and witty narrator, and in our opinion, the best thing about her character is her flaws. Austen intended for this, as per the title, where Elizabeth’s pride and tendency to jump to conclusions create an interesting story and a multifaceted character.

No. 8: “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams

“A Streetcar Named Desire” is a play that follows the life of Blanche Dubois as she moves into her sister and brother-in-law’s house as a result of losing her home and having no money. Stella, her sister, and her husband Stanley Kowalski have a less-than-perfect relationship, in which Stanley is manipulative and abusive. It is a play built off themes of gender inequality, femininity, domestic abuse, and delusion.

“A Streetcar Named Desire” provides an inside view of the way women and their problems were seen at the time– in the 1940s– as well as how fantasy and delusions corrupt. This play was interesting and engaging while presenting ideas that are not very common in literature that we had previously read. While misogynic behavior may be frequent in writing, women’s and men’s interpretations of mental illness and connection to misogyny are not. The discussions in class were entertaining and stimulating, allowing for thought and even philosophical debate about Blanche’s morality.

No. 7: “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare

This classic work by William Shakespeare is one of the most popular and referenced plays of all time. Telling the tragic love story of two star-crossed lovers, from two families that are sworn enemies, and therefore, cannot be together. “Romeo and Juliet” delves into themes such as love, hatred, and family.

However, the most interesting and prominent theme throughout this play is the duality of passion. Whether it is the love that Romeo and Juliet share or the hatred between their two families, the play is overwhelming with passion and energy. The parallels of this simple irony establish that the conflict–and later both Romeo and Juliet’s deaths– is caused by unnecessary hatred. The hate that occurs between the Montagues and Capulets is unnecessary, and this is proven by the fact that Romeo and Juliet choose love. If the distaste of these families were truly written in the stars, then love could not prosper at all. This mistake is realized by the end of the play, but only after tragedy occurs.

This play would have been higher on the list if we had not felt more attached and personally influenced by the other more relevant books.

No. 6: “Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr

“Cloud Cuckoo Land” is the most modern book on this list, and also the book we read most recently! Now, “Cloud Cuckoo Land” is not a very popular book, and definitely not considered a classic; however, we couldn’t imagine not including it in this list.

It tells the stories of multiple different characters throughout different timelines, connected by one thing: their love for reading. It is a detailed and complicated story that spans over 600 pages, and over many centuries too. The connecting plotline focuses on an older man and his history with one book called “Cloud Cuckoo Land”, his one experience weaves itself through multiple time lines and lives.

This book is at No. 6 because of its complexity and the absolute astonishment the reader feels when every last loose end is tied up nicely by the end of the book. It is truly a work of genius that can’t be described in just a few paragraphs. It would have been higher if not for the more classical feel and popularity of the others.

No. 5: “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck

“Of Mice and Men” is a novel about two men who are searching for a new farm to work at to earn money for their dream of one day owning their own farm. George is smart and cunning, where Lennie is dull and destructive. One of the overarching themes is how reliant Lennie is on George, to the point where George would be better off achieving their shared dream by himself.

Lennie’s character is skillfully written, and causes a moral dilemma for both the reader and George. While you tend to feel bad for Lennie and his lack of wit, George’s perspective is also understandable. The fairness of the situation can truly be questioned, ‘Why should George have to give up his dream for Lennie?’. There is no one correct answer, and that is what we found so charming about “Of Mice and Men”. Lennie continues to commit atrocity after atrocity, but unfortunately he just doesn’t know better, but does that mean he should escape punishment?

No. 4: “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini

Set in Afghanistan during the 1970s, “The Kite Runner” follows the childhood and continuing life of Amir and Hassan. Amir is a young boy from a wealthy family, and Hassan and his family work for Amir’s family–creating a unique dynamic between the two boys.

My favorite thing about the writing of “The Kite Runner” comes from the complexity within Amir’s actions and morality, and why this makes him such a well-written character.  When Amir and Hassan won the Kite Championship in their hometown when they are 12, the joy only lasts so long as Hassan is assaulted and Amir is a witness to it. Despite seeing this horrific incident, Amir does not fight for or defend Hassan. While many think this is despicable, we find it as expected behavior of a 12-year-old. He would not be able to fight off the assailants and would be too scared to even try. Saying that Amir is a bad person just because of a crime that he could not stop happening in front of him is not ok.

Overall, “The Kite Runner” has really heavy themes and a plot that has long lasting effects beyond its first read, it is interlaced with some great emotion and the story of a broken friendship.

No. 3: “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

“To Kill A Mockingbird” tells the story of Scout Finch, a young girl, and the story of her hometown that is warped with the time-period typical racism and misogyny. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer tasked with defending a Black man who has been charged with attacking a white woman. The town is scandalized that Atticus is defending the young man, and through these actions the racism imbedded within the culture of Scout’s hometown becomes an overarching plot device.

We put this book at No. 3 on our list because of how realistic this book feels, especially from a young girls perspective. Scout’s character is a wonderful example of childhood innocence, and how our experiences through life erode at that innocence. “To Kill A Mockingbird” shows a child’s first time doubting her hometown and her family, as they all reveal their true colors towards different races and even those who dare to act ‘out of line’. When Scout stands on the porch and overlooks her hometown, she has been changed and the reader can tell that the girl is no longer as naïve as once before. This experience and feeling is so incredibly realistic but not touched on by many other authors, despite happening to us all eventually. For these reasons, “To Kill A Mockingbird” has a special place in our list, and our hearts.

No. 2: “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Now, “The Great Gatsby” is a book that we argued heavily about in terms of where it should go on the list. We argued that while the story and symbolism were great, “To Kill A Mockingbird” was superior in its overall message and characters. Ultimately, we compromised that it would not be No. 1 and also not be No. 3.

“The Great Gatsby” is an incredibly popular novel (and now even a Broadway musical!) that follows the life of Jay Gatsby from the perspective of his neighbor, Nick Carraway. It details the complexity of rekindling a past romance from a time before the war and across classes and the hopelessness of a man stuck in the past.

One of the best parts of this novel is the added detail that Gatsby, who the book is about, is not the narrator of the story. With Nick as the narrator, we get an outside and unbiased perspective, whereas with Gatsby, the story would have been confusing and unreliable due to his delusional state when Daisy is involved. The reader is fully able to see how far-fetched Gatsby’s ideas and dreams are because Nick does not try to justify them. This connection is further explored by Nick’s familial relation to Daisy, Gatsby’s long-lost love. As Daisy’s cousin Nick provides an insight into both sides of the relationship, and also the differing social classes between Daisy and Jay. This is a stunning example of how something as simple as a choice of narrator allows for complexity to shine through a work.

No. 1: “Animal Farm” by George Orwell

“Animal Farm” is a satirical novella written by George Orwell about farm animals who rebel against their abusive farmer in hopes of creating a better society for themselves. The plot serves as an allegory for Orwell’s experience during the Russian Revolution of 1917. Its purpose is to depict the graphic and despondent nature of the historical event and the classes within Russia at the time of the revolution.

The reason that “Animal Farm” takes the No. 1 spot is because of its clear themes, as well as masterful allegory. The message of the book is extremely clear and concise, so it does not take a deeper level of intelligence to comprehend it. No secrets were kept on what Orwell thought about communism, and he openly expressed it. This style of writing is very appealing to freshman English students (how old we were when we read “Animal Farm”), who are still developing the skills needed to analyze literature properly.

The true allegory within “Animal Farm” stems from what each animal represents, from Boxer as the working class, to Napoleon as Joseph Stalin, and Snowball as Leon Trotsky. Each of these characters is masterfully portrayed in their relations to one another and how they directly relate to the corruption in the Russian Revolution. Napoleon masterfully manipulates Boxer, leading to his death, and makes enemies out of Snowball who is genuine in his actions to make the farm a better place. Napoleon and Snowball are foil characters (much like Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham), where their similarities as pigs and leaders of the animal rebellion, highlight their different philosophies of how to lead the animals in their newfound freedom. Where Snowball is genuine, Napoleon is cunning and snide, using the animals to promote his agenda which involves talking to and making plans with the original evil, man.

The moment at the end of the novella, when the pigs at the farmer’s table begin to change from pig to man, is the exact instant that “Animal Farm” became a permanent fixture in our minds. This was the first truly meaningful style of writing we experienced, is simply too impactful for it to take any spot less than the top.

After all, all books are equal, but some are more equal than others.