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It’s hard to find good literature these days. The shelves of our libraries seem to be stocked with the same ten plots, retold by fifty different authors. The same characters run through our minds and we yearn for something new, something outside the norm. For those of us teens crazy enough to be careful about our choices, it’s even more difficult.
In our recent relocation to NC, we have been blessed to have libraries once more. I can’t tell you how much giddy joy I felt at receiving my new card, knowing that I could once again hunt for fresh literature to soak my hungry mind in. But what a hunt it is. The challenge: find a book both gripping and “real,” while still appropriate and not bound to send me groaning. There are some books out there, that I’m sorry, are just trashy from the start. And then there’s the book that has been fine until it suddenly isn’t, sending you into a mad hopping fit, because, really– we’re teenagers, and marital relationships are meant only for adults who are married, right?
Finding a clean book, while sometimes feeling impossible, is still important. In Romans 12:2, Paul says, “And do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” And, in Phillipians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” God calls us to be careful about what we think and dwell on. This includes books, which make us think and dwell on their innards for the extent of the time we read them, and even afterwards. He doesn’t want us to conform to the world that says it’s okay to read poor literature that talks about sinful lusts, He wants us to glorify Him in everything, right down to the books we choose to digest.
But then there’s that question: “Yeah, great MH. I’m of the same mind, I want to find ‘clean’ books too, but how? You just said yourself how difficult it is!” Here’s my siblings’ and my list of clean reads that are fun and entertaining at the same time.
Vango: Between Earth and Sky This is a book I happened upon by a French author by the name of Timothée de Fombelle, translated into English. It’s a twisting mystery following a whole myriad of characters, from bee-obsessed priests, to paranoid teenagers. Vango has no idea who he is, all he knows is that people have followed him his whole life. He doesn’t who they are, or why they’re after him. But secrets from his unknown past begin to reveal that there is more to him than he thought. This one kept me on my toes, and I’m waiting breathlessly for the sequel to arrive at my house via mail!
Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary This is the penultimate J.R.R. Tolkien installment. Rabid fans of Tolkien will know that he was a professor of Anglo-Saxon, and a scholar who specialized in Old and Middle English. This is his stab at a beloved classic. While I’ve never read it, my brother raves about it obsessively.
Clabbernappers Okay, so this may be for a bit of a younger audience, but I read this one at least once a year. What happens when a cowboy lands himself in a world where chess pieces are as big as buildings and the game itself takes the place of wars between kingdoms? A fun time by all! This book sports a whole host of hilarious characters and straight old-fashioned adventure. The only hiccup is the appearance of a ghost later in the book, but she is clearly portrayed as a villain. Written by Len Bailey.
Swords For Hire Channeling The Princess Bride, this story is simple yet fabulous. Sam Hatcher is a farmer boy until he turns sixteen, and goes looking for adventure. On the way, he meets Rigby Skeet, an insane but intelligent swordsman who begins teaching him the art of “manly destruction and mayhem” (ie. adventuring). Throw in a displaced king, a back-stabbing brother, and a beautiful queen, and you’ve got it, that magical mystical thing called a good book!
The Giver The classic book of the “perfect world,” written by Lois Lowry. Jonas lives in a world where all choices are made for him. There is no more death, no more war, no more disease, no more emotions. But when he turns twelve, he is chosen for a very special –and painful — job: the Receiver of Memories. Guided by the Giver, Jonas comes to realize what life and being human truly are, the good and the bad. This book, while being pre-marital relations free, does look at death. It’s very thought provoking, and after I read this I couldn’t view our world the same way again.
How They Croaked Ever wonder how Beethoven bit the dust? How Cleopatra really died? This book has it all! From famous dictators to music marvels, discover how some of the most influential humans in history passed on. While I’m not morbid, this book was intriguing and made my homeschooled spirit very happy. My family knew all the juicy tidbits by the end of the week. Written by Georgia Bragg.
The False Prince Up until recently, I didn’t realize how popular this book was. This is the first of a trilogy, and while the rest of the series was kind of bleh, this one was very good. Sage has lived the past few years in an orphanage, getting into trouble at every turn. But when the royal family of Carthya is murdered, he suddenly finds himself in a mess that could well kill him. Snapped up by the treacherous noble, Bevin Connor, for his uncanny resemblance to the missing prince, he is trained along with three other boys to take over the throne as a puppet king.
September 17 Probably one of the greatest paperwork failures of British history, the ship City of Benares was abandoned by its destroyer escort in hostile waters while carrying ninety child evacuees to Canada in an attempt to keep the next generation away from World War II, and was subsequently torpedoed by a German U-Boat. This book documents the journey of a few of the almost fifty survivors from a ship that carried almost five hundred passengers, and the struggles that they went through in the battle for their lives against the elements. A must read for anyone who enjoys the story of the RMS Titanic. By Amanda West Lewis.
Joan of Arc This book, surprisingly, was written by Mark Twain. Maybe even more surprising was his view of it: “I like Joan of Arc best of all my books; and it is the best; I know it perfectly well.” This was assigned reading, and while I fought it at first (“But Mom, I know how it ends already!”), I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While the end is true to the tale, Mark Twain created a story both historically accurate and fantasy worthy at the same time. It was beautiful, it was well-written and I highly recommend it.
What books do you recommend for teens?
Awesome, thank you, Mary Hannah, for the recommendations! I will pass this along to my teens. We are always on the lookout for good quality literature.