A coming of age narrative that explores class and privilege, violence and masculinity and the possibilty of redemption. The Greasers, a gang of working class boys in a small town, are locked in a battle with the Soc, or Socials - the rich kids. When a brawl between the two groups goes horribly wrong, two Greasers, Ponyboy and Johnny are forced to run away.
Little Women follows the lives of the March sisters and their mother, when their father is away doing service during the American Civil War.
Set long after a nuclear catastrophe left the world scarred, some people are endowed with mysteries mental abilities. They are feared and loathed by society, at worst they are killed and at best rounded up and sent to Obernwetyn, remote mountain farm - and they never return. Orphaned Elspeth Gordie, desperately tries to conceal her abilities but finds herself part of a mysterious procephy. The epic series has 7 books and was written over a period of 30 years.
The Giver is a thought-provoking dystopian novel for young adults that explores themes of control and freedom. Jonas lives in a seemingly perfect community, where there is no pain, no fear and no hatred. When is he given a special job as a Receiver of Memory, he learns about some of the dark and deeply troubling secrets controlling this society.
Published in 1838, Oliver Twist showcases Dickens interest in highlighting social issues. Oliver, an orphan, was born in a workhouse and sold as an apprentice, later ending in London, where he encounters the gangs of thieving street children. The story was made into a musical in 1960 and a film in 1968. The iconic song, "Food glorious food" takes place in Oliver's early years at the workhouse.
A zany, ridiculous, and absurd intergalactic adventure. The very normal Arthur Dent is whisked away by his friend and alien, Ford Prefect, moments before Earth is destroyed. The best advice for travelling through space - always bring a towel.
Written in 1960 and winning The Pulitzer Prize the year after, To Kill a Mockingbird has sold more than 30,000 copies worldwide. It is set in the 1930s during the Depression, in a small Southern American town. The main character, a young girl known as Scout, learns about racism and prejudice in her town, as her father, Atticus, depends a man accused of assault.
Published in 1815, the title character is a charming, vivacious and often missguided young lady dedicated to helping improve the lives of those around her, particularly through her self-declared success at match-making. An entertaining tale of romance and wrong choices, marked by Austen's wry observations of the nuances of villlage society in Georgian era England.
Part romance, part mystery, entirely compelling story of a woman determined to lead a life of independence. Jane shares her story with the reader, from lonely and abused orphan to governess at the strange Thornfield Hall. There she meets Mr Rochester and proves herself more than a match for the troubled master of the house.
The epic fantasy adventure trilogy set in the richly imagined world of Middle-earth. Frodo, a Hobbit, must travel into the heart of dangerous Mordor to destroy the all-powerful One Ring, before Lord Sauron finds it and destroys Middle-earth and all within it. Frodo is accompanied by The Fellowship, a group formed of hobbits, an elf, a drawf and two men, all determined to help Frodo on his mission. But very quickly, they drawn down different paths...
A story about friendship, family and the power of love that will stay with you forever. Boys at Jess's school don't play with girls - until Leslie Burke arrives. She is fast, clever and funny. They spend most days in the woods behind Leslie's house, where they invent a magical kingdom called Terabithia.
The Little Prince is a classic tale of equal appeal to children and adults. On one level it is the story of an airman's discovery, in the desert, of a small boy from another planet - the Little Prince of the title - and his stories of intergalactic travel, while on the other hand it is a thought-provoking allegory of the human condition.