Classic Remarks: Which YA Books Would You Like To See Become Classics?

May 22, 2020

 

Classic Remarks is a meme hosted by Pages Unbound that poses questions each Friday about classic literature and asks participants to engage in ongoing discussions surrounding not only themes in the novels but also questions about canon formation, the “timelessness” of literature, and modes of interpretation.

If you’d like to participate, the list of prompts for 2020 can be found here. Each Friday, visit Pages Unbound and provide your link in the comments, though I want to see your posts linked below, too!


This Week’s Prompt:

Which YA books would you like to see become classics and why? 


 

This prompt is hard. If you wanted me to tell you what young adult books I do NOT want to become Classics, well, I could write a tome on that. But actually picking classics? There’s a lot of pressure here. So, let’s start with the basics and grow from there. How do I define a classic novel?

Many minds greater than mine have been debating what makes a novel a classic for generations. Wikipedia says;

“a book accepted as being exemplary or noteworthy”.

Italian author Italo Calvino in his book Why Read the Classics? provides 14 different definitions for what makes a novel a classic! My favorite is;

“A classic is a work which regulates the noise of the present to a background hum, which at the same time the classics cannot exist without.”

I could keep hunting the internet and find dozens of more definitions. It’s time I craft my own. Here are my personal criteria for a classic novel:

  • A book that connects with the reader no matter their age or experience
  • A book where the reader wants to reconnect with the text throughout time
  • A book that highly influences the books that follow it

I don’t think a classic needs to fit the definition of all three criteria to be a “real” classic, or anything. All classics don’t need to check the same definition to become everlasting.  Somehow… they just endure.

I will focus this post on young adult books published in the last 20 years. Books published earlier are already being touted as classics (I’m looking at you Harry Potter and Howl’s Moving Castle). And I also want to focus exclusively on books for readers aged 12-18. When I stop and think of modern classics, my brain automatically goes to quite a few middle-grade novels. For some reason, this is a lot harder with young adult readers in mind! 

 

Here are my top five contenders for YA novels published in the last 2 decades that will become classics:

All book titles are links to Goodreads — add these to your TBR!

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Published September 14th, 2008

Duh. I mean, come on. Suzanne Collins broke the publishing industry with this trilogy – the first time someone affected young readers this drastically since Harry PotterThe Hunger Games reintroduced young adult literature to dystopia and fantasy at the same time. Dozens of series have been published since The Hunger Games came out, riding Collins’s coattails, Divergent for one. The popularity of this book, this trilogy, helped the publishing world realize that young adults can handle dark material — and have a lot to learn from it.

 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Published February 28th, 2017

When it was published, The Hate U Give took the world by storm. John Green called this book “a classic” when it was published. Published about and during the pinnacle of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, Thomas confronted how her neighborhood would react if a young man was shot and killed by the police. Thomas’s writing isn’t perfect but it is visceral and gripping. What I love most about it is that Thomas doesn’t shy away from the hard topics, nor does she show just one side of the story. Thomas explores all the different aspects of how this might affect a community, good and bad. It’s one heck of a powerful tale. And if you haven’t read it, please, please do so.

 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Published January 10th, 2012

Speaking of John Green… Here is another book that doesn’t insult young readers. The Fault in Our Stars is a heart-wrenching book about teens with terminal cancer. This novel is funny, poignant, bold, and insightful. It’s not a quarantine read, that’s for sure, but it is one worth your time. The characters are thoughtful and well-written. The parents EXIST in this book and, while they aren’t perfect, they prove the value of parents in literature. This is an easy book to read and an easier book to love. In fact, the only reason you might not love it is that you’re over hyped stories about kids with cancer and you find it just too sappy. Which is fine. It’s still an incredible novel with amazing lessons to teach readers, even if you weren’t ready for it at the time.

 

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Published October 20th, 2015

And now for something completely different. This is my dark horse entry. Illuminae is the science-fiction novel you didn’t know you needed. It takes the concept of an epistolary novel to the next level. And it deeply connects those epistolary elements not only to the text but to the genre. It’s like reading a sci-fi film, I swear. The story has some twists, fun characters, but the format… the format is what will make this a Classic.

Gosh, I hope we see more books that take epistolary novels to the extreme like this. There is a whole new genre waiting to be explored here!

 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 

Published June 5th, 2012

I will admit, I have not read Shadow and Bone yet, though I have read and LOVED Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology. Based on my personal experience reading and following blogs, I think Six of Crows will outlast the original Grisha trilogy. But, I digress. Why Shadow and Bone? Bardugo transformed the young adult fantasy world with this series. Russian-inspired fantasy with fully-developed characters who are flawed and relatable? Yes, please. She’s already turned her universe into a multi-million dollar venture with books, journals, toys, and an upcoming Netflix TV show. I know she won’t be stopping any time soon. Bardugo’s series have influenced countless authors who are now exploring non-Western fantasy settings (not that she was the first, but she did make it trendy!) in young adult literature — something we’ve woefully needed.

Huh. I’d better read this trilogy soon or I’ll be left in the dust. 

 

 

There are TONS more young adult novels I could have picked. Will Grayson Will Grayson, Fangirl, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe are all books I’ve loved dearly and would greatly enjoy seeing as Classics, though I don’t know if they will withstand the test of time. Fantasy feels woefully omitted from most Classics list and I love The Raven Boys and The Girl of Fire and Thorns, but don’t know if they’ll make it. I foresee Eragon, The Mortal Instruments, and Twilight making the Classics lists …. but I don’t particularly enjoy those books (Okay, I enjoyed the first 2 Eragon books, but then Paolini’s series fell apart for me), so I omitted them from my list.

This is a super great topic. I’m so glad Briana and Krysta selected it! I cannot wait to hear your selections. 

 


My book reviews of books mentioned above on Death by Tsundoku
Illuminae— Gemina
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
The Raven Boys

My Discussion Questions on Death by Tsundoku
The Hate U Give Discussion Questions


What do you think?

  • Do you agree or disagree with my selections above? Why?
  • What young adult novels from the last 20 years do you believe will become Classics? Why?
  • Are you participating in Classic Remarks? Leave your link below!

28 Comments

  • Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction May 22, 2020 at 12:55 pm

    I feel like The Hunger Games is well on its way to becoming a classic. Same might go for The Fault in Our Stars. I guess time will tell!!

    • Jackie B May 24, 2020 at 11:15 am

      I agree — but hindsight is 20/20, so we’ll just have to wait and see!

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Nicole!

  • Davida Chazan May 23, 2020 at 4:12 am

    See… become classics is a strange thing to me. Classics aren’t just old books. Classics are books that have universal or evergreen themes, that can stand the test of time, partially because these themes happen in one shape or form every generation, and partially because the author writes them with skill and talent. Books like this, which were written recently are therefore already modern or contemporary classics! They don’t have to become them – they already are.

    • Jackie B May 24, 2020 at 11:45 am

      That’s a great point. Davida! I would agree that The Hunger Games, and perhaps even The Fault in Our Stars are already modern classics. I mean, when does something transition into a classic formally, right? It’s so complex!

      I love that you called out universal and evergreen themes. I thought about it for my definition of Classics, but then I realized there might be themes that are universal in different cultures and not others. Are there classics in Lithuania I know nothing about purely because the themes don’t translate well? Or what about Nigeria? It makes me question what a universal theme really is…

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting! I love connecting with a variety of bloggers and it’s great to see you again. 🙂

      • Davida Chazan May 24, 2020 at 12:15 pm

        By definition, a universal theme is one that exists in all cultures. For example, coming-of-age novels explore the process of self-discovery, and that happens no matter where you live or where you come. The cultural difference is how that process comes about – the external factors of place and era and culture – that contribute to (or detract from) a person becoming the best version of themselves. See what I mean – there are things that are common to everyone on the planet, but how people cope with those things differently is what may differ, but they still have to cope with them.

        • Jackie B May 27, 2020 at 6:06 pm

          XD Wow. When you put it that way, it’s so obvious! I’ve never take the themes up to a high enough level, I guess, to see their universality. Yes, I definitely see what you mean. I’ll be looking at book themes a bit differently from now on. Thanks for sharing your perspective!

  • Lashaan Balasingam @ Bookidote May 23, 2020 at 11:42 am

    I would’ve went with Six of Crows myself. It was one of the first and almost the only YA that impressed me so much in the YA category! But your picks are perfect too. Hope you’re well, Jackie! 😀

    • Jackie B May 24, 2020 at 11:50 am

      Lashaan! <3 I’ve missed you.

      The more I think about it, the more I think you’re right that I should have picked Six of Crows. I guess that since I haven’t read Shadow and Bone yet, I made the assumption that it will surpass Six of Crows… but looking around the internet, I don’t know if that’s a true statement. People freaking love Kaz and his crew! Plus, Bardugo’s writing I’m sure improved drastically between Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

      • Lashaan Balasingam @ Bookidote May 25, 2020 at 11:13 am

        Missed you too! I think we both got carried by the winds for a while; I think you went on a break too! 😮 I’m glad to see that you seem to be doing good though! Take care, Jackie! 😀

        • Jackie B May 27, 2020 at 6:08 pm

          Oh yeah. Life got pretty hard in there for a while and the blog was NOT a priority. I love blogging, but self-care is definitely the first thing on my to-do list. <3

  • Dani @ Perspective of a Writer May 24, 2020 at 12:48 am

    I love this question Jackie! What a fascinating thing to ponder upon, even though I’m not sure what books I’d pick. I do love your Illuminae choice. It fits my definition of a classic. It reflects the culture of the author while bringing to the table an encapsulated view of a time and space. The two that come immediately to my mind are actually translated books. A Winter’s Promise (French) and The Beast Player (Japanese).

    • Jackie B May 24, 2020 at 12:07 pm

      I love that your mind went to translated books first!!! That makes me heart so happy. I was looking through my reading stats for this year and I realize I haven’t read a single book in translation yet this year. Yikes. If we do another buddy read this year, we should hunt down a book in translation. That would provide us a neat twist on conversation topics, too!

      I’ve added both A Winter’s Promise (by Gilge?) and The Beast Player (by Uehashi?) to my TBR. I’ve gotta read them now. 🙂

  • Sam@WLABB May 24, 2020 at 12:03 pm

    I am happy to say, I have actually read some of these. I really appreciate you laying out your reasoning up there as to the criteria for being a “classic” for you. I have struggled with this question more than once, and there for give you a gold star for being able to come up with books for your list. I loved Illuminae , and agree that it should be known for how it’s format greatness. It’s one of the few books I had to have a physical copy of. Simply a visual masterpiece.

    • Jackie B May 27, 2020 at 6:05 pm

      D’aw. Thanks, Sam! I enjoyed putting thought into my definition. That’s the problem with something like this — there is no right answer!

      Oh man. I tried to read the eBook of Illuminae and knew by 10 pages in I’d need the physical book. I’ve never been so excited to own books in my life. They are so engaging~

  • Laila@BigReadingLife May 24, 2020 at 2:04 pm

    I’ve read the first three on your list and definitely agree that they fit the classic bill. I don’t read much YA really, maybe just two or three a year, so I can’t even think of any from the last twenty years to add. It’s one of my reading “blind spots.” I haven’t read anything by Jason Reynolds yet but I hear such good things about his work. Perhaps one of his novels would be a classic?

    • Jackie B May 26, 2020 at 2:17 pm

      I have only read Reynolds’s All-American Boys, co-authored with Brendan Kiely. It’s an exceptional book, but not a classic. Though, I imagine The Long Way Down (on my TBR!) probably fits the bill. Reynolds also walks the line between middle grade and young adult, so I might struggle to place him on this list. Other than The Hunger Games all the books that immediately came to mind for me were middle grade novels! Holes, for example. So many great books!

  • Grab the Lapels May 24, 2020 at 8:04 pm

    I appreciate that you explored and defined “classic” because to me, “classic” often means “that book the school bought 50 copies of back in 1982 and now they can’t stop teaching it because the school district is broke.”

    I would argue that John Greene owes MUCH to Lurlene McDaniel, who was known as one of the most heartbreaking young adult novelists out there, giving teens cancer and chronic illnesses and suicide and forcing them to experience loss just when life was getting good. She would do research with hospice workers to get things just right. The novel Don’t Die, My Love just about killed me. She started publishing back in 1981. https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/lurlene-mcdaniel/

    • Jackie B May 26, 2020 at 2:08 pm

      Hahahaha! I’m dying. You’re not wrong! All those books schools bought in the 80s and still need to read through… though, you’d think the copies wouldn’t last that long, even with the library bindings! XD

      Do you have a personal definition of “classic”?

      Oooh, thanks for the tip about Lurlene McDaniel! I’ll definitely check out her works. Though, it’ll have to wait until we’re not in a pandemic. Only vampire smut and middle grade adventures right now, please! 😉

      • Grab the Lapels May 27, 2020 at 9:24 am

        I think Lurlene McDaniel’s work would just about kill you, it’s so sad. My personal definition of “classic” is the one I added with my comment. That wasn’t snarky! 😀

        • Jackie B May 27, 2020 at 5:25 pm

          After reading Krysta’s comment, I more or less realized that. XD I don’t know why that never occurred to me!

    • Krysta May 26, 2020 at 3:10 pm

      I just want to say that I feel like your definition of a classic is surprisingly accurate and said all the things I wanted to say, but couldn’t express. XD

  • Krysta May 26, 2020 at 3:09 pm

    I definitely think The Hunger Games is on its way to classic status! It’s already on a bunch of school reading lists. And the release of the new prequel might get people talking about the books again, too.

    The Hate U Give I think will last for the same reasons–it’s on school reading lists, which means it will stay in print longer and people will automatically associate it as being a classic. Because being a school pick=classic for a lot of people.

    The Fault in Our Stars I admit I haven’t read. I have only read one John Green book and I didn’t like it.

    I really liked the Grishaverse trilogy. I know a lot of readers dislike the protagonist because they think she’s whiny or weak or something, but I loved how Bardugo played with YA tropes and gave readers something different and unexpected. I do think her books will last longer than most YA.

    • Jackie B May 26, 2020 at 6:40 pm

      I didn’t know The Hunger Games was on school reading lists! Wow. That’s a lot to tackle in a classroom. … … Actually, I don’t think I studied a single book in school that was part of a series. Weird realization.

      Ha! Your idea of a school pick = a classic is something Melanie mentioned, too. That never occurred to me, but it makes sense. We must be studying this for some reason, after all. 😉

      Yay! I’m glad to hear you liked Grishaverse. I have the first book and I’m getting ready to finally read it. I’m looking forward to it, particularly now that the hype has faded with time so I can make my own decisions without external influences. Well, mostly. 😉

      • Krysta May 27, 2020 at 9:44 am

        I don’t know if anyone reads the whole trilogy at once. I think some just read The Hunger Games and some try to spread the books out over three consecutive classes. So you’d read one each year. And a lot of that reading probably happens over the summer.

        But you’re right. Reading a series is tricky. Even if you spread it out, who’s going to remember the first book a year later? What about transfer students? Seems confusing.

        The other nice thing about waiting is that now you can read the whole series at once!

        • Jackie B May 27, 2020 at 6:09 pm

          I love reading a whole series at once. I bet that schools only focus on the first book — the ending isn’t so cliff-hangery that you need the next book, and there are a lot of great things to unpack in this text. Though, it can get pretty dark.

          • Krysta May 28, 2020 at 10:43 am

            That’s a good point. I do appreciate books in series that still have conclusive endings. One of the great things about the Harry Potter books, as well!

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