My high school was heavy on the classics, which was (and continues to be) awesome. But I definitely graduated twelfth grade with no idea that anything good was being written in the present tense. Also the diversity of what is considered “a classic” is highly problematic. I’m all for reading The Great Gatsby and Chaucer and Catcher in the Rye… but here are then books that I would love to see on more high school curriculums – I know I would have gotten a lot out of them if I’d been assigned to read them in school.
Thanks to The Broke and the Bookish for hosting this weekly book meme! I’m so glad you’re back from the hiatus!
Alison Doherty 
I keep intending to read And We Stay! Great list! 🙂
Thanks! And We Stay is emotional, but so so well done!
Definitely agree about The Color of Water (one of my all time favorite books) and The Hate U Give. I am putting several of these on my “to read” book.
The Color of Water is a favorite of mine too! If you haven’t read The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks, I think you would like it. Also Big Magic is essentially about how to live life the way you live your life – so unless you want some affirmation, you probably don’t need that one!