Anita Silvey’s 500 Great Books for Teens
Houghton Mifflin, 2006
As the reading year stretches on, I can’t help but start thinking about the reading-year-to-come.
(I’m not proud of my wandering reader’s eye. But I’ve accepted it because there are more serious flaws to eradicate first!)
So this time of year, even more than usual, I am drawn to reading lists that others have compiled.
I’ve heard Anita Silvey’s name many times and finally picked up this book for a good browse.
And…it’s a keeper.
Here is what she’s compiled on the subject of “HORROR, GHOSTS, GOTHIC”:
M.T. Anderson’s Thirsty (1997) 12-14
Richard Bachman’s The Long Walk (1979) 14-18 *
Peter S. Beagle’s Tamsin (1999) 12-14
Libba Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty (2003) 12-14
Caleb Carr’s The Alienist (1994) 14-18 *
Joseph Delaney’s The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch (2005) 12-14
Daphne duMaurier’s Rebecca (1938) 14-18 *
Mary Downing Hahn’s Look for Me by Moonlight (1995) 12-14
Pete Hautman’s Sweetblood (2003) 12-14
Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House (1959) 14-18 *
Stephen King’s Carrie (1974) 14-18
Annette Curtis Klause’s Blood and Chocolate (1997) 12-14
Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian (2005) 14-18 *
Doris Lessing’s The Fifth Child (1988) 14-18
Ira Levin’s Rosemary’s Baby (1967) 14-18
Lauren Myracle’s Rhymes with Witches (2005) 12-14
Stewart O’Nan’s The Night Country (2003) 14-18
Meredith Ann Pierce’s The Darkangel (1982) 12-14
Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat (1985) 14-18 *
Vivian Vande Velde’s Companions of the Night (1995) 12-14
I’ve read and enjoyed the ones with stars, so I’m intrigued by the others she’s gathered here.
Any favourites of yours here?
Thanks for the comments.
I really must make time for those Beagle books, Melwyk. The Last Unicorn turned out to be a terrific favourite after so many years avoiding it, thinking it would be overly sentimental.
Yes, Silvey: more, for sure. You’re the one, Nathalie, who put me onto her originally, so it’s only fair to return the, er, favour. I’m not sure, but I think The Bloody Chamber was included elsewhere.
Thanks for the suggestion, Iliana: I’ve picked it up a few times in the library but was a bit put off by the sheer number of books she’s written. I’ll definitely take another look.
I really enjoy these type of books. I mean, who can resist book lists?! 🙂
I hadn’t heard about this one but will have to look for it. I’ve definitely enjoyed several of these books. I see you haven’t read A Great and Terrible Beauty – it’s entertaining so I do recommend it.
This is a new Silvey to me! More of her apparently limitless store of book lore to tap. I loved Stephen King and Peter Straub when I was in middle school, and Anne Rice I discovered in my teens. Hers was also the first erotica I read, her Sleeping Beauty series. *Not* for the under 18s. Surprised _Jane Eyre_ is not on the list, but it does seem to be a late c20 list. Angela Carter should be on there, too. I don’t think _Bloody Chamber_ is too old for the 14-18 set. Oooo. I’m itching to get my hands on this book!
Oh, I love Tamsin — actually, Beagle’s A Fine and Private Place, which isn’t included here, is also an amazing read.
I have Rebecca on my RIP stack – hope to get to it before the end of the month 🙂