CV NEWS FEED // Throughout June, we’re not just taking the garbage off the children’s shelves in our libraries, but we’re also replacing it with great literature.
Great men of history have been formed by the things they read as teenagers. Think of young Abraham Lincoln reading by firelight, or Bl. Pier Giorgio devouring Dante! Here are some great reads to fill your boys’ imaginations with truth, goodness, and beauty in a time of so much turmoil and confusion.
Look for them at your local library (or parish library, if you’re lucky enough to have one!) or favorite bookseller!
“Harrison Bergeron” (Short Story)
Kurt Vonnegut
This work is a satirical dystopian short story depicting the ‘perfect’ world. Harrison Bergeron, the titular character and hero of the story, attempts to invite change. A celebration of humanity, Vonnegut’s story is both poignant and thought-provoking.
Joan of Arc
Mark Twain
This book took eight years of research, two years of writing, and was considered by the author to be his masterpiece. It tells a tale we all know in a way we will never forget. The french peasant girl turned military leader turned saint comes alive through Twain’s words.
A Tale of Two Cities
Charles Dickens
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” Widely considered Dickens’ best novel, this historical fiction opens a window into the French Revolution, and its heart-breaking effects on the people of the time.
Quo Vadis
Henryk Sienkiewicz
A historical love story between the Roman Marcus Vinicius and the Christian Lygia. The author did intense research on the time period and includes Christian and Roman historical figures in his action. Read to discover which of your favorite saints have a cameo!
Gulliver’s Travels
Jonathan Swift
For younger audiences, the novel is an interesting tale of adventure, in which Gulliver encounters new and strange lands and peoples. For older audiences, the work reveals itself as a biting satire of human nature.
The Giver
Lois Lowry
A dystopian novel in which the world has been purified of all its imperfections. Jonas, a young boy, is entrusted with the memories of the world. As he learns more about the past, he begins to take action to improve the future. A must-read for anyone Pro-Life!
The Space Trilogy
CS Lewis
A philosophical science fiction series by the same author who wrote the Narnia books. The three novels, (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength) are informed by Lewis’ orthodox Christianity and are permeated with the sense of spiritual battle.
Atomic Habits
James Clear
A comprehensive and practical guide on how to change your habits for the better. Helpful for anyone trying to improve themselves and grow in virtue!
Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
The original horror story, in this work Dr. Frankenstein discovers the secret to creating life, with terrible consequences. Yet, you may be surprised at who you sympathize with… A thrilling tale about human nature and the heartbreak of deism.
With God in Russia
Father Walter Cisek
The true story of American priest, Father Walter Cisek, and his fifteen year imprisonment in the Soviet Union during and after World War II. Father’s cause is currently open for canonization.
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Baroness Orczy
During the French Revolution’s persecution of nobility, a mysterious Englishman works to help the French aristocrats escape to England. An adventure novel intertwined with a romance, this book will have readers on the edge of their seats!
Boys in the Boat
Daniel James Brown
The true story of nine American boys and their rowing team at the 1936 Berlin olympic games. The reader cheers for these young men as they struggle through the Great Depression, opposition, and a world torn by war to compete for gold in Nazi Germany.
A Man Who Was Thursday
G.K. Chesterton
Detective Gabriel Syme goes undercover on the Great Council of Anarchists to bring the organization to its knees. Yet, he makes a shocking discovery… Written with the typical Chestertonian wit and poignancy all Catholics should know and love.
Four Voyages to the New World
Christopher Columbus
This is an account of Columbus’ journeys to the new world between the years 1492 and 1504. The voyages are presented through a series of primary resources that will delight any lover of History.
Bleak House
Charles Dickens
Bleak House follows the Jarndyce family, who wait to inherit money from a disputed fortune. Readers should know from the title and from the author, that this book is not a pick me up. However, Dickens’ writing is masterful as it satirizes the English court systems and sheds light on their abuses.
Crime and Punishment
Feodor Dostoyevsky
This Russian novel follows the mental anguish and moral dilemmas of Rodion Raskalnikov as he debates whether or not to kill an unscrupulous old pawnbroker…An interesting psychological novel about human nature.
Up From Slavery
Booker T. Washington
An autobiography in which Washington relates the story of his birth, upbringing and early adulthood and introduces his theories for racial uplift. A crucial novel to better understand the civil rights crisis in America.
Henry V
William Shakespeare
King Henry V of England invades France to claim a throne he believes to be rightfully his. One of Shakespeare’s historical works, the play is full of beautiful speeches, battles, assassination plots and more.
How I Found Livingstone in Central Africa
Henry Morton Stanley
A true tale of a quest into the unknown. A New York based correspondent Henry M. Stanley undertakes a difficult mission to find a Scottish doctor in the unexplored depths of the central African jungles.
The Shadow of his Wings
Fr. Gereon Goldman
A German Franciscan Seminarian is drafted in the S.S. during World War II. Follow this incredible true story of how the prayers of a holy woman, and the power of God protected Fr. Gereon through war, hunger and a concentration camp.
The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
One of the greatest trilogies of all time follows Frodo Baggins on his quest to destroy the ring of power and defeat the dark Lord Sauron. Tolkien masterfully weaves his tale with Christian allegories and themes, making these fantasy books ring with truth.
The Bronze Bow
Elizabeth George Speare
A historical fiction set during the time of Christ, a young man Daniel bar Jamin struggles with the religious and political turmoil of his time. Romans, Jews, Zealots, and a mysterious man named Jesus help form his relationship with himself, with others, and with his God.
>> Want More? Check out all of our CatholicVote reading lists for kids!
14 Must-Read Books for Families
18 Must-Read Books for Very Young Children
24 Must-Read Books for Elementary School Children
19 Must-Read Books for Middle School Children
22 Must-Read Books for Teen Girls
14 Must-Read Books for Struggling Teens
