What defines classic literature?
It pretty much boils down to one premise: Works of classic literature transcend time. More than just brilliant writing, classics generally offer revelatory insight into universal themes like love, morality, and adversity, and often include a gripping plot or intensely evocative time period or place. Many classics were influential to their specific genre or stunningly original in their time.
(A less scientific way of discerning whether a book is a classic YA novel is to mention the title and see how many people recognize it, even if they haven’t read it.)
The term “classic literature” isn’t reserved only for books 30, 50, or 100 years old. While a book needs to have been around long enough to judge its staying power, some contemporary novels are already being drafted into lists of classics.
But just because a book is considered classic literature doesn’t always mean it’s worth your time.
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
In This Article
The Importance of Clean Classic Books For Teens
Readers with high moral standards have good reason to be hesitant in picking up a book labeled a classic. Even widely accepted classic YA novels contain questionable content. I would not, for example, recommend The Catcher in the Rye (excessive profanity and sexual innuendo) or Lord of the Flies (sadistic violence), both of which are staples on classic YA lists.
Content matters, no matter what year the book was written. Hence the need for this list of clean classic books for teens.
Standards for Clean YA Novels
The titles included here should appeal to any discerning reader looking for clean YA fiction. However, as this is a blog for Christian teens and young adults, I took it further and only included books that didn’t promote values contrary to biblical teaching.
So how did I decide what makes the cut?
Limited Sexual Content
You won’t find erotic content in any of the books on this list. Also cut were any titles that devalue women, promote promiscuity, or convey teenage sex as normal and acceptable.
Appropriate Levels of Violence
This means no gratuitous violence or sadistically explicit scenes. Violence, when it happens, is not promoted and the scene moves through it without becoming overly graphic.
Appropriate Language
This one is tricky, especially in older classics where what is considered offensive today may have been the norm for the time. Books with excessive profanity are automatically cut, but for the sake of character authenticity, occasional swear words are not a deal breaker for me. (I do try to note books that have any amount of swearing.)
The same is true for racial slurs and politically incorrect language. I always weigh the language against the values being taught. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, the incidences of profanity and racially offensive language are necessary to highlight the stark racial inequality that drives the plot.
Clean Classic Books For Teens
Books are listed in order of publication.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Agatha Christie, 1926
Berfore there were cozy mysteries, there was Agatha Christie. Christie has been dubbed the Queen of Crime for good reason, and if you like murder mysteries, don’t miss this one.
While technically not a YA novel, it’s a smooth read and the MC has a light side that keeps it from feeling too “adulty.” Be prepared for lots of twists and a startling conclusion. Contains occasional swear words but is otherwise clean and well-written.
Also by Agatha Christie: The A.B.C. Murders
The Screwtape Letters
C.S. Lewis, 1942
C.S. Lewis might be best known for The Chronicles of Narnia (another great classic), but The Screwtape Letters is equally entertaining and enlightening. This book is a satire by definition, using humor, irony, and exaggeration to expose man’s folly—in this case, regarding temptation and Christianity. The character Screwtape is a highly placed assistant to “Our Father Below” (Satan) and the story follows his correspondence as he educates his nephew Wormwood, a novice demon, on the surest ways to secure the downfall of an ordinary young man.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
“If a man can’t be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking for the church that suits him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches.”
“Prosperity knits a man to the world… You will notice that the young are generally less unwilling to die than the middle-aged and the old.”
This book is wildly hilarious in both its delivery and the stark truths it lays bare, an eye-opening and engaging account of temptation—and triumph.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee, 1960
Probably my favorite on this list, this classic does contain brief profanity and the use of racial slurs. You can expect that from a book written in the perspective of a young girl living in the 1930s South—a time and place of lingering racial tension.
This gripping coming-of-age story views a world of savage inequality through the eyes of young Scout as her lawyer father Atticus Finch (easily one of the most venerable fictional characters of all time) risks everything to defend a black man falsely accused of a terrible crime. It’s a tale of courage, the fight for justice, and the struggle between cowering in the face of accepted evil and standing up for good. The writing is captivating, the characters authentic and lovable (except those which you are destined to despise), and the takeaways will linger long after you turn the last page.
What about the movie?
The movie is also a masterpiece and fairly true to the story. This is one exception where I watched the movie first and found it helpful in motivating me to read the book.
The Outsiders
S.E. Hinton, 1967
A target of book banning in the past (see Why I’m Not a Fan of Book Banning), it might come as a surprise that there is no sex or profanity in this book. Yes, there are gang clashes and teen smoking (which was legal during this time), but it’s the values of family and loyalty that make this classic YA novel stand out in my opinion.
The Outsiders follows 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society where his “type” are considered outsiders. Like his brothers, Ponyboy is a proud Greaser, a category that brings them in frequent conflict with the more affluent Socs (short for “social”). Gang rumbles are the norm until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a Soc. The murder causes Ponyboy’s divided world to crumble, teaching him a lesson about the nondiscrimination of pain.
The Outsiders is well-written and true-to-the-times.
What about the movie?
The 1983 film is notable for its cast of up-and-coming stars like Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, and Tom Cruise. But read the book first. It makes the movie much easier to understand.
The Westing Game
Ellen Raskin, 1978
Like whodunit murder mysteries? This one’s a classic Clue setup: one unsolved murder, 16 suspects, all grouped into a single apartment building. At the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will, they learn the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a possible murderer to inherit his vast fortune. But they won’t know who it is until they play one final treacherous game to solve Samuel Westing’s murder.
Bombings, thefts, shifting allegiances, and sparks of humor keep the story rolling and the plot twisting from one direction to another. No profanity or sex; minimal violence.
See if you can solve it before the characters do!
What about the movie?
Haven’t seen the movie, but my son—who loved the book—says the movie was “Terrible—they didn’t do anything right!” I take that to mean it wasn’t true to the story.
Hatchet (Brian’s Saga #1)
Gary Paulsen, 1987
This is a must-read precisely because most people are shockingly lacking in wilderness survival skills—as 13-year-old Brian, the MC, was when his plane crashed, leaving him stranded and alone in the Canadian wilderness with only a hatchet. See how he learns to adapt and survive.
As someone moderately versed in survival skills, I can attest that the techniques he uses are true to life, and reading this story will make you better prepared for your own survival should you find yourself in a simiilar fix.
What about the movie?
The 1990 movie A Cry in the Wild is an adaptation of the book. The horror flick Hatchet is not at all related.
The Giver
Lois Lowry, 1993
Jonas lives in a seemingly idyllic society. Designated birthmothers produce newchildren, who are then assigned to family units. Citizens are assigned mates and jobs. No one asks questions, everyone obeys, and everyone is the same.
Then Jonas is assigned his lifelong job, which puts him under the training of an old man whom he comes to know as The Giver, and suddenly his eyes are opened to the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community.
This book fits nicely into both classic literature and clean YA fiction categories with its total lack of profanity or sexual content. You’ll come to appreciate our world much more once you get a glimpse into the disturbing world Jonas lives in.
What about the movie?
Haven’t seen it, though the trailer suggests the movie contains sexual elements not present in the book.
Twilight
Stephenie Meyer, 2005
I wasn’t expecting to like Twilight (vampires, really?) but upon recommendation (and being a YA author), I figured I should at least check it out.
I wasn’t disappointed. Twilight and its sequels are epically long books, but the pages turn quickly with captivating writing and highly developed characters. The premise is intriguing: A teen girl falls in love with a vampire, who is torn between thirst for her blood and his inexplicable fondness for her.
Which brings up a great point: Should Christians read paranormal novels? Obviously, vampires and earthly immortality are not biblical concepts. But as with the fantasy genre (think Harry Potter), it’s important to remember this is purely fiction and no part of it is meant to offer guidance to truth. Enjoy it as a fascinating escape to an alternative world.
That said, if you are still living under the guardianship of parents who say absolutely not to books like these, your duty is to obey them. Don’t feel bad! There are plenty of other clean classic books for teens to enjoy instead.
What about the movies?
Whole populations of YA lovers might disagree, but I felt the movies fell short in representing the characters authentically. Also, while the books are light on sexual content overall, the movies were a little steamier.
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins, 2008
Yes, there’s violence in this series (probably the most of any book on this page). You can expect that in a world ruled by a harsh Capitol that forces each district to send one boy and one girl (ages 12-18) to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. The violent scenes, however, are not overly graphic, sadistic, or inappropriate for a YA audience, making The Hunger Games one of the newer clean classic books for teens.
From the moment 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps up to take her younger sister’s place in the arena, the story unfolds with family devotion, loyalty in friendship, triangular romance, unconditional love, nailbiter action, and, yes, heartbreak. (Be prepared to cry.)
Suzanne Collins is a master at plot twists. Events never happen the way you expect. Think you can predict how the series will end? Think again. But there are more reasons why The Hunger Games books are bestsellers: family devotion, loyalty in friendship, triangular romance, unconditional love, nail-biter action, gut-wrenching heartbreak . . .
If you like your sleep, don’t even think about reading these books before bed.
What about the movies?
When it comes to movie adaptations of novels, I tip my hat to the makers of The Hunger Games films. They captured the essence of each book with remarkable accuracy. But if you haven’t seen the movies yet, definitely read the books first.
The Maze Runner
James Dashner, 2009
I suggest this classic YA novel as an alternative to the more sadistically violent Lord of the Flies. The setup for both books is similar: a group of boys trying to survive primitive conditions and forced proximity without the supervision of adults. But whereas the boys in Lord of the Flies turn savage, the boys in The Maze Runner master survival through a system of hierarchy in which each contributes to the community. The pinch for them happens when the unknown and unseen mastermind behind their captivity decides their time is up.
This is a powerful story about friendship, trust, conflict, perseverance, and unity. Note that while there is no conventional profanity in the book, the boys have their own substitute vocabulary that they sometimes use in the place of familiar swear words.
What about the movie?
I enjoyed the movie almost as much as the book. No sex, no swearing, and it stayed relatively true to the story.
Stay Tuned For More!
As I read and assess, you can expect this list to grow. Know any other fabulous, clean classic YA novels that would suit this list? Shoot me a message and I’ll check it out!
Questions about the content in a book that’s not on this list? Feel free to reach out. If I’ve read it, I’ll give my honest opinion.
You don’t have to have all the answers.
but, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.