Inspiring teens to read can be tough. So many, especially boys, abandon fiction at secondary school for other forms of 'entertainment'. Words seem to loose their cool quickly and suddenly.

Whilst reading lists from enthusiastic school teachers might look like home work, there is something to be said for more personal recommendations.

With the help of this blog's facebook friends we're putting together the Word's Shortlist of teen reads. To add your recommendations tweet @wordsshortlist or comment to the post on FB. 

The Teen fiction shortlist:

Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 1/4 - Sue Townsend
The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
1984 - George Orwell
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

The best modern young adult fiction....

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
Grimm's Tales - Philip Pullman