1. “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

2. “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger

3. “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury

4. “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald

5. “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley

6. “1984” by George Orwell

7. “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker

8. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain

9. “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck

10. “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck

11. “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

12. “Beloved” by Toni Morrison

13. “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding

14. “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood

15. “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank

16. “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien

These books have been banned or challenged at some point in various schools and libraries. Reading them before 12th grade can introduce students to diverse perspectives, controversial themes, and important discussions.