10 Successful Literature Pairings: Modern Books and Classic Works
Pairing modern books with classic works helps you bridge the gap between required reading that’s not always fun and fun reading that’s not always required.
Teaching classic literature is essential in the English classroom, but sometimes, students struggle connecting to texts from different eras. Pairing modern books with classic works helps you bridge the gap between required reading that’s not always fun and fun reading that’s not always required.
By exploring similar themes, conflicts, and character journeys in both classic and contemporary works, students gain fresh perspectives on familiar texts while discovering how timeless literary ideas continue to shape today’s stories.
Check out this list of book pairings that includes many of the books you’re already teaching this year!
1. Night and Maus
In Night, Elie Wiesel unveils his terrifying, unforgettable experiences in German concentration camps. His memoir, easily one of the most important books ever written about the Holocaust, would pair well with Art Spiegelman’s award-winning graphic novel, Maus. Central to both these vital reads is the strong bond between a father and his son and the unspeakable realities of the Holocaust.
Night
Eli Wiesel
Exploring the motifs of violence, anti-Semitism, and social responsibility, Night will teach students about survival against incredible odds, while affirming Wiesel’s message to never forget those whose lives were lost.
Maus
Art Spiegelman
Recognized as serious literature with a special award from the Pulitzer Prize committee, this graphic novel relates the events of the Holocaust to students in a way that is both meaningful and interesting.
2. 1984 and Feed
1984 is an easy choice for a dystopian literature unit, and its themes of surveillance, language, and consumerism also play a large role in Feed. Pair Feed with 1984 and encourage your students to draw comparisons between the two novels, especially the views each author expresses on government intrusion and censorship.
1984
George Orwell
Orwell's speculation on government's ability to control citizens is still relevant today, and the book continues to be a favorite in schools.
Feed
M. T. Anderson
While there’s no shortage of young adult dystopian novels these days, M.T. Anderson’s Feed is a fresh and exciting satire on the dangers of consumerism, technology, and the nature of identity in an increasingly connected world.
3. Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games
Would The Hunger Games even exist without Lord of the Flies? Suzanne Collins pays tribute to William Golding’s classic 1954 novel in her young adult bestseller. Both books present ideas about humanity, privilege, and survival. Spark exciting discussion by asking your students which environment they would be more afraid of—the island in Lord of the Flies or The Hunger Games arena?
Lord of the Flies
William Golding
Lord of the Flies is filled with weighty but manageable themes and will spur discussions on topics like order versus chaos, loss of innocence, fear of the unknown, following the crowd, good and evil, violence, and death.
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
This dystopian novel set in the not-so-distant future is filled with fast-paced action and suspense that will enthrall readers from the first few pages.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird and Monster
To Kill a Mockingbird is quintessential classic literature that focuses on complex themes of racism and injustice. Prepare your students for this heavy subject matter with Monster, a YA novel that presents similar ideas about prejudice and the law and boasts an approachable format of flashbacks and epistolary content. As you teach Monster and Mockingbird, your students will be fascinated comparing these court proceedings; for example, both novels feature a black defendant and a white lawyer, but the trials shake out quite differently from each other.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Harper Lee's hopeful message that an entire community can learn from one man's integrity makes Mockingbird among the best-loved books of all time.
Monster
Walter Dean Myers
Monster is a Walter Dean Myers classic that is sure to engage your reluctant readers because of its unconventional structure and compelling plot.
5. Fahrenheit 451 and The Last Book in the Universe
Could a book ever be proclaimed as Fahrenheit 451’s sequel? If so, it would be none other than The Last Book in the Universe. Set in a dystopian future in which books—and their ideas—have been destroyed, Rodman Philbrick’s young adult sci-fi novel is the perfect choice to pair with Ray Bradbury’s classic. Both novels emphasize the cruciality of knowledge, preservation, and rebellion in the face of corruption.
Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury
Bradbury's surreal tale of a dystopian future where reading is eschewed and firemen start blazes to burn books is one of science fiction's enduring classics.
The Last Book in the Universe
Rodman Philbrick
The Last Book in the Universe provides an interesting glimpse into life where everyone is constantly plugged in to their media outlets, and changes need to be made.
6. Romeo and Juliet and The Fault in Our Stars
Just like the titular characters in William Shakespeare’s play, Hazel and Augustus are star-crossed teenagers in John Green’s heartbreaking novel; however, instead of warring families, it’s cancer that threatens to drive these two apart. Both couples move forward, despite the odds. If you decide to use this novel pairing in your classroom, be sure to have several boxes of tissues on-hand.
Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet, usually the first Shakespeare your students will read, is your students' perfect introduction to the power of his poetry.
The Fault in Our Stars
John Green
The Fault in Our Stars is a funny, heartbreaking book that will make your students contemplate big subjects—love, death, and how we can best use the time we have not merely to exist, but to truly live.
7. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl and The Book Thief
Both of these titles, essential to a unit on the Holocaust, feature a young protagonist wise beyond her years. Students will undoubtedly be drawn in by two unique, intimate perspectives—Anne, a Jewish teenager and aspiring writer, unfairly taken from the world, and the story of Liesel “the Book Thief,” told by Death itself. Though Anne Frank was a real person and Liesel Meminger a work of fiction, they both wield the power of words to express fear and truth, rebel against evil, and provide comfort to others.
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank, Edited by Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler
Since its publication in 1947, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl remains a beloved and deeply admired testament to the indestructible nature of the human spirit.
The Book Thief
Markus Zusak
One of the ALA's Best Books for Young Adults, The Book Thief is an outstanding young adult novel with a unique perspective on the Holocaust: Death is the narrator, offering his take on this difficult topic.
8. The Catcher in the Rye and The Perks of Being a Wallflower
What’s not to love about teenage angst? The Catcher in the Rye and The Perks of Being a Wallflower are frequently paired together because both novels capture what it’s like to feel alienated and misunderstood during adolescence. If you’re teaching J. D. Salinger’s novel this year, consider adding Stephen Chbosky’s epistolary novel—a classroom favorite—to your coming-of-age unit.
The Catcher in the Rye
J. D. Salinger
The Catcher in the Rye explores themes such as the protection on the innocent, alienation, the difficulties of maturing, and the phoniness of the adult world, all of which will capture students’ imaginations.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
Written in the form of a series of letters to an undisclosed friend, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the heart-wrenching story of Charlie’s freshman year in high school. Since he’s so honest with the reader and so observant, we see the troubling world of the modern teenager.
9. The Scarlet Letter and Speak
If you’re planning to analyze the consequences and ethics of Hester Prynne’s public shaming, the trauma faced by Speak’s Melinda would be an appropriate and relatable point of comparison. Melinda endures judgment, shame, and isolation after calling the police at a party. Have your students compare Melinda to Hester as well as to Arthur Dimmesdale, as he, like Melinda, ultimately chooses to speak his truth.
The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne
This classic novel explores the struggle of personal integrity versus public reputation, while tackling major themes such as repentance, the nature of good and evil, all-encompassing guilt, and one's place in society.
Speak
Laurie Halse Anderson
Through Laurie Halse Anderson's honest prose, Speak tackles sensitive subjects with credibility and care. Speak will speak meaningfully to your students in a voice that mirrors and understands their world.
10. The Great Gatsby and Behold the Dreamers
Pairing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic with Imbolo Mbue’s modern bestseller gives students the chance to examine the American Dream through two distinct historical and cultural lenses. While Fitzgerald critiques the wealth and social stratification of the Roaring Twenties, Mbue explores those same themes through the eyes of an immigrant family navigating life in New York during the 2008 financial crisis. Together, the novels will drive discussions about class, privilege, identity, and whether the promise of the American Dream is truly attainable across different eras and perspectives.
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Considered the Great American Novel by many, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a portrait of the Roaring Twenties and a timeless exploration of American identity.
Behold the Dreamers
Imbolo Mbue
Fast-paced and political, Behold the Dreamers is an excellent novel to connect students with literature about American exceptionalism.
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