1984
by George Orwell
Young adult · ages 13–18 · grades 8–12 · 1050L · 328 pages · 993
Why we'd hand it over
The canonical dystopian novel—dense, brutal, and essential for any teen ready to grapple with totalitarianism, surveillance, and the malleability of truth; the torture sequences and sexual coercion are earned and unflinching, not gratuitous.