Throughout our four years here at Elder, we are assigned different books to read for our English classes. Every teacher will always say the books they are assigning are good and fun to read, but sometimes their opinion of interesting is far different than that of the students they are teaching.

In each class there are normally one or two books that students just can’t help but like. I have talked to students to get their opinions on which books throughout the years they have liked the most. I have a list of the top four most liked books that everyone has either already read, or can look forward to reading as they progress through high school.

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo is a novel by Alexandre Dumas written in 1844. It is the ultimate combination of love, betrayal, drama, and revenge. The story revolves around the life of Edmond Dantès, who is a nineteen-year-old engaged to a beautiful young woman. He is about to become the captain of a merchant ship when he is betrayed by his so-called friends. He is arrested and goes to jail. Eventually Dantès escapes from prison and goes back to reward those who helped him, and curse those who betrayed him. The novel follows the intricately played out plan that Edmond created in a story that truly deserves all the hype associated with it.

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is a tragic novel written in 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby keeps readers entertained and involved throughout the entire story. The novel is written from the viewpoint of journalist Nick Carraway, and follows his story as he moves to Long Island and becomes friends with the famous Jay Gatsby. The novel shows off the party scene that was America in the 1920’s, especially with the prohibition act and how it negatively affected some, but helped others to profit greatly. The Great Gatsby gives its readers an entertaining and interesting topic to keep them hooked, while also providing real historical context. The wording and vocabulary used by Fitzgerald may be what makes this novel so great.

The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle is a memoir written Jeannette Walls in 2005. The Glass Castle is sitting at a safe number three spot on our list. This book is a memoir of Jeannette Walls’ life, and the struggles she had to go through and overcome in order to succeed. It is a book that keeps readers sitting on the edge of their seat waiting to see what happens next. It leaves readers contemplating how all these events are actually possible for Walls’ to go through. The book describes her journey all across the country, and how her and her family lived when she was growing up.

And Then There Were None

And Then There Were None is a book written in 1939 by Agatha Christie. This book follows the adventure of a group of eight people as they go to a mysterious island. None of the eight people know each other, but instead are total strangers. They all go to the island for different reasons, but when they get there, the find out they have something in common. Sometime in their past, they have all committed a murder, and the person who brought them there knows that. One of the eight is mysteriously murdered, and the novel follows the process of what happens after, and eventually it is discovered who did it. This is a nerve-rattling mystery novel that keeps readers involved and eager to see what is to come.

These are the top four books chosen by students when asked what their favorite book is that they’ve read at Elder. These books are ranked according to the amount of people who voted for each book. All teachers will say their books are good, but now you’ve heard which ones are good from fellow classmates.