A review by emmonsannae
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read this with my 7th graders and I don't think I'll ever forget it. The way everyone (myself included!) loved and connected to this one story was incredible. It's one of the best books I've ever read, and it's better because for me it's inseparable from all the discussions, debates, and opinion essays students wrote about these messy characters and their messy growing-up lives. Watching the shyest, most unmotivated kids spring to life was a testament to how darn good this story is. I could have done without the classroom fistfight one scene inspired, but you can’t win them all. (And the movie is phenomenal—be sure to watch the "complete novel" version.)
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