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Tell us about the books that shaped you

Beck Harlan
/
NPR

Updated July 30, 2025 at 9:48 AM EDT

In recent years, book bans have focused a lot of attention on what some people think kids shouldn't read in school. But what about what they should?

As we head into the 2025-2026 school year, we'd like to hear from you about the books you read during high school that helped shape who you are today. What effect did those books have on you — and do they hold up today? Which books do you think high schoolers should be reading now?

Share your thoughts below, and we'll publish a list of reader recommendations in a few weeks, as the kids head back to school.

This form was closed on July 30.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Meghan Collins Sullivan is a senior editor on the Culture Desk, overseeing multiplatform books coverage at NPR. She edits stories for NPR's radio programs and NPR.org, manages the Book of the Day podcast, and leads teams creating projects such as Books We Love.
Beth Novey is a producer and editor for NPR's Culture Desk. She creates and edits web features, plans multimedia projects and coordinates the web presence for Fresh Air.