Classics

In this story of teenage struggle, our protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis, leads us through his life as a Greaser- a term that refers to young men who grease their hair and are viewed as troublemakers. While written in 1967, this tale reverberates with any youth who has struggled to fit in or suffered loss; those are two things Ponyboy experiences in spades. Not only has he lost his parents, he is jumped by Socs (the more affluent youth, “Socials”), punched by his oldest brother Darry- who sees himself as the father figure, involved in the death of a Soc, and driven to run away. And, even when he is involved in something heroic while on the lam, he is forced to deal with the death of a Greaser, Johnny, who had previously suffered his own series of travails. This book was an homage to those young men who struggle to find their place in the world, whatever size it is, written by Hinton when she was only sixteen.

I highly recommend this book be part of any library collection regardless of size or demographics. It is a tale that continues to find analogs to this day and readers may easily find themselves within these pages, especially considering the author’s direct and simple language. Because of the sensitive subjects in this story, the target audience is teens starting at thirteen or fourteen. Although, depending on maturity, some readers as young as twelve be able to resonate with Hinton’s telling.

 

Hinton, S. E. (2007). The Outsiders. New York: Viking.

ISBN: 978-0-670-06251-5. Hardback. $17.99.

Awards:

Books I Loved Best Yearly (BILBY) Awards for Secondary (1991)