[Mrs. Don-o]

Chronicles of Narnia is, in my opinion, excellent morally, artistically, and spiritually, and the best read-aloud there is: wonderful storytelling, great pace.

It's not the same level of literature as Tolkien, but in terms of reading aloud it's even better, because you don't get bogged in Tolkein's long, detailed background digressions and setting descriptions. (Though Tolkien is superb for older readers.)

[lil_rebbitzen]

I read Tolkien the year the first movie came out. So about 7th-8th grade (not sure which.) I loved them. I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in 6th grade. Loved them too. My father was thrilled that I was reading Tolkien though (he's a big fan himself, and got me hooked via the cartoon movies). I've always considered most teen literature to be a waste of time. We had to read "The face on the milk carton" in 7th grade, and I hated it. It was so boring, and there was little morality in it.

Give me the classics any day.