Read-alikes discussion

Hi everyone!
Creating this group was so self-serving it's not even funny! I have been asked at work to create a list of "alternative" books to some of the classics, to present to teachers. The goal is to give options, because it seems the classics are not sparking that "life-long love" of reading we are supposed to be instilling in our kids. Of course, I was a nerd (still am), so the classics sparked me! And if they did you as well, take this with a grain of salt. My suggestion to our Literacy person at school was to have students read and COMPARE classics to contemporary works.
But anyway...What I am looking for are books similar in plot, theme, writing style, etc. So, any thoughts?

Contemporary alternatives to:

The Scarlet Letter
Catcher In the Rye
The Great Gatsby
The Grapes of Wrath
The Sound and the Fury


There are others, but that's a good start...

I also do lots of recommending to students and have a display set up of read-alikes, so all suggestions are great!!

Russell Banks, Rule of the Bone- I teach in Middletown, and the experiences of the main character are probably closer to the ones our students have, as opposed to Holden Caulfield's

I agree with your suggestion to suggest alternatives to classics that might resonate better today. I would suggest The Corrections and The brief wondrous life of Oscar Wao. Perhaps Beloved also. I think there are way too many books of this type (dysfunctional family, immigrant or minority experience) but these two do a good job. These topics at this time in the USA are the equivalent to the topics covered early or mid Century like the classics you mention. --Doug

thanks. i just put the book in a kid's hand. fingers crossed.