The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

It is truly remarkable that Twain's classic, and his greater masterpiece, Huck Finn, remain on recommended reading lists for today's school students. The adventures of Tom and Huck run anathema to progressive, pedagogic wisdom, which dictates that in order to lead a fulfilling life, one has to attend the controlled boredom called public schooling. When Tom does manage to drag himself out of bed, he barely lasts until lunchtime, captured for a few hours by the charm of attractive Becky Thatcher. Huck possesses the good sense to not bother going in the first place.
Our country's sorry ship of state would align itself properly if our children be allowed to emulate these timeless heroes' quest for self knowledge and real learning. Let us begin by eliminating compulsory incarceration in order to restore the power of individual, critical thinking.