Wait, what? Cameron is recommending something that is somewhat considered classic literature and not some weird fantasy? Yes, yes I am.
So I read Watership Down by Richard Adams, all the way back in 7th grade. It was among the list of books I could read for my English class and this one looked like it had the least potential for becoming a headrest.
( A sidenote here: I didn't really read much in middle school and high school I became a reader later in life. I mean I read a little bit, when I had to or when something really interested me. I wasn't against reading, it just wasn't a very high priority. I wish I had really gotten into it earlier in life. )So I picked this one up and really ended up enjoying it. Watership Down is the story of a group of rabbits who leave their home warren, or community, when Fiver, one of the rabbits, has a vision of terrible things to come. His brother Hazel leads Fiver and their friends to leave, being unable to convince everyone else of the danger. They have a few adventures along the way before meeting up with another rabbit warren. This one has several weird customs and a twisted sense of community. I won't give away what happens but it is interesting. They leave and eventually find Watership Down and decide to settle down there. Although Watership Down is a peaceful habitat, Hazel realizes there are no does (female rabbits), thus making the future of the warren uncertain. With the help of a seagull named Kehaar, they locate a nearby warren, Efrafa, which is overcrowded and has many does. Hazel sends a small embassy to Efrafa to present their request for does. While waiting for the group to return, Hazel and Pipkin, another rabbit, scout the nearby Nuthanger Farm to find two pairs of hutch rabbits there; Hazel leads a raid on the farm the next day, returning with two does and a buck. When the emissary returns, Hazel and his rabbits learn Efrafa is a police state led by the despotic General Woundwort, and the four rabbits dispatched there manage to return with little more than their lives intact. While there they found a group of does who desperately want to be free of Efrafa and they decide on a daring rescue/escape plan.
I know, I know, it sounds weird but it is really good. I highly recommend it! One thing though, don't watch the movie. It is creepy and weird. originally it was marketed as a 'family film' but it is actually somewhat bloody. Skip the movie, just read the book.
