They include Looking for JJ, by Anne Cassidy, published in 2004, which tells the story of a teenager, neglected by her mother and put in to care, who kills her best friend, goes to prison and then tries to rebuild her life.
A boy with social problems struggling to discover the truth about his parents break-up is the central character in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon, published in 2003.
Other novels included The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, by John Boyne, which was published in 2007 and Holes, by Louis Sachar, which dates from 2000.
In contrast the list of the most popular books from 20 independent schools included Pride and Prejudice, The Lord of the Flies and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Plans to make English more challenging underline the determination by Michael Gove, the education secretary, to deal with what he believes is a lack of rigour in schools.
"The academic demands placed on children in state schools have been too low for too long," said a Government source.
"Schools need to raise the bar by requiring pupils to read a larger selection of books."
The review represents the biggest shake-up of the national curriculum since it was introduced by the Tories more than 20 years ago.
Ministers use of comparisons between state and private schools reveals the extent to which their thinking is influenced by the traditional teaching found in independent school classrooms.
In September, David Cameron, the Prime Ministers, held a summit at Downing Street with the headmasters of 10 private schools, including Eton, Harrow, Radley and Wellington College, asking them to play a wider role in state education.
But teaching unions and many in the educational establishment, who oppose the move to more traditional teaching, claim the Government is trying to impose a 1950s-style curriculum.
Bethan Marshall, a senior lecturer in English education at King's College, London, said forcing children to read the classics too early could backfire.
"I think getting children to read more books is a very good move but it should be books that children want to read," she said.
"Putting too much emphasis on the classics too early can be a mistake. I read the pre-20th century literature at grammar school and hated it."
Under the review only maths, English, science and PE will remain compulsory, compared to the current 14 subjects. An advisory panel is deciding whether to make other subjects statutory or allow schools to drop them altogether.
Subject experts are drawing up the "essential knowledge" that children should know at certain ages, apparently scrapping the detailed content and instructions on how to teach it which developed under Labour.
In English, secondary schools can currently choose from a list of hundreds of recommended authors which include contemporary writers, authors who represent English literary heritage and writers from different cultures and traditions. Pupils also study at least one Shakespeare play.
Tim Oates, director of research at Cambridge Assessment exam board who is leading the review, said last week that fewer topics would be covered in the main subjects and suggested that teachers should go over the same ground until all pupils in the class had gasped the concept.
The most popular books mentioned by independent and state schools in a survey by the Department for Education:
Private schools
Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
Lord of the Flies, William Golding
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
Skellig, David Almond
Chinese Cinderalla, Adeline Yen Mah
State schools
Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
Holes, Louis Sachar
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, John Boyne
Stone Cold, Robert Swindells
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
Private Peaceful, Michael Morpurgo
Skellig, David Almond
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
Looking for JJ, Anne Cassidy
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
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