Earth Abides

Formally it is a post-apocalyptic story about rebuilding collapsed civilization but is actually much deeper, with the focus on inability to pass down millenia of human knowledge. After catastrophe has striken, the protagonist struggles to teach his youngsters something - but how can you make young people grow crops if there is plently of canned food left from the previous era? How can you teach them to make fire with sticks and stones if they can grab a matchbox?

If you've got a kid who doesn't want to learn any art or trade since the the world around them feels plentiful, this book if for you.