"We look at the world once, in childhood," writes poet Louise Glück. "The rest is memory." As adults, our childhood may lie in the past, but its influence never leaves us. This collection gathers texts that depict and examine the innocence and insights of childhood and youth.
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Climate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Food, Society: Education
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Agriculture, History: U.S., Great Depression, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust is a historical middle-grade novel in verse first published in 1997. Through 110 first-person free verse poems, the narrative tells the story of two years in the life of Billie Jo Kelby, young daughter of a struggling farming family in the Oklahoma Panhandle in the mid-1930s. After a tragic accident results in the death of Billie Jo’s mother and baby brother, she and her father must find a way... Read Out of the Dust Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Disability, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Paperboy by American author Vince Vawter explores themes of The Acceleration of the Civil Rights Movement, The Treatment of People With Speech Disorders, and Independence in Childhood through its singular voice. Published in 2013, Paperboy was a Newbery Medal Honor Book in 2014. Vawter, who worked for more than 40 years in the newspaper business, wrote Paperboy as a lightly fictionalized version of his own childhood, which contributes to the text’s authenticity. This guide references... Read Paperboy Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 1980
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Arts / Culture, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Grief / Death, Relationships
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family
Tags Gender / Feminism, History: World, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 1994
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family
Tags Free verse
Publication year 1986
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Language, Society: Immigration, Natural World: Objects, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Food
Tags Lyric Poem, Ekphrastic, Free verse, Relationships, Immigration / Refugee, Arts / Culture, Confessional, Asian Literature
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community
Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Humor, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Poverty, American Literature
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Disability, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Animals, American Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is a middle grade novel by Jonathan Auxier originally published in 2011. The novel encompasses a variety of genres: fantasy, the heroic quest, and even some Dickensian orphan flourishes, for good measure. It was a BookPage Magazine Best Book of the year, an ABA New Voices selection (2011), and a finalist for the Monica Hughes Award for science fiction and fantasy.This study guide references the edition published by Amulet... Read Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes Summary
Publication year 1911
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Fantasy
Author James Matthew Barrie adapted his 1904 play Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up to novel in 1911 with the hit Wendy and Peter, known today simply as the timeless classic Peter Pan. The mischievous character Peter Pan first appeared in Barrie's 1902 novel The Little White Bird and later in the 1906 novel Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Barrie's works explore themes of coming-of-age, the importance of imagination, the clash of... Read Peter Pan Summary
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: Education, Self Discovery
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Peyton Place is a novel depicting sensational and melodramatic events in a small New England town in the 1930s and 1940s; it was written by American novelist Grace Metalious and published in 1956. Peyton Place provoked controversy due to its depiction of taboo topics including sexuality, sexual abuse, and abortion. Nonetheless, the novel sold extremely well, and it was also adapted into successful films and television series. Metalious explores themes such as Shame and Ambivalence... Read Peyton Place Summary
Publication year 1945
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Scandinavian Literature
Pippi Longstocking is a middle grade fiction novel written by Astrid Lindgren and originally published in Sweden in 1945. It was first translated into English and published in the United States in 1950. Pippi’s bold spirit and fiery nature were endearing and appealing in the post-war era and through many decades afterward. Her story illuminates the Imagination and Ingenuity of childhood, the Strength of Body and Mind embodied by young girls, and the importance of... Read Pippi Longstocking Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Disability
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Society: Class
Tags Realistic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1986
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction