"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 1970
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Relationships
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Community
Tags Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Parenting, Disability, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Poverty, Humor
Scrawl (2010) is a young adult novel by American author Mark Shulman, who has written more than 200 books for young readers. Scrawl follows a young teenage bully, Tod Munn, and his experience in detention where he is required by a guidance counselor to write about himself in a journal. In the journal, Tod describes his struggles with coming from a low-income family, low self-esteem, and his problematic behavior at school. The novel was a... Read Scrawl Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, British Literature, Military / War, History: World
Secrets of a Charmed Life is a historical fiction novel written by Susan Meissner and published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Random House, in 2015. The book follows two sisters in wartime England, Emmeline and Julia Downtree, who are separated from each other during the Blitz. The book also follows an interview between American Oxford student Kendra Van Zant and Blitz survivor and artist Isabel MacFarland. The novel explores the themes of... Read Secrets of a Charmed Life Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Immigration, Natural World: Place, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery
Tags Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Survival Fiction, Chinese Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Survival Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Bullying, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Mental Illness, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
First published in 2004, Shooter is a young adult novel by Walter Dean Myers about a school shooting. It delves into the perpetrator’s psychological profile as well as the cultural forces behind the violence. The story examines US gun culture, bullying, drug abuse, and dysfunctional family dynamics as causal factors. Myers tells the story through official interviews, police reports, newspaper clippings, and a diary.Myers has written more than 70 books for children and young adults... Read Shooter Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Humor
Publication year 2014
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Teams, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Sports
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Irish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
Skippy Dies, published in 2010, is a tragicomic novel by Irish author Paul Murray. Murray originally wrote the novel as a short story before expanding it into a longform work of fiction, basing the Catholic boarding school where the book is set on the prestigious secondary school the author attended in Dublin.The novel was nominated for the longlists and shortlists of several distinguished awards, including the Booker Prize, the Irish Novel of the Year, and... Read Skippy Dies Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Sports, Children's Literature
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Mental Illness, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Small as an Elephant is a middle grade realistic fiction novel written by Jennifer Richard Jacobson and originally published in 2011. In addition to writing, Jacobson teaches literacy workshops across the US. She grew up in Maine, which is the inspiration for the setting of many of her stories. Small as an Elephant examines several themes related to unstable attachment, support, and hardship. The novel received more than 10 awards, including the Maine Lupine Award... Read Small as an Elephant Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
Smile by Raina Telgemeier is an autobiographical graphic novel and the winner of the 2011 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens. It originated as a weekly webcomic in 2004 before Telgemeier expanded it into a book in 2010. Telgemeier is the writer and illustrator, while Stephanie Yue is the colorist. Smile is a coming-of-age tale, set in a San Francisco suburb from 1989 to 1992, in which Telgemeier struggles with preteen life after losing... Read Smile Summary
Publication year 1980
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
So Long, See You Tomorrow is the acclaimed final novel by American writer and editor William Maxwell. Originally published in two parts in New Yorker magazine in 1979, the book appeared the following year and received the prestigious National Book Award in 1982. Maxwell was the fiction editor of the New Yorker from 1936 to 1975, making him one of the most influential literary editors of the era. He worked closely with J. D. Salinger... Read So Long, See You Tomorrow Summary