Childhood & Youth

"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.

The BFG

by Roald Dahl

Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Conflict, Gratitude, Loneliness, Joy, Love, Death, Childhood & Youth, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Humor, Action & Adventure

IntroductionBritish author Roald Dahl first made his mark as a leading writer of children’s literature in 1961, when he published James and the Giant Peach. His subsequent books include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, and his 1982 novel The BFG (Big Friendly Giant), which was illustrated by Quentin Blake and based on a segment of Dahl’s 1975 book Danny, the Champion of the World. His books have been viewed as darker... Read The BFG Summary

The Bite of the Mango

by Mariatu Kamara

Publication year 2008

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Childhood & Youth

Tags Military & War, Children`s Literature, World History, Biography

Eleven-year-old Mariatu lives in a small village in Sierra Leone. There are growing reports of rebels attacking villagers nearby but, for over a year, the villagers avoid attack by hiding in the bush.One night, Mariatu dreams of palm oil—a sign that blood will be spilled the next day. Sure enough, the following day, Mariatu is captured by rebel soldiers. She prays for death but instead has her hands cut from her body by child soldiers... Read The Bite of the Mango Summary

The Black Stallion

by Walter Farley

Publication year 1941

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Animals, Safety & Danger, Childhood & Youth, Fear, Trust & Doubt, Perseverance

Tags Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Realism, Animals, Historical Fiction

Walter Farley was only 26 years old when he published The Black Stallion, the fictional adventure story of the friendship between a boy and a majestic, powerful horse. Farley’s book, first available in 1941, was an instant bestseller. The Black Stallion and its 20 sequels have sold more than 12 million copies. The novel won the 1944 Young Reader’s Choice Award and inspired three Black Stallion movies and a TV series. At the heart of... Read The Black Stallion Summary

The Body Keeps the Score

by Bessel van der Kolk

Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Childhood & Youth

Tags Psychology, Science & Nature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self-Improvement, Health

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma is a 2014 nonfiction work by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. This guide refers to the 2015 edition published by Penguin Books. Van der Kolk, a psychiatrist specializing in various forms of trauma, has worked in trauma therapy for his entire professional career, publishing numerous scientific research studies of his own and contributing to many more. In addition to being a... Read The Body Keeps the Score Summary

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, War

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, Symbolic Narrative, Children`s Literature, European History, World History, World War II, Holocaust, Education, Education, Military & War

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a historical fiction novel published in 2006 by celebrated Irish author John Boyne, known both for his adult and young adult fiction. Set around the World War II concentration camp Auschwitz, the novel combines realism with parable. It portrays a young German boy, Bruno, whose father is commander of the camp, and his unusual and ultimately tragic friendship with a Jewish boy, Shmuel. The work sold over seven... Read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Summary

The Brooklyn Nine

by Alan Gratz

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Memory, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Grandparents, Fathers, Mothers, Teamwork, Disability, Indigenous Identity, Gender Identity, Race, Immigration, Social Class, Community, Education, War, Nation, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Place, Equality, Fate, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Wins & Losses, Truth & Lies, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, The Past, Midlife, Death

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Sports, Realistic Fiction, World History

... Read The Brooklyn Nine Summary

The Brothers K

by David James Duncan

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Forgiveness, Memory, Childhood & Youth, War

Tags Sports, Historical Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

David James Duncan’s 1992 novel, The Brothers K, is a sprawling family saga set in Washington state against the backdrop of the Vietnam War era. An extended allusion to Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov (1879), the story is narrated by Kincaid Chance, the youngest of four brothers, as he chronicles his family’s tumultuous journey from the 1950s through the 1970s. The central conflict revolves around the opposing worldviews of his parents: his father, a minor... Read The Brothers K Summary

The Candymakers

by Wendy Mass

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Revenge, Fathers, Family, Friendship

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Food, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Wendy Mass’s novel The Candymakers is a work of middle-grade fiction that follows four children competing in a national candy making competition. As the children learn more about each other and the Life is Sweet candy factory, they give up their personal ambitions for the common good: to save the factory from a businessman who desires to steal the factory’s secret chocolate ingredient. Brown Books for Young Readers published the novel in 2010.Plot SummaryThe Candymakers... Read The Candymakers Summary