Coming-of-Age Journeys

Coming-of-age journeys, academically known as Bildungsromane, focus on the stories of young people embarking on the path to adulthood. These are stories of self-actualization, questions of identity, discoveries of shortcomings and strengths, and lessons learned. This collection of study guides covers classics to contemporary novels, from J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger to As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds.

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, Race / Racism, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure

Originally published in 2014, Fake ID is a mystery/thriller novel written by Lamar Giles and intended for young adults. The narrator and main character is Nick Pearson, a 15-year-old who has just moved to Stepton, Virginia, becoming a Black student in a predominantly white setting. Nick and his family are in the Federal Witness Protection Program (WITSEC). Unintentionally, he finds himself involved in a love triangle and a mysterious murder.As a Black author, Giles is... Read Fake ID Summary


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Sports, Contemporary Literature


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Fantasy

Famous Last Words (2014) is a young adult supernatural thriller by Katie Alender, an acclaimed American author known for her work in the paranormal young adult genre, including the Bad Girls Don’t Die series and Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer. Drawing on her background as a graduate of the Florida State University Film School, Alender sets the novel in a version of Hollywood where cinematic history provides a blueprint for contemporary murder. The story follows teenager... Read Famous Last Words Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Romance, New Adult

Fangirl is a 2013 contemporary young adult novel by Rainbow Rowell. Rowell is an award-winning author whose novels depict relatable struggles in the contemporary world. Her most acclaimed contemporary young adult novels, Fangirl and Eleanor & Park, and her most acclaimed adult novel, Landline, are all set in and around her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.Fangirl follows 18-year-old Cath Avery as she navigates identity, family, and romantic struggles in her first year at college. Her anxiety... Read Fangirl Summary


Publication year 1748

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Love / Sexuality

Fanny Hill or, The Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure is an erotic novel by John Cleland, an 18th-century British author known for his eroticism. The novel was originally published in installments in 1748 and 1749, and Cleland was arrested in 1749 for obscene content in Fanny Hill. Fanny Hill is one of the most banned books in the history of the English language largely due to its pornographic nature, though the novel does not... Read Fanny Hill Summary


Publication year 1933

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Society: Community

Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Agriculture, Animals, History: U.S., Parenting, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Food

Tags Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature

Set in Canada, American author Will Hobbs’s young-adult novel Far North (1996) follows Gabe Rogers, who lives with his grandparents in Austin, Texas. When Gabe tells his father that he wants to live with him in Canada, his father tells him he may on two conditions. First, Gabe must travel up north to experience the severe cold of the Northwest Territories for one year. Second, he must attend boarding school. While flying through Canada with... Read Far North Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, Asian Literature, Arts / Culture

Fasting, Feasting is divided into two parts: Part I, set in a strict and authoritarian household in India and Part II, set in a cold and isolating home in the Massachusetts suburbs. Both sections of the novel are told in third-person-limited-omniscient point of view, chronicling two members of the same Indian family. In Part I, the narrator, through flashback, explores Uma’s quest to find independence and identity within the repressive and regimented household atmosphere of Mama... Read Fasting, Feasting Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Sports, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1950

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Environment

Tags Western


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1992

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Sports, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

Fever Pitch (1992), an autobiographical book by British author Nick Hornby, explores Hornby’s life through his love for football (soccer in America) and with the Arsenal Football Club in particular. He discusses seminal football matches he’s attended and their relationship to his life as a whole. Fever Pitch was Hornby’s first published book; he went on to write popular fiction novels including High Fidelity, About a Boy, and A Long Way Down.The first game Hornby... Read Fever Pitch Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Immigration

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Magical Realism, Asian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Fantasy


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Romance, Humor


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Children's Literature, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Korean War


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World

Finding Langston, Lesa Cline-Ransome’s debut novel for middle-grade readers, is the story of an 11-year-old boy named Langston who loses his home but finds himself. The book received numerous accolades following its publication in 2018, including the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. In 2020 Cline-Ransome published Leaving Lymon, a companion novel to Finding Langston that tells the story of Langston’s bully Lymon. This study guide refers to the 2018 Holiday House edition.Plot SummaryFinding Langston... Read Finding Langston Summary