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.

How To Hang A Witch

by Adriana Mather

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Guilt, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Coming of Age, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

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Hum If You Don't Know the Words

by Bianca Marais

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Revenge, Race, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Friendship, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags World History, Arts & Culture, Historical Fiction, Race & Racism

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Hunger

by Michael Grant

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Hate & Anger, Coming of Age, Community, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

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Hurricane Child

by Kheryn Callender

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Gender Identity, Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age, LGBTQ+, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Children`s Literature, Fantasy, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism

Hurricane Child is a middle-grade debut novel by Kacen Callender. The realistic fantasy and coming-of-age book was published in March 2018 by Scholastic Press and received the Stonewall Book Award and the Lambda Literary Award in 2019. (While the author’s name on the cover is Kheryn, they are trans and prefer to be called Kacen.) Callender was born in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, where Hurricane Child is set. Kacen is a queer Black writer... Read Hurricane Child Summary

I Am Still Alive

by Kate Alice Marshall

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Revenge, Disability, Coming of Age, Death, Environment, Food, Fathers, Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Survival Fiction, Action & Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

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I Am The Messenger

by Markus Zusak

Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Fear, Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Conflict, Forgiveness, Hate & Anger, Guilt, Perseverance, Apathy, Memory, Love, Regret, Shame & Pride, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Mothers, Beauty, Literature

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, New Adult, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Originally published in 2002, Markus Zusak’s I Am the Messenger is a young adult realistic fiction novel. Ed Kennedy, the protagonist and narrator, is a 19-year-old cab driver whose average life takes an unexpected turn when he stops a bank robber. After this moment of heroism, he begins receiving mysterious playing cards with cryptic messages that lead him to people in need of his assistance. The novel is set in suburban Sydney and draws on... Read I Am The Messenger Summary

I Beat the Odds

by Michael Oher

Publication year 2011

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Teamwork, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Education, Perseverance

Tags Sports, Inspirational, African American Literature, Life-Inspired Fiction, Poverty, Education, Biography

I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness, to The Blind Side, and Beyond (2011) is a memoir written by NFL player Michael Oher and journalist Don Yaeger. It tells Oher’s story in his own words, describing his childhood and teen years up to his rookie season in the NFL. His story was first brought to the public’s attention in Michael Lewis’s book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, published in 2006. This book was made... Read I Beat the Odds Summary

Identity: Youth and Crisis

by Erik Erikson

Publication year 1968

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Education, Femininity, Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Race, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Science & Technology

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Self-Improvement, Parenting, Sociology

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If—

by Rudyard Kipling

Publication year 1910

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Wins & Losses, Love, Perseverance, Hope, Coming of Age, Daughters & Sons

Tags Inspirational, Lyric Poem, Relationships

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If It Bleeds

by Stephen King

Publication year 2020

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Fear, Coming of Age, Midlife, Appearance & Reality, Family, Self Discovery, Good & Evil, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy

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If I Was Your Girl

by Meredith Russo

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Fathers

Tags Romance, Coming of Age, LGBTQ+, Relationships, Depression & Suicide, Bullying, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Meredith Russo’s 2016 young adult novel, If I Was Your Girl, focuses on the experiences of Amanda, an 18-year-old trans girl going through her senior year in a new school.A few critics point out what Russo herself acknowledges in an author’s note that follows the text: the novel glosses over some of the obstacles faced by most trans teens—the protagonist has no issues passing, is able to get gender-confirming surgery at a very young age... Read If I Was Your Girl Summary

If You Come Softly

by Jacqueline Woodson

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Race, Coming of Age

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Race & Racism, Modern Classic Fiction

If You Come Softly is a work of young adult fiction written by Jacqueline Woodson in 1998. In a reinterpretation of Romeo and Juliet, the novel tells the story of Ellie and Jeremiah, a young couple from New York City who finds love and connection across the boundaries of race.Plot SummaryThe novel begins with a prologue where Ellie wakes from dreaming about Jeremiah. Ellie tells her mother Marion that she dreamed about Jeremiah, and Marion... Read If You Come Softly Summary