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 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Friendship, Coming of Age, Community, Race, Fathers, Daughters & Sons, Perseverance, Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Race & Racism, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, World History, Arts & Culture
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Coming of Age, Gender Identity, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Femininity, Hope, Fear, Safety & Danger, Sexual Identity
Tags Latin American Literature, Coming of Age, Trauma & Abuse, Women`s Studies, Gender & Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction
Prayers for the Stolen is a 2012 coming-of-age novel by American Mexican author Jennifer Clement, who resides in Mexico City. Clement formerly served as president of PEN Mexico, part of a worldwide association of playwrights, poets, editors, essayists, and novelists that advocates for freedom of expression. Clement took up this role at a time when Mexico was among the most dangerous countries in the world in which to work in journalism. The narrator and protagonist... Read Prayers for the Stolen Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Friendship, Loyalty & Betrayal, Community, Safety & Danger, Revenge, Memory, Guilt, The Past, Shame & Pride, Fear, Trust & Doubt, Grief, Coming of Age, Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age, Horror & Suspense
Pretty Little Liars is a young adult fiction novel written by Sara Shepard. It is the first book in the Pretty Little Liars series, which features 16 books, along with seven companion novels. The highly successful series was featured on The New York Times best-seller list and adapted into a television show in 2010. The popular show lasted seven seasons and aired on the Freeform Network. Although Shepard had only written eight books in the... Read Pretty Little Liars Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Gender Identity, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Friendship, Politics & Government, War, Justice, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race & Racism, Children`s Literature, World History
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Guilt, Love, Femininity, Race, Coming of Age, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, War, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure, Fairy Tale & Folklore
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Power & Greed, Death, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Love, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Climate, Objects & Materials, Place, Marriage, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Wins & Losses
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Trauma & Abuse
Publication year 2012
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Friendship, Self Discovery, Education
Tags Psychology, Self-Improvement, Sociology, Business & Economics, Leadership
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Disability, Family, Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Animals, Disability, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Rain Reign is a work of middle-grade contemporary fiction written by American author Ann M. Martin and published in 2014. The novel was chosen for the 2014 New York Times Notable Children’s Books list. Martin is the original author of the best-selling Baby-Sitters Club series of books and has written over 100 books for young readers. She has received numerous awards over the course of her career, including the Newbery Medal in 2013 and a... Read Rain Reign Summary
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Coming of Age
Tags Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Coming of Age
Ramona Quimby, Age 8, (1981) is the sixth book in Beverly Cleary’s middle-grade Ramona series. It follows spirited and curious Ramona as she balances her excitement about entering the third grade with her trepidation over the Quimby family’s financial struggles. Through her misadventures, Ramona learns her place in the family and how to stand up for herself at school using determination and creativity.Known for realistic fiction, Cleary organizes the novel in a series of loosely... Read Ramona Quimby Age 8 Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Politics & Government, Justice
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Friendship, Coming of Age, Family, Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Raymie Nightingale is a 2016 middle grade novel by two-time Newbery Medal winner Kate DiCamillo. The novel was a National Book Award finalist in the year of its publication. Set in Florida in the summer of 1975, it tells the story of 10-year-old Raymie Clark as she copes with loss and forms a deep friendship that helps her and her new friends in unexpected ways.Plot SummaryRaymie Clark is determined to win the Little Miss Central... Read Raymie Nightingale Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Coming of Age, Siblings
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying
Publication year 1938
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Love, Death, Social Class, Coming of Age, Loyalty & Betrayal, The Past, Hate & Anger, Marriage, Fear, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Beauty, Appearance & Reality, Power & Greed, Grief, Conflict, Memory, Truth & Lies, Loneliness
Tags British Literature, Romance, Classic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Coming of Age, Dramatic Literature, Gothic Literature, Modernism, Horror & Suspense, Historical Fiction
Rebecca, a bestselling novel by famed English writer Daphne du Maurier, was published in 1938, and has never gone out of print. The winner of the National Book Award for favorite novel of 1938, Rebecca has been adapted numerous times, including Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film version, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and a 1997 television miniseries. It was most recently adapted for a Netflix film in 2020 by the same name. Rebecca... Read Rebecca Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Love, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies
Tags Children`s Literature, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction
Publication year 1994
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Politics & Government, Coming of Age, Sexual Identity
Tags Asian Literature, World History, Chinese Literature, Biography, Asian Literature, Asian History
First published in 1994, Anchee Min’s Red Azalea has won a fair bit of acclaim. It was named a New York Times Notable Book and also won the 1993 Carl Sandburg Literary Award in 1993. As a genre-defying blend of autobiography, memoir, and novel, Red Azalea focuses on the struggle to gain freedom and individual identity amid state-sponsored oppression. As the sole narrator of the novel, Min depicts her own views of the Cultural Revolution... Read Red Azalea Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Perseverance, Regret, Race, Coming of Age, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Justice, Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Love, Coming of Age, Family, Marriage, Self Discovery, Gender Identity
Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult, Trauma & Abuse
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Appearance & Reality, Conflict, Coming of Age
Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Science & Nature
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (Harper Teen, 2015) is the first book in the Red Queen series, which follows one girl’s battle to bring equality to her people in a dystopian fantasy world where the power hungry Silvers oppress the lower Red class. The book won the 2015 Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Goodreads Author and was nominated for the 2015 Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction. New York Times bestselling... Read Red Queen Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Music, Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Military & War, Realistic Fiction, World History
Refugee (2017) is a historical, young adult fiction novel by Alan Gratz. It follows the stories of three refugee children in three different geographic locations and points in time. Each child experiences traumatic losses and personal victories as they struggle to escape the political instability of their homelands. Josef Landau is fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939. Isabel Fernandez is escaping Castro’s Cuba in 1994. Mahmoud Bishara is leaving Syria during the volatile regime of Bashar... Read Refugee Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Coming of Age, War, Family
Tags Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Immigration & Refugeeism, Education, Education, Military & War, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction