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 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 1970

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is a 1970 middle-grade novel by bestselling American author Judy Blume (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Tiger Eyes). The story focuses on 11-year-old Margaret Ann Simon and her family’s move to New Jersey at the beginning of her sixth-grade year. As Margaret navigates her new public school and new friend dynamics, she struggles to form a positive self-image about her changing body and starts exploring her religious... Read Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Relationships, Bullying, Parenting, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz is a young adult fiction novel published in 2012. The novel won a Lambda Literary Award, a Pura Belpre Award, and a Stonewall Book Award. It was also named a Printz Honor Book and has achieved popularity on BookTok. Told from a first-person point of view, the book is a work of realistic fiction set in El Paso, Texas, in the late... Read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1976

Genre Novella, Fiction

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

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Science / Nature, Historical Fiction, Western, Classic Fiction

A River Runs through It is a semi-autobiographical novella by the American author Norman Maclean. The novella was published in 1976, and A River Runs through It was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1977. The novella contains the coming-of-age story of the author and his brother, Paul. Sons of a Scottish Presbyterian minister and his wife, the two boys grew up in a small town in western Montana at the turn of the last... Read A River Runs Through It Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Teams, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology, Children's Literature

Artemis Fowl (2001) is the first of 11 fantasy novels in the Fowl Adventures series. It was written by Eoin Colfer, an Irish writer, and details the titular character’s attempt to restore his family’s fortune by kidnapping an elf named Holly Short. Taking place in Colfer’s home country of Ireland, the novel is also his first foray into the fantasy genre. The novel explores themes of community, environmentalism, and the line between magic and science.In... Read Artemis Fowl Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Race / Racism, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Animals, Anthropology, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

As Brave as You is a middle grade novel written by American author Jason Reynolds and published in 2016. It won several awards, including the Kirkus Award, the NCAAP Image award for children’s literature, and the Schneider Family Book Award, which recognizes superior depictions of disability in children’s literature. It was also chosen as a Coretta Scott King Honor book, awarded to African-American writers and illustrators for excellence in conveying the African-American experience in children’s... Read As Brave As You Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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

Written in 2002 by Mary Jane Auch, Ashes of Roses is a historical fiction novel that follows a young Irish immigrant named Rose Nolan as she comes to New York City with her family. Seeking a better life in America, Rose finds work at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. The novel chronicles her experiences as an immigrant and a factory worker and examines the events up to the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. Through... Read Ashes Of Roses Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman


Publication year 1896

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Lyric Poem, British Literature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, British Literature, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction

Atonement (2001) is an award-winning novel by British author Ian McEwan that spans the last two-thirds of the 20th century. The novel was a New York Times Bestseller for seven straight weeks and shortlisted for the Booker Prize for fiction in 2001. The 2007 film adaptation won an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and a BAFTA Award. McEwan is critically acclaimed with over a dozen novels and other works of fiction to his name, as... Read Atonement Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, New Adult


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

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


Publication year 2014

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1791

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Inspirational, American Revolution, Age of Enlightenment

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was written in pieces from 1771 to 1790. The work was first published in 1791 in Paris, France, after Franklin’s death as The Private Life of the Late Benjamin Franklin. The autobiography was then published in London in 1793. In his writing, Franklin reflects upon his academic, professional, and philosophical pursuits. He examines how he advanced his economic and social standing during the formation of the United States, covering from... Read Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Summary