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.

The Nickel Boys

by Colson Whitehead

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Race, Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Civil Rights & Jim Crow South, Education, Incarceration, African American Literature, Race & Racism, World History, Historical Fiction

Like his 2016 bestseller, The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys (2019) won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (Whitehead is only the fourth writer in history to win two Pulitzers). The Nickel Boys describes life in a reform school from the point of view of young Black teenager. Whitehead based Nickel Academy on the real life Dozier School, a Florida facility that ran for over a century, until a university investigation publicized its racist... Read The Nickel Boys Summary

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

by Neil Gaiman

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Family, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger, Good & Evil, Memory

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Horror & Suspense, Religion & Spirituality

In The Ocean at the End of the Lane (2013), a dark fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman, a young boy accidentally brings an evil entity from another reality into his world, and he needs the help of three mysterious women to try to get rid of the threat. A number-one New York Times bestseller, the novel won several honors, including the British Book Awards Book of the Year and the Locus Award for best fantasy... Read The Ocean at the End of the Lane Summary

Theories of Relativity

by Barbara Haworth-Attard

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Social Class, Family, Trust & Doubt, Perseverance

Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

Barbara Haworth-Attard’s young adult novel Theories of Relativity follows the story of Dylan Wallace, a 16-year-old boy living on the streets of a large city in Canada. Through first-person, present-tense narration, Dylan navigates the dangers and risks of street life and deals with the hardships that accompany the lifestyle. This novel was originally published in Canada in 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. This study guide follows the First American Edition of the novel, published in... Read Theories of Relativity Summary

The Other Side of Truth

by Beverley Naidoo

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Justice, Family, Truth & Lies, Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, African Literature, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction

The Other Side of Truth is a young adult novel by South African writer Beverley Naidoo that was published in 2000. The work is set in both Nigeria and in London, and it takes place after the 1995 Nigerian execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, a writer and activist who spoke out against Nigeria’s military government’s corruption. Sade is the novel’s protagonist. The story is written in the third person, and it follows the journey of Sade... Read The Other Side of Truth Summary

The Outsiders

by S. E. Hinton

Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Teamwork, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Outsiders (1967) is S. E. Hinton’s first novel, which she wrote when she was a high school student. The novel addresses themes of violence, masculinity, and belonging, all of which Hinton witnessed first-hand with her childhood friends. In interviews, Hinton has explained that she saw a need for realistic books for teenage readers and decided to solve the problem herself. This coming-of-age story was inspired by her experiences growing up in Oklahoma and witnessing... Read The Outsiders Summary

The Pact

by Jodi Picoult

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Death, Coming of Age, Friendship

Tags Romance, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Depression & Suicide, Relationships, Trauma & Abuse

The Pact: A Love Story (1998) by Jodi Picoult tells the story of teens Emily Gold and Chris Harte who enter into a pact to die by suicide. Emily’s death has taken place by the novel’s opening, but Chris is swiftly charged with her murder. As the novel unfolds, the complicated dynamics of the lives of the teens—lifelong best friends who grew up next door to one another—are presented. The nature of the “pact” that... Read The Pact Summary

The Paris Novel

by Ruth Reichl

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Coming of Age, The Past, Food, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Art

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, French Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance, Travel Literature, Food

... Read The Paris Novel Summary

The Penderwicks

by Jeanne Birdsall

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Family, Self Discovery, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Animals

Tags Realistic Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Coming of Age, Animals, Relationships, Social Class, Music, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read The Penderwicks Summary

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Music, Family, Coming of Age

Tags Depression & Suicide, Mental Illness, LGBTQ+, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is Stephen Chbosky’s first novel and was published in 1999. It is young adult fiction and a coming-of-age tale told from the perspective of Charlie, a freshman in high school. The epistolary novel is comprised of a series of letters that Charlie writes to someone he calls “friend,” although he has never met this friend in person. He makes it immediately clear that he wants to remain anonymous with... Read The Perks of Being a Wallflower Summary

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

by Muriel Spark

Publication year 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Education, Loyalty & Betrayal, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Art, Beauty

Tags British Literature, World History, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Post-War Era

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961) is a novel by Scottish writer Muriel Spark. It explores the relationship between a group of six female students and their eccentric teacher, Jean Brodie, over the course of roughly 15 years. Using nonlinear narrative techniques, including flashbacks and flash forwards, the novel examines the influence of adults on adolescents, particularly in the context of their sexual and spiritual development. Set in Edinburgh in the 1930s and early... Read The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Summary

The Princess Diaries

by Meg Cabot

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Family, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Romance, Humor, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

The Princess Diaries is the first novel in the titular children’s book series penned by American author Meg Cabot. First published in 2000, The Princess Diaries became a New York Times bestseller and was quickly adapted into a 2001 film of the same name starring Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis and Julie Andrews as Mia’s grandmother. Although the film adaptation deviates greatly from the novel, both versions of The Princess Diaries tackle the adolescent experience... Read The Princess Diaries Summary