"We look at the world once, in childhood," writes poet Louise Glück. "The rest is memory." As adults, our childhood may lie in the past, but its influence never leaves us. This collection gathers texts that depict and examine the innocence and insights of childhood and youth.
Publication year 2008
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Military / War, Children's Literature, History: World, Biography
Eleven-year-old Mariatu lives in a small village in Sierra Leone. There are growing reports of rebels attacking villagers nearby but, for over a year, the villagers avoid attack by hiding in the bush.One night, Mariatu dreams of palm oil—a sign that blood will be spilled the next day. Sure enough, the following day, Mariatu is captured by rebel soldiers. She prays for death but instead has her hands cut from her body by child soldiers... Read The Bite of the Mango Summary
Publication year 1941
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Realism, Animals, Historical Fiction
Walter Farley was only 26 years old when he published The Black Stallion, the fictional adventure story of the friendship between a boy and a majestic, powerful horse. Farley’s book, first available in 1941, was an instant bestseller. The Black Stallion and its 20 sequels have sold more than 12 million copies. The novel won the 1944 Young Reader’s Choice Award and inspired three Black Stallion movies and a TV series. At the heart of... Read The Black Stallion Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Health / Medicine
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma is a 2014 nonfiction work by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. This guide refers to the 2015 edition published by Penguin Books. Van der Kolk, a psychiatrist specializing in various forms of trauma, has worked in trauma therapy for his entire professional career, publishing numerous scientific research studies of his own and contributing to many more. In addition to being a... Read The Body Keeps the Score Summary
Publication year 1924
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Children's Literature, History: European, History: World, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Education, Education, Military / War
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a historical fiction novel published in 2006 by celebrated Irish author John Boyne, known both for his adult and young adult fiction. Set around the World War II concentration camp Auschwitz, the novel combines realism with parable. It portrays a young German boy, Bruno, whose father is commander of the camp, and his unusual and ultimately tragic friendship with a Jewish boy, Shmuel. The work sold over seven... Read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Disability, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Nation, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Sports, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Food, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Wendy Mass’s novel The Candymakers is a work of middle-grade fiction that follows four children competing in a national candy making competition. As the children learn more about each other and the Life is Sweet candy factory, they give up their personal ambitions for the common good: to save the factory from a businessman who desires to steal the factory’s secret chocolate ingredient. Brown Books for Young Readers published the novel in 2010.Plot SummaryThe Candymakers... Read The Candymakers Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, Social Science, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1911
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Class, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Action / Adventure, Allegory / Fable / Parable
“The Celestial Omnibus” is a short story by British author E. M. Forster, originally published in 1911 in an anthology titled The Celestial Omnibus and Other Stories. Forster primarily saw success as a novelist, penning classics like A Room with a View (1908) and Howard’s End (1910), but all of his works are similarly preoccupied with issues of class, gender, and intellectual hypocrisy. In its eponymous collection, “The Celestial Omnibus” joins other stories of fantastical... Read The Celestial Omnibus Summary
Publication year 1789
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Class
Tags Lyric Poem, Poverty, Social Justice, Class, Romanticism / Romantic Period
William Blake’s poem “The Chimney Sweeper” was first published in his poetry collection Songs of Innocence (1789) and then republished in the expanded Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1794). The latter collection includes another poem of the same title, which complements the first poem and clarifies Blake’s intention. All poems in the collection are short and deceivingly simple in form, borrowing from and building on the conventions of 18th-century poetry for children, designed to... Read The Chimney Sweeper Summary
Publication year 1952
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Humor, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Children's Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Bullying, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1964
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Relationships
Publication year 1997
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Historical Fiction, Poverty, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Fantasy
Publication year 1954
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, American Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World
The Courage of Sarah Noble, written by Alice Dalgliesh and published in 1954, follows the experience of young Sarah as she accompanies her father to Connecticut. It is based on a true story that took place in 1707, though Dalgliesh admits in the “Author’s Note” that she has “had to imagine many of the details” of Sarah’s story; thus, this is a work of historical fiction and not a biography or nonfiction text.Dalgliesh was a... Read The Courage of Sarah Noble Summary
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Southern Literature, Race / Racism, African American Literature, History: World
The Darkest Child (2004) is a coming-of-age historical fiction novel by Delores Phillips. The teenage protagonist and first-person narrator, Tangy Mae Quinn faces racism and segregation in the Jim Crow South, as well as domestic abuse, poverty, and nonconsensual sex work. Despite these challenges, Tangy finds eventual escape when she leaves her abusive mother, Rozelle, and her past behind her to pursue her own goals, which are rooted in education. The novel explores The Role... Read The Darkest Child Summary