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 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Technology
Rachel Vail is the author of the middle grade novel Unfriended (2014). Vail has published several books for young readers and children, including Wonder (1991) and The Friendship Ring series (2014). As with Unfriended, her stories focus on young people confronting the fraught dynamics of friendships and school. In Unfriended, 13-year-old Truly leaves her best friend for the popular crowd and is beset by conflicts online and in the physical world. The story of Truly... Read Unfriended Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery
Tags Sports, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction
Abbi Glines’s Until Friday Night is a young adult romance novel that follows the relationship between the two protagonists, Maggie Carlton and West Ashby. Maggie’s and West’s alternating first-person narratives reveal their complex feelings for each other and their struggles to navigate falling in love. Their evolving dynamic is the basis for the novel’s themes of Coping with Grief and Trauma, The Development of Teenage Romantic Relationships, and The Role of Communication in Healing. This... Read Until Friday Night Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Politics / Government, Psychology, Technology, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
UnWholly (2012) by Neal Shusterman is Book 2 in the Unwind Dystology. Shusterman originally planned the series to be a dystopia trilogy, but the third book, UnSouled, was split into two for publication due to length. While it was nominated for several awards in Young Adult literature, it did not win any, in contrast to the first book of the series, Unwind, which won nearly a dozen awards and prizes.UnWholly is science fiction, specifically YA... Read UnWholly Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Military / War
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Written in 2007 by Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy is the first of six novels in the Vampire Academy series, which follows the coming-of-age journey of Rosemarie “Rose” Hathaway, a dhampir (half vampire) who is training to become a guardian for her best friend, Vasilisa “Lissa” Dragomir. Lissa is a royal Moroi (or full vampire) with mysterious powers. The novel addresses themes of friendship, forbidden romance, and personal responsibility within a school setting. In 2014, Vampire... Read Vampire Academy Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Sports, History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, African American Literature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2013
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Biography
Publication year 1972
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Class
Tags Historical Fiction, Great Depression, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
“Walker Brothers Cowboy” by Alice Munro is a short story set during the Great Depression. The story uses the themes of The Disillusionment of Fading Childhood, The Bittersweet Effects of Nostalgia, and Finding Solace in Companionship to implicitly explore larger issues of poverty and social class. The story was published in Munro’s debut collection, Dance of the Happy Shades, in 1968. The stories in this collection are set in and around a variety of fictional... Read Walker Brothers Cowboy Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Walk Two Moons is perhaps the most famous work of Sharon Creech, a celebrated author of young adult fiction. The novel blends elements of both a coming-of-age narrative and a road story, and is set in the same literary universe as several of Creech’s other works, including Absolutely Normal Chaos (1990) and Chasing Redbird (1997). Following its 1994 publication, Walk Two Moons won numerous awards, including the 1995 Newbery Medal and the 1995 Children’s Book... Read Walk Two Moons Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Military / War, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Military / War, Historical Fiction, Animals, Class, Children's Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
War Horse is a children’s historical fiction novel by Michael Morpurgo. The book was first published in Great Britain in 1982 by Kaye & Ward and was a runner-up for the Whitbread Book Award in the same year. The book is told from the point of view of a young horse named Joey and chronicles his journey and the relationships he builds with his various owners during World War I. The beloved novel is a... Read War Horse Summary
Publication year 1880
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Romance
Washington Square is a novel by American author Henry James published in 1880. It is a novel of manners, which turns on individual choices amidst social constraints and expectations, a style typical of James. The novel focuses on the romance between Catherine Sloper, a wealthy young woman in line to inherit even more from her father, and Morris Townsend, a handsome, charming suitor who lacks money and a profession. Catherine’s relationship with her father, Dr... Read Washington Square Summary
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1814
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Society: War
Tags British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction
Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since, first published anonymously in 1814, was Scott’s first novel. Often comical and with aspects of a picaresque novel, Waverley depicts the travels of the English soldier Edward Waverley during the Jacobite uprising of 1745. Scott was a celebrated poet and writer of works such as Ivanhoe and The Lady of the Lake. He is best known for his nuanced depictions of Scottish life. Waverley was wildly... Read Waverley Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Sports
Publication year 1990
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism