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 Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature
Written in 2012 by Carl Hiaasen, Chomp is a young adult novel set in Hiaasen’s native Florida (specifically, Everglades National Park). Hiaasen, who began his career as a journalist, is the author of six other books for young readers (as well as numerous adult novels). Because his work blends humor with grim realism, Chomp features characters who are just as “bizarre” as their Florida setting. Primarily known for his crime fiction, Hiaasen also crafts stories... Read Chomp Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Grief / Death, Children's Literature
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley is a middle-grade fantasy/magical realism novel about a young boy named Micah Tuttle who is struggling to come to terms with the impending death of his grandfather, Ephraim. Micah learns from Ephraim that Circus Mirandus, a fantastical traveling circus that Micah thought was a fictional story, is actually real. As Ephraim nears death, Micah and his friend Jenny go to Circus Mirandus to find the Lightbender, who owes Ephraim a... Read Circus Mirandus Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
City of Ashes (2008) by Cassandra Clare is the second novel in the six-part Mortal Instruments series. The book follows 16-year-old Clary Fray, who has recently discovered that she is not an ordinary mortal, but a Shadowhunter, part of a group who saves the world from demons. In City of Bones (2007) the first book of the series, Clary also learned that she is the daughter of rogue Shadowhunter Valentine Morgenstern and that her romantic... Read City of Ashes Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2019
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Music, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Japanese Literature, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage is a 2014 novel by renowned Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. The novel tells the story of a man who attempts to overcome past emotional suffering to make his present life more rewarding. Through Tsukuru’s point of view, we see the ripple effects of rejection and the necessity of sometimes confronting the past to make sense of who we are in the present. After a group of friends... Read Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Education, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Relationships, LGBTQ, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1968
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
First published in 1968, Coming of Age in Mississippi is an autobiography of Anne Moody, a black civil rights worker in the 1960s. The memoir starts with Moody (born Essie Mae Moody) as a young child, continues through her high school and college years, and finishes with Moody’s work in “the Movement” (civil rights movement). Narrated in the first-person and in a straightforward manner, the book unflinchingly describes poverty, segregated education, violence against black people... Read Coming Of Age In Mississippi Summary
Publication year 1949
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Masculinity
Tags LGBTQ, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, History: World
Confessions of a Mask is a novel by Yukio Mishima, first published in Japan in 1949. The novel takes place during and immediately after World War II and centers on the struggles of a young man named Kochan. It has significant elements of the coming-of-age (bildungsroman) and queer literature genres, as Kochan is a closeted gay man trying to navigate his complex inner life and sexuality in contrast with his carefully controlled outer persona. The... Read Confessions of a Mask Summary
Publication year 1936
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Poverty, Class, Indian Literature, Realism, Asian Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Since its publication in 1936, Mulk Raj Anand’s novel Coolie has become a landmark in modern Indian literature. The novel condemned the social, economic, and cultural impact of more than two centuries of British occupation and indicted India’s own rigid caste system, which had long separated its citizens into groups based on their work status and their ethnicity. The novel appeared at the height of a turbulent decade in which India itself, under the moral... Read Coolie Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class, Depression / Suicide, History: European, Politics / Government, Poverty
Crispin: The Cross of Lead is a 2002 children’s historical fiction novel by Avi. Set in medieval England, the novel follows the adventures of a boy who goes on the run after he is falsely accused of theft and murder and explores themes related to poverty, education, choice, and freedom. Crispin won the Newbery Medal in 2003. A sequel, Crispin at the Edge of the World, was released in 2006, while a third novel, Crispin:... Read Crispin: The Cross of Lead Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Science / Nature, Social Justice
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: World
Publication year 1998
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Play: Drama, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1940
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease is a children’s historical novel published in 1940. Set in Elizabethan England at the end of the 16th century, it follows the adventures of Peter, forced to run away from his Cumberland home. Peter becomes a boy-actor, traveling to London with another runaway, Kit. They uncover a conspiracy against the Queen that takes them on a series of escapades up and down the country.Trease wrote over 100 books and... Read Cue for Treason Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Magical Realism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Korean Literature