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 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family
Tags Disability, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1973
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Objects, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure
The Son of Neptune is the second novel in Rick Riordan’s The Heroes of Olympus series. Released in 2011, this novel continues the story begun in The Lost Hero, following Percy Jackson as he stumbles into the Roman demigod camp, Camp Jupiter, after losing his memory and eight months of his life. At the camp, Percy meets Hazel, daughter of Pluto, and Frank, son of Mars. Together, Percy, Hazel, and Frank are charged with a... Read The Son of Neptune Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Disability, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Society: War
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Jennifer E. Smith’s The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (2012) is one of nine books that she has written for young adults to date. In an interview with Buzz Magazine, Smith said, “I’m kind of obsessed with moments in time that act as hinges, days where there’s a really clear split between before and after—where yesterday, your life was one way, and tomorrow it will be entirely different” (“Author Interview: Jennifer E. Smith.”... Read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1981
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Relationships, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Disability, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Technology, American Literature, Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
The Strangers is a young adult mystery novel published in 2019 by the American author Margaret Peterson Haddix. It tells the story of the three Greystone children who seek to unravel a kidnapping mystery. It is Volume 1 in the Greystone Secrets series, which Haddix returned to in 2020 with Volume 2, The Deceivers. Haddix is the author of more than 40 books for kids and teens, including the Shadow Children series, the Missing series... Read The Strangers Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature
Publication year 1998
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature, Love / Sexuality, American Literature
Publication year 1970
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Disability, Post Modernism, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Romance, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, LGBTQ, Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Asian Literature
Publication year 1984
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: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: War, Relationships: Family
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure
The Talisman is a 1984 novel co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. It is a fantasy novel with horror elements and has connections to the works in King’s Dark Tower series. The Talisman is a road trip book that tells the story of Jack Sawyer and his quest to save his mother. The Talisman examines themes of lost innocence, coming of age, friendship, the corrupting nature of power, and more.The Talisman has a sequel... Read The Talisman Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Relationships, Class, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Biography
J. R. Moehringer’s The Tender Bar (2005) is a sweeping memoir that brings the reader on a journey from his earliest childhood memories to his young adulthood. The bar in question, Publicans (previously known as Dickens), played an enormous role in the author’s childhood by introducing him to an array of men who helped fill the void left by his absent father. Moehringer paints a vivid picture of his childhood home in Manhasset, his colorful... Read The Tender Bar Summary