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.

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure

Stardust is a historical fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman. The novel was originally published in 1999, though an illustrated comic book miniseries preceded the prose text in 1997, along with a full-length illustrated edition in 1998. It won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature in 1999 and was nominated for the Locus Award. Stardust was adapted into a film in 2007 and a radio production in 2016. The novel uses traditional folkloric... Read Stardust Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Food


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Objects

Tags Humor, Satire, Magical Realism, Absurdism, Fantasy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

Stormbreaker, published in 2000, is the first novel in the Alex Rider series by British author Anthony Horowitz. It is a YA action-adventure novel that follows 14-year-old Alex Rider as he is recruited as a spy by MI6. The novel explores The Moral Complexities of Espionage, Perseverance in the Face of Difficulty, and The Interplay of Technology and Espionage. The book was adapted into the 2006 film Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker, although the movie made... Read Stormbreaker Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Urban Development, Romance


Publication year 1945

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Self Discovery

Tags Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Animals, Action / Adventure

Stuart Little (1945) is E. B. White’s first children’s book—the collected stories of Stuart, a mouse-boy born into a human family. White was a journalist and humorist who wrote for the United Press, the Seattle Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The New Yorker, and Harper’s Magazine. He received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Prize in 1970 for contributions to children’s literature for the much beloved Charlotte’s Web, and in 1973, The Trumpet of the Swan won the Sequoyah... Read Stuart Little Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction

Fifteen-year-old Felton Reinstein hits puberty and transforms from a nerd to an athlete but struggles to cope with his mom’s growing mental health struggles in Geoff Herbach’s young adult novel, Stupid Fast (2011). Bullied and teased most of his young life, Felton has anxiety caused by his dad’s death by suicide. Now, he grows huge and fast, joins the football team, and gains new jock friends and a smart, talented girlfriend named Aleah. Outwardly things... Read Stupid Fast Summary


Publication year 1973

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction

Summer of My German Soldier (1973) is a young adult novel by American author Bette Greene. The book is heavily based on Greene’s own childhood in Arkansas and Tennessee during World War II and her experiences growing up Jewish in the conservative Christian South. A made-for-TV film adaptation starring Kristy McNichol was released in 1978. The sequel to the novel, Morning Is a Long Time Coming, was published in 1978. Summer of My German Soldier... Read Summer of My German Soldier Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure

A loose adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey, Guadalupe Garcia McCall’s Summer of the Mariposas (2012) follows five Mexican American sisters on an epic journey from Texas to Mexico. Drawing deeply from Mexican folklore, the book’s genre blends magical realism and fantasy. The book was a 2013 Andre Norton Award Nominee, won the Westchester Fiction Award, and made the list of 2012 School Library Journal Best Books. Guadalupe Garcia McCall was born in Piedras Negras in Coahuila... Read Summer of the Mariposas Summary


Publication year 1976

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls is a middle grade historical novel first published in 1976. Set in rural Oklahoma’s Ozark Mountains in the late 1800s, the story follows 14-year-old Jay Berry Lee as he tries to capture a group of monkeys that escaped from their circus train. The monkeys, and especially the chimpanzee who leads them, prove themselves wily adversaries for Jay Berry, who desperately wants the reward money that will accompany their... Read Summer of the Monkeys Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Sports, Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Superfudge is a children’s novel written by Judy Blume first published in 1980. Blume is an author of children’s novels that have won several awards. Superfudge won the Children’s Choice Award in 1981 and the Early Readers Award in 1991. It was adapted into a television series which ran from 1995-1997. Superfudge is the third book in the Fudge series. This guide utilizes the 1988 publication of this novel.Plot SummaryAt the beginning of the novel... Read Superfudge Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Surviving the Applewhites is a children’s novel written by American author Stephanie S. Tolan and was first published in 2002.The narrative follows Jake Semple, a troubled teenager forced to move in with the unconventional and eccentric Applewhite family following an incident at school. Jake struggles to fit in at first but gradually sheds his past transgressions and undergoes a transformative journey toward self-discovery and redemption. The novel touches on Personal Growth and Transformation, Individuality Versus... Read Surviving the Applewhites Summary


Publication year 1930

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment

Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Southern Gothic, Modern Classic Fiction

Swamplandia! is a 2011 novel by the American author Karen Russell. It is an adaptation of her short story “Ava Wrestles the Alligator,” first published in the Summer 2006 issue of the literary magazine Zoetrope: All-Story and later collected in her 2006 book of short stories, St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves. It was longlisted for the Orange Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.A Miami native, Russell uses magical realism... Read Swamplandia Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Food, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Romance, Music