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 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Science / Nature, Humor, Grief / Death, Biography
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Publication year 1998
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, American Civil War, Military / War, Mental Illness, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World
Gary Paulsen’s young adult novel Soldier’s Heart: Being the Story of the Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy Charley Goddard in the First Minnesota Volunteers highlights a young soldier’s experience in the Civil War. Many of the novel’s plot events are based on historical records, as is the novel’s main character Charley, who is based on the actual soldier Charley Goddard. However, Paulsen takes liberties within the story and notes that parts of the... Read Soldiers Heart Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Education, Education, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Prose poetry, Free verse, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Music, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Someone Like You is a 1998 young adult novel by Sarah Dessen. The novel follows 16-year-old Halley as she navigates the complexities and challenges of growing up. Halley’s best friend, Scarlett, discovers that she is pregnant after her boyfriend, Michael, dies in a motorcycle accident. Halley steps up to help her friend through this unexpected challenge. Halley also begins dating Michael’s best friend, Macon, and must decide whether she is ready to have sex with... Read Someone Like You Summary
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Holidays & Occasions, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) is a horror novel by American science fiction author Ray Bradbury. It tells the story of Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, two small-town boys whose lives are threatened when a mysterious carnival arrives the week before Halloween. Bradbury, from a small Midwestern town himself, examines The Nature of Good and Evil, the human fear of mortality, and the sometimes-frightening experience of coming of age in the American Midwest. The... Read Something Wicked This Way Comes Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fame
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Philosophy, Scandinavian Literature, Magical Realism, Science / Nature, Sociology, Religion / Spirituality, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Sophie's World is a young adult book by Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder. The book follows main character Sophie, a young girl who is fourteen years old and living with her parents in Norway. Sophie's life changes dramatically when she receives a series of strange postcards, which ask her large, existential questions about the world around her. Each day, Sophie receives a postcard, and in the evenings she receives a package from a man named Alberto... Read Sophie's World Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1969
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, Classic Fiction, Southern Literature
Sounder is a 1969 book for young readers by American author William H. Armstrong. In the novel, a young boy grows up in a Black sharecropping family on a sprawling plantation in the 19th-century in the American South, where he lives with his parents, his siblings, and his faithful dog, Sounder. Bored and lonely, the boy dreams of returning to school and learning to read, and he copes with his life of obligation by hunting... Read Sounder Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Memoir / Autobiography
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Tally Youngblood has been transformed many times over. First, she was an ordinary Ugly, awaiting the cosmetic surgery that will make her into a more socially acceptable Pretty. Now, Tally has become a Special, or a surgically enhanced super-human, as well as a member of an elite group that call themselves the Cutters. In Scott Westerfeld’s Specials, a young adult novel published in 2006, Tally is tasked with upholding the conventions of her socially stratified... Read Specials Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1891
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, German Literature
Spring Awakening: A Children’s Tragedy is an 1891 bildungsroman by the German playwright Frank Wedekind. The play chronicles a group of teenagers struggling to navigate puberty in the sexually repressive environment of fin-de-siècle provincial Germany. In its indictment of repressive bourgeois mores, the play addresses topics that prevented it from being performed until 1906, including gay relationships, masturbation, suicide, and rape. This foundational work of Modern theater is notable for the amorality of its teenage... Read Spring Awakening Summary
Publication year 1923
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Free verse