Coming-of-Age

Auden spends a summer in a beach town, exploring teenage life and forming a deep connection with Eli, a fellow insomniac, as they both seek personal growth and healing.

The Yearling is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a boy, Jody Baxter, and his bond with an orphaned fawn, exploring themes of love, loss, and survival in the Florida backwoods.

In 'Backwoods Romeo' by Daniel Elijah Sanderfer, Walt Ridgeway discovers friendship and love while reconnecting with a local boy, Dooley Harlow, in his Appalachian hometown, exploring themes of coming-of-age and family secrets.

In 'Paper Towns,' Quentin Jacobson embarks on a journey to find Margo Roth Spiegelman after she vanishes, leaving behind a series of clues.

In 'Season of Life,' Jeffrey Marx chronicles the inspiring journey of Joe Ehrmann, a former NFL star who teaches young men the true essence of masculinity through love, responsibility, and service, reshaping their understanding of success beyond the scoreboard.

'A Long Way from Chicago' is a heartwarming, humorous tale of Joey and Mary Alice's summers with their feisty grandmother, set during the Great Depression.

A Painted House by John Grisham explores a young boy's coming-of-age in 1950s rural Arkansas amidst cotton-picking season and family secrets.

Craig Thompson's "Blankets" is a moving graphic memoir that explores first love, heartbreak, and the struggles of adolescence against the backdrop of a strict Christian upbringing in the Midwest.

Dear Edward is a poignant story about a twelve-year-old boy who is the sole survivor of a tragic plane crash and his journey to find meaning and hope amidst overwhelming loss.

Set against the backdrop of World War II, 'A Separate Peace' explores the complexities of adolescence, the loss of innocence, and the impact of a tragic event on two friends, Gene and Phineas.

I Am David by Anne Holm tells the gripping tale of a twelve-year-old boy's escape from a bleak prison camp in Eastern Europe and his journey to freedom in Denmark, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit amidst adversity.

Heartstopper: Volume Four follows Charlie and Nick as they navigate their blossoming relationship, dealing with love, mental health issues, and the challenges of coming out amidst the complexities of teenage life.

'How the García Girls Lost Their Accents' explores the immigrant experience of four sisters as they navigate their identities and cultural dislocation after moving from the Dominican Republic to New York City.

A Day No Pigs Would Die is a poignant coming-of-age story set in rural Vermont, exploring themes of life, death, and responsibility through the eyes of a young boy named Rob Peck as he faces the harsh realities of farm life.

Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata is a poignant coming-of-age story that explores themes of hope, family, and resilience through the lens of Katie Takeshima, a Japanese-American girl navigating challenges in the Deep South.

Dandelion Wine is a nostalgic coming-of-age novel by Ray Bradbury, capturing a magical summer in 1928 through the eyes of twelve-year-old Douglas Spaulding, exploring themes of life, loss, and the beauty of existence.

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan tells the poignant story of twelve-year-old Willow Chance, a gifted girl navigating grief and loneliness after losing her parents, who ultimately discovers a new family among fellow misfits.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is a poignant coming-of-age novel set in 1964 South Carolina, exploring themes of maternal love, loss, and the search for identity.

A poetic coming-of-age novel about Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, exploring identity, belonging, and self-discovery through vignettes.

A thought-provoking novel by John Green, 'Looking for Alaska' explores themes of uncertainty, loss, friendship, and the search for meaning through the experiences of high school junior Miles 'Pudge' Halter.