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Being a tween is hard. These powerful coming-of-age novels can help kids navigate this tumultuous time in their lives.
Jun 8, 2023 · There’s something for every middle grader in this roundup curated by the We Are Kid Lit Collective. Up-and-coming chefs, family and friendship drama, and propulsive informational texts will keep tweens engaged beyond the summer months.
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May 13, 2024 · All Lists. Best Coming Of Age Books. Last updated: May 13, 2024. If you love Coming Of Age and you're looking for your next family favorite, you're in the right place. We've compiled a top list of the latest and greatest Coming Of Age Books. Give it a scroll and find the perfect fit for your family.
To find more real-world stories, check out our Books to Help Your Kid Survive Middle School, Teen Romance Novels, and Books About Racism and Social Justice.
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- Non-Fiction Coming of Age Books
- Classic Coming of Age Books
- What’s Your Favorite Coming-Of-Age Novel?
What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee
“After his dad commits suicide, Will tries to overcome his own misery by secretly helping the people around him in this exquisitely crafted story made up of one hundred chapters of one hundred words each.”
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
“An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Jason Reynolds’s fiercely stunning novel that takes place in sixty potent seconds—the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother.”
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
“The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an ‘accident,’ he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.”
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
“High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own—populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his...
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
“Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn’t live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod’s family…”
The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
“A Chinese American woman tells of the Chinese myths, family stories and events of her California childhood that have shaped her identity. It is a sensitive account of growing up female and Chinese American in a California laundry.”
All Souls: A Family Story from Southie by Michael Patrick MacDonald
“In All Souls,MacDonald takes us deep into the secret heart of Southie. With radiant insight, he opens up a contradictory world, where residents are besieged by gangs and crime but refuse to admit any problems, remaining fiercely loyal to their community. MacDonald also introduces us to the unforgettable people who inhabit this proud neighborhood.”
Heart Berries: A Memoir by Terese Marie Mailhot
“Heart Berries is a powerful, poetic memoir of a woman’s coming of age on the Seabird Island Indian Reservation in the Pacific Northwest. Having survived a profoundly dysfunctional upbringing only to find herself hospitalized and facing a dual diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder and bipolar II disorder; Terese Marie Mailhot is given a notebook and begins to write her way out of trauma. The triumphant result is Heart Berries, a memorial for Mailhot’s mother, a social worker and activis...
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
“The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg at the turn of the century.”
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
“Meg’s father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?”
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
“Humble, orphaned Pip is apprenticed to the dirty work of the forge but dares to dream of becoming a gentleman—and one day, under sudden and enigmatic circumstances, he finds himself in possession of ‘great expectations.'”
Many of these coming of age books above are close to my heart, but there are just so many special coming of age books it’s impossible to list them all. Let’s give it a try anyway. Leave your favorite coming of age books in the comments and keep this list growing (up). And while you’re here, check out some of our other must-read lists.
Looking for the best coming-of-age books for adults, teens, and middle grade readers? We've got dozens of our favorites on this list!
May 8, 2019 · Get ready to feel all the feels with these 10 new middle grade coming-of-age novels! Each one takes you on a unique and heartfelt emotional journey. From stories of confronting divorce and death, to tales of feeling different and fighting to survive, these books show kids navigating difficult life experiences with empathy and understanding.
