Ten of the Best Coming-of-age Books
Are you a person of “coming of age?” Well, that must be confusing for many of my beloved readers, so let me explain. “Coming of age” simply means the process of growing up as a teenager or a person in his/her adolescence.
Coming of age books are popular among book lovers worldwide (of all ages!) because the stories depict about the past of our younger generation. You can see yourself from these books or can go through some similar experiences you have had in your adolescence.
Just check out the list of coming of age books below. If you haven’t read any coming of age book before, you must try one of the top 10 books in 2020!
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1. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Rye Catcher is J’s story. D. Salinger, partly written in the sequential format in 1945–1946 and also as a book in 1951. It was initially designed for adults, but it is often read by teenagers for its themes of fear and loneliness, and as a criticism of society’s superficiality. It has been adapted to almost every dominant language in the world. Nearly one million books are distributed worldwide, and total sales of more than one million copies.
Genre – Coming of age
Pages – 277
Goodreads rating – 3.88/ 5
Our rating – 7.7/ 10
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2. To Kill a Mockingbird (To Kill a Mockingbird) by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1960 written book by Harper Lee. It has become a masterpiece of modern American writing, earning the Pulitzer Prize, universally accessible, widely circulated in high schools and secondary schools in the United States. The story and personalities are based loosely on Lee’s impressions about her relatives, friends, and an incident that took place in 1936, while she was 10 years old, near her home town of Monroeville, Alabama.
Genre – Coming of age/ adventure
Pages – 324
Goodreads rating – 4.27/ 5
Our rating – 8.2/ 10
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3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen is a teenager autobiographical book by the American author Stephen Chbosky, first issued by Pocket Books on 1 February 1999. The book obeys Charlie, a neurotic teenager, through his freshman high school year in a neighbourhood of Pittsburgh, written in the early 1990s. The story explores Charlie’s experimental thought style as he navigates between the realms of adolescence and adulthood, and tries to answer profound concerns brought on by his encounters both with his friends and relatives.
Genre – Coming of age
Pages – 213
Goodreads rating – 4.20/ 5
Our rating – 8.6/ 10
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4. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Set in 1964 in South Carolina, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life was built by her mother’s blurry afternoon memories. Lily agrees to set them all free after Lily’s ferocious-hearted black “stand-in girlfriend,” Rosaleen, threatens three of the city’s worst racists. They are fleeing to Tiburon, South Carolina, a city which holds the key to the history of her mother. Taken in by an odd group of black horticulture women, Lily and the Black Madonna are exposed to their fascinating world of bees and honey. This is a noteworthy novel about the spiritual value of women, a tale that women will express for coming years and transfer on to their daughters.Genre – Coming of age
Pages – 302
Goodreads rating – 4.04/ 5
Our rating – 8.1/ 10
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5. Rooftop of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji
In a middle-class community of Iran’s vast main city, 17-year-old Pasha Shahed enjoys the summer of 1973 on his rooftop with his best mate Ahmed, imagining about the future and grappling with a crippling secret: his attraction of his beautiful neighbour Zari, who has been previously married to Pasha’s friend and colleague since he was raised, scientist, a college student and political activist on the SAVAK search list.
The long, warm summer days, amid Pasha’s remorse, turn the nascent friendship of the pair into a strong emotional connection. But in one night the joy of their fine, robbed summer is suddenly broken. Pasha’s life turn upside down and he is going to face the reality of life and love..
Genre – Coming of age
Pages – 348
Goodreads rating – 4.05/ 5
Our rating – 8.0/ 10
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6. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Liesel becomes a book thief after she builds a relationship with books and words. Her first book robbery is the gravedigger’s handbook which has fallen down from his pocket. Liesel finds this book under the snow behind her brother’s graveyard. It is the time Nazi armies ruling the country and she soon starts to rob books from the Nazi book-burnings.
The award-winning writer Markus Zusak has provided us with one of the most lasting tales of our era in beautifully crafted prose which burns with energy.
Genre – Coming of age/ adventure
Pages – 552
Goodreads rating – 4.37/ 5
Our rating – 8.8/ 10
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7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (The Adventures of Tom and Huck #2)by Mark Twain
Huckleberry Finn’s Adventures (or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in more recent editions) is a book by Mark Twain, first written in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Widely called among many of the Great American Novels, this book is one of the first in major American literature to be published in vernacular English, distinguished by regionalism in local colour.
Huckleberry “Huck” Finn, the protagonist of two other Twain books (Tom Sawyer Abroad and Tom Sawyer, Detective) and a Tom Sawyer’s acquaintance explains it in the first person. It is a direct sequel to Tom Sawyer’s The Adventures.
Genre – Coming of age/ adventure
Pages – 327
Goodreads rating – 3.82/ 5
Our rating – 7.6/ 10
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8. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The book’s key symbol is the hardy Tree of Heaven, whose relentless ability to develop and prosper sometimes in the inner city reflects the drive of the heroine to change herself.
Genre – Coming of age/ adventure
Pages – 496
Goodreads rating – 4.26/ 5
Our rating – 7.6/ 10
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9. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, Hilda Rosner
Siddhartha is a book by Hermann Hesse concerned with a man named Siddhartha’s mystical path through self-discovery during most of the time of the Gautama Buddha. The volume, the ninth novel by Hesse, was written in a clear lyrical style, in German.
It was issued in the United States in 1951 and became popular during the 1960s. Hesse devoted the first section to Romain Rolland, and the second part to his uncle, Wilhelm Gundert.
Genre – Coming of age/ adventure
Pages – 152
Goodreads rating – 4.02/ 5
Our rating – 8.0/ 10
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10. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Little Women is a book published in two parts in 1868 and 1869 by American novelist Louisa May Alcott At the behest of her editor, Alcott wrote the book for several months. Considering the experiences of the four March women– Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, The story describes their journey from infancy to womanhood and is actually based on the protagonist and her three sisters.
Genre – Coming of age/ adventure
Pages – 449
Goodreads rating – 4.07/ 5
Our rating – 8.2/ 10
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