Tag Archives: Coming of Age

Just The Beginning By Betty Miles

Three hundred and sixty-five days a year for thirteen years makes about five thousand days. And this one is the worst of all… Background: This will be the third time author Betty Miles work has been featured here, most memorably in … Continue reading

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Going on Sixteen By Betty Cavanna

Fervently Julie whispered to the mirror, “I hope.” Betty Cavanna was one of the queens of the Malt Shop genre: gentle coming-of-age stories featuring young heroines facing teenage crises and growing up. Published from the 1940s through the 1960s, these … Continue reading

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The Body By Stephen King

I was twelve going on thirteen when I first saw a dead human being… It’s a short novel about finding a dead body in the woods! It features a group of middle-school boys with dysfunctional home lives! It has a … Continue reading

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Finding A Dead Body In The Woods Part 1: Dreamland Lake By Richard Peck

Only when it’s too late do Brian and Flip realize that their search for the truth will change their friendship forever… It’s a short novel about finding a dead body in the woods! It features a group of middle-school boys … Continue reading

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Summer Theme Part 2: “Finding A Dead Body In The Woods”

Last month we celebrated the traditions of going to Summer Camp, with color wars, demerits, escape attempts, romances, square dancing, Owl Walks, driving your counselors to nervous breakdowns… This month we celebrate another summertime tradition of YA fiction: coming of … Continue reading

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Going To Camp Part 3: Little Darlings By Sonia Pilcer

The story of two innocent girls in a race not to stay that way! A one-sentence description of the plot (adapted from the screenplay of the notorious 1980 film) belies the sensitivity with which the subject is treated: two girls … Continue reading

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A Place And A Time By Barbara Schoen

Two years in the life of Josie Frost, Everygirl. Not a girl, but not yet a woman… not a short story collection, yet not quite a novel.  10 vignettes cover two year in the life of WASPy Westchester teen Josie … Continue reading

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When The Phone Rang By Harry Mazer

How can they survive as a family when there’s nothing left to keep them together? I see Scholastic’s Point imprint and immediately think “Thriller”, possibly with some supernatural content, but a quick click on that tags shows that it also … Continue reading

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Junior Miss By Sally Benson

Judy is every teen-age girl. She personifies the realities and the fantasies of the in-between years, the joys and heartaches of growing up. Background: I was unaware of the pedigree of this book when I went looking for something older (chronologically … Continue reading

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Give And Take By Tricia Springstubb

New loves… old friends… Does growing up mean choosing between them? This is a recent reader-request, but also a book that I’ve picked up probably 20 times in the past two years, before rejecting it and throwing it back on … Continue reading

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