The Very Best Coming Of Age Books [Top 10] [2024 Update]

Coming of age is a genre within the literature that focuses mainly on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist. Often this takes place between childhood and adulthood. Below we give you the best coming of age books.

Best coming of age books of all time

We start our recommendations with the top 10 very best Coming Of Age books of all time. This list has been updated this year, including all the recent titles.

The Very Best Coming Of Age Books	Author
I Capture the Castle	Dodie Smith
David Copperfield	Charles Dickens
The Catcher in the Rhy	J.D. Salinger
Rubyfruit Jungle	Rita Mae Brown
The Outsiders	S.E. Hinton
The Card	Arnold Bennett
Will Grayson	David Levithan and John Green
Little Women	Louisa May Alcott
The Lost Estate	Henri Alain-Fournier
A Prayer for Owen Meany	John Irving

The updated top 10 list: the best books about coming of age

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Wallflower Charlie is observed when going from teenager to young adult. Every aspect of that part of Charlie’s life, discovering friends, love, sex and drugs, can be witnessed, most of the times funny, but other times also heartbreaking and even with an uncomfortable feeling.

Turtles All the Way Down

Aza, together with her best friend Daisy, decides to investigate the disappearance of Russell Picket. He is a billionaire and a reward will be given to anyone who finds him. Ava is often troubled, because she wants to be the perfect at every role she plays.

The Beginning of Everything

Every ending comes with a new beginning, and that is exactly what Ezra Faulkner finds out when his life doesn’t go as expected. We like this book because it is funny, and characters are described in such a way that you might recognize them in your own group of friends or family.

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things: A Novel

Wavy is eight years old and responsible for her younger brother, when her own parents can’t be trusted. She actually doesn’t trust anyone at this point. A bond is formed with Kellen, one of her father’s bad friends. Wavy, now a teenager, finds that Kellen is the only person she has started to trust, but the rest of the world is as bad as it could possibly get for her.

Feather’s Girl: A Coming of Age Book for Girls 10 to 13 (The Morley Stories)

Feather is a rescue cat, and Morley wants to adopt her. Her mother promised her a surprise, so obviously the adoption has been finalized and Morley will soon be reunited with her cat. Then all of a sudden life changes and things are different than she wanted. Can she adapt?

Dress Coded

Molly doesn’t agree with the dress code that is applied differently to her group of friends, and she decides to do something about it. She starts a podcast where every individual targeted with the dress code can share their story. Then the unexpected happens.

Just Me. Morley.: A Coming of Age Book for Girls 10 to 13

This is the first book in a series, whereas ‘Feather’s Girl’ (number five on this list) is the second book. Morley helps at the shelter, and tries to get her family back to living a happy life. Will all her efforts help to achieve her goal?

Celebrate Your Body (and Its Changes, Too!): The Ultimate Puberty Book for Girls (Celebrate Your Body, 1)

We recommend this book to any girl (aged 8 to 12) that needs a positive body image. What happens to the female body in puberty is described in such a manner, that it is clear for a young girl. The tips will be very helpful.

Such a Fun Age

Emira Tucker is a black young woman and accused of kidnapping a white child while shopping at a supermarket. As she is the child’s babysitter, the real mother is shocked when she finds out what happened. What happens next in this young woman’s life? Can she overcome her struggles after what happened, and will the mother of the child be able to help?

The Lying Life of Adults: A Novel

Giovanna is fighting the idea that her face is changing into that of her aunt’s. Her parents don’t like her aunt, so she definitely doesn’t want to end up looking like her. She searches for a mirror to help her find out who she really is, and the city of Naples, with all its good and bad characteristics, help her do exactly that.