Growing up is not easy. When I was a young adult, fiction was an escape, but it was also something I could see myself reflected in and learn from. While there’s nothing wrong with light reading, I always appreciated books that were honest and that didn’t shy away from difficult subjects. There’s comfort in knowing that you’re not alone. Here are some books in which the characters go through especially difficult challenges.
Me Earl & The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews is not for everyone. It’s filled with profanities, and our protagonist has a crude sense of humor. But I found it refreshing and hilarious and laugh-out-loud funny to be honest. The subject matter is sad: the main character’s friend from childhood is diagnosed with leukemia. Yet he can’t quite process the fact that she’s dying and all the while, it’s his mother who’s forcing him to hang out with her. It’s a little uncomfortable to read about but it’s a different take on a common plot in YA. This book is humorous but it’s also about trying to grasp the concept of mortality. It’s confusing to see someone so alive, knowing that they’re, in fact, dying.
I
f I Stay by Gail Foreman is a heartbreaking story about a 17 year old girl who gets into a horrific car accident and everything changes. While at times the language and story verge on becoming cliche, I like how Mia spends most of the narration recounting her past, showing us the depth of the loss she’ll experience if she decides to stay in the world. Moments of the backstory and characterization feel forced, and there are many times when I could feel the writer’s hand at work. Yet there were enough beautiful moments to make up for it. For instance, there’s scene with her grandfather in the hospital that’s truly heart-rending. This book is an important book for young adults, and it’s a reminder of how quickly and unexpectedly things can change. We forget that sometimes.
Looking for Alaska by John Green tells the story of Miles Pudge, a teenage boy who is obsessed with people’s famous last words. While at boarding school, he falls for Alaska, a beautiful, carefree “manic pixie dream girl” type, and things finally gets interesting for him. We see how Alaska’s reckless personality changes the course of his life. I appreciate that John Green does not shy away from writing about difficult moments and he doesn’t sugarcoat anything. We see Miles’ come of age as he experiences love/lust for the first time and that inner turmoil that comes with it. John Green’s storytelling is emotional and honest, and you can feel that some of Green’s personal experiences inspire his writing.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell is another book that explores first love and both the heartache and excitement it brings. The story takes place in the 80s, but its themes are universal. Eleanor, the new girl at school, doesn’t fit in. But then she meets Park. The two develop a bond over music, and they find a sense of belonging in one another. I just loved this book. It’s so well-written, and it’s a reminder to be kind because we don’t always know what’s going on in someone’s home life/behind closed doors.
The Pigman by Paul Zindel, published in 1968, was a book I was assigned in middle school. It was when I wasn’t reading much on my own for pleasure, but I remember this book resonated with me so deeply that I went to the library to check out the sequel. The book is about two teenagers, John and Lorraine, who play a prank on a lonely old stranger they call The Pigman. They eventually become friends with him and regularly visit him. When he dies, the two must come to grips with their lost friendship and with their feelings of grief. Death is inevitable; even so, it’s hard to process. Literature is important in helping us deal with with the confusion of it all.
Of course, there are boundless coming-of-age stories out there, both in YA and in adult literature. This is just a minuscule sampling of books pulled from my own bookshelf that really resonated with me!
Pawsitive Reads 