Coming of Age through the Centuries

Preus, Margi. Heart of a Samurai. 2010. Newbery Honor Book.

The Japan of 1841 had been isolated from the world for over 200 years. No one was allowed to land on the island, if fishermen from Japanese villages drifted too far from the island, they would not be allowed back to their homes for fear of being tainted by the ‘barbarians’. Fourteen-year-old Manjiro is the youngest person aboard a small fishing vessel that gets lost at sea, they are eventually rescued by ‘barbarians’. Manjiro only wants to go home but after seeing and learning so much from the captain and crew of the whaling vessel that rescues him and his comrades, he agrees to continue on with the captain to America and live as his son. His life in America is a wonderful learning experience but he longs for Japan. Read Heart of a Samurai to learn Manjiro’s fate.

Philbrick, Rodman. The mostly true adventures of Homer P. Figg. 2009. Newbery Honor Book.

Homer’s older brother has just been sold. He is now a Union soldier going to fight in the Civil War but he is only seventeen. And Homer is going to find him and bring him home, even though Homer’s parents have been dead for years and they have no real home. Homer’s adventures are amazing and thrilling and sometimes sad but he is true to his purpose and continues to search for his brother despite all kinds of setbacks. Read The mostly true adventures of Homer P. Figg for a rollicking good time adventure.

Speare, Elizabeth George. The sign of the Beaver. 1983. Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction.

In the late 18th century Maine was mostly wild. Matt and his father built a log cabin in this wilderness in anticipation of bringing the rest of the family to settle at the end of the summer. Matt’s father leaves him alone at the cabin for the 6-8 weeks he will be away fetching the rest of the family. Matt’s father does not return for many months. Matt survives and thrives thanks to Attean, an Indian boy about Matt’s age. Matt tries to teach him to read and Attean teaches Matt how to survive in the woods. But white men are coming to Attean’s land and what will the Indians do. Read The sign of the Beaver for a tale of friendship and understanding.

Reinhardt, Dana. A brief chapter in my impossible life. 2006.

At 16 years old, Simone has a good life, she has parents who love and support her, a younger brother she loves and likes and good friends and a good future. Her life seems to become impossible when her parents tell her that Rivka has called and would like to talk to her. Simone resists strongly but in the end she realizes she has an opportunity to talk to her birth mother. The call opens a whole new world to her and Simone realizes that having another person in her life who loves her is a good thing. Read A brief chapter in my impossible life to see how life is always changing.

Davis, Tanita S. Mare’s War. 2009. Coretta Scott King Honor.

Octavia and Tali are dreading their cross country trip with their grandmother, Mare. Mare is not a typical grandmother she isn’t warm and full of hugs and she thinks her granddaughters are spoiled. So how will they pass the time on the long drive? Mare tells them about the event that changed the course of her life and thus, she became a WAC during World War II. Read Mare’s War to read a tale of a woman’s experience in war.

Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars. 2007.

Holling’s 7th grade teacher, Mrs. Baker, hates him, he just knows it. Every Wednesday afternoon half the class goes to temple and the other half of class goes to church. No else stays in class but Holling and now his teacher has to stay and find things for him to do. And does she. First its cleaning erasers and the rats’ cage. Then it’s Shakespeare. But the thing is, Shakespeare is great and Holling learns not only from Shakespeare but also from Mrs. Baker. Read The Wednesday Wars for a wonderful coming of age story.

Rapp Adam. Punkzilla. 2009. Michael I. Printz Award.

Jamie is Punkzilla but what Jamie is really is a 14-year-old boy who’s run away from military school and is now on a cross-country trip to see his dying brother. He travels by bus and car having adventures and meeting some very interesting people along the way. He writes all this down in letters to his brother, which he hopes to read to him if he can get to his brother before he dies. Read Punkzilla for an edgy coming of age story.