From: Merri Lindgren <Mlindgren>
Date: Sat, 01 Nov 2003 11:05:21 -0600

Thanks to everyone for participating in CCBC-Net's October discussion of literature on community and community through literature.

Let's turn to November's discussion of coming of age stories. One of my recent favorites in this category is BORN CONFUSED by Tanuja Desai Hidier (Scholastic Press, 2002). Over the course of one summer, a 17-year-old Indian American young woman experiences incredible personal growth, as she travels from a typically narrow teenage focus to a broader, more mature perspective of others, which in turn enables her to think more openly about herself. One of the best things about this novel, I thought, was the way the author kept the voice true to her adolescent character, yet was able to show a credible change in the character's outlook.

What coming of age books stand out to you, and why?



Merri Lindgren, Librarian mlindgren at education.wisc.edu Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/ A Library of the School of Education, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Received on Sat 01 Nov 2003 11:05:21 AM CST