Five Fantastic Coming-of-Age Stories with Scintillating Settings
Who doesn’t enjoy a good coming-of-age story? Or perhaps a nice Bildungsroman on a long winter’s night? But where the story is set can be as important as who is telling it. These five fabulous books have a compelling mix of voice and place and story to keep you reading.
Junie by Chelene Knight
Hogan’s Alley in Vancouver in the 1930s. A young artist aided by an East End bookstore owner. Families of Black women and girls trying to live fully.
Prairie Ostrich by Tamai Kobayashi
An ostrich farm in southern Alberta. A younger sister turning to her older sister for strength and comfort. A tagline that reads “Not every story has a happy ending.”
The Marvels of Youth by Tim Bowling
A salmon-fishing boat on the Fraser River. A young boy befriended by a comic book shop owner. A community fighting for a vanishing way of life.
Saints, Unexpected by Brent van Staalduinen
A thrift store in gritty downtown Hamilton. A young writer robbed at gunpoint. A dash of magic realism and a happier ending.
Watch How We Walk by Jennifer LoveGrove
A Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall. A young girl whose older sister disappears. A story of the pain of challenging your upbringing.
