The staff at Monroe Public Library recommend favorite adolescence tales

For our new quarterly staff picks, the team looked at coming-of-age tales. The theme can be interpreted many different ways, leading to a list of recommendations as diverse as we are.

Carrie recommends “It” by Stephen King, found at F KIN and in electronic form in Libby. She notes, “I read this the summer before I became a high school freshman. I remember that summer as being the last really carefree summer of my childhood, when I wasn’t a moody teenager and wasn’t such a brat to my parents. I related to this book, because the kids were going through a lot of the same things we all go through — childhood crushes, bullying -- and having a killer clown as a common enemy will really bond people — even teenagers — together.”

Rita recommends “Panic” by Lauren Oliver, found at YA OLI and in electronic form in Libby. She describes it as an exciting tale about a small town in which high school seniors can choose to participate in a dangerous game for money.

Nancy recommends “Edge of Seventeen,” starring Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson and found at DVD EDG. She calls it “a funny and charming movie about growing up.”

Summer recommends “The Wonderful Things You Will Be” by Emily Winfield, located at ALL ABOUT ME ++ MAR. Why this particular book? “I chose this book because it’s a wonderful, touching look at all the possibilities that await a child for their future and a reminder that they’ll be loved whoever they grow up to be!”

Laura recommends “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Saenz and found at YA SAE and in electronic form in Libby. She refers to the novel as “A truly touching, beautifully-written coming of age story of two Mexican-American teens.”

Jo recommends a modern classic, “The Thorn Birds” by Collen McCollough and found at F MCC and in electronic form in Libby. She describes it as “the story of Meggie Cleary, a young girl living in the Australian Outback who as a young woman succumbs to a forbidden love affair which continues throughout her lifetime.”

Maggie recommends “Boyhood” written and directed by Richard Linklater and found at BLU BOY. She calls it “A touching, entertaining coming-of-age story of a young boy named Mason. This unique movie covers over 12 years with the same actors.”

Peggy is enthusiastic about “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, found at F HOS and in electronic form in Libby. She shares, “set in Afghanistan, this book is the story of a man reflecting on his coming of age, with all its complexities, and an insight into the history of a country.”

Janel recommends “Rascal” by Sterling North, found at +F NOR and in electronic form in Libby. She recalls, “This is one of my favorite ‘growing up’ stories. It is a compelling story of a young midwestern boy and his bond with a juvenile raccoon. It is a great book to read aloud to kids, too!”

Jeff recommends “The House of Tomorrow” by Peter Bognanni and found at YA BOG and in electronic form in Libby. He shares “this book fully encompasses my teenage experience — the anger, the inequity, the rebellion and the music snobbery. So much music snobbery.”

Cindy recommends “Unclaimed Baggage” by Jen Doll and found at YA DOL. She shares “this is a story of lost luggage and friendships found as a trio of teens grow to understand themselves and relationships that really matter. At first, their friendship seems as unlikely as some of the items they find in the unclaimed baggage.”

Suzann recommends “The Sandlot,” an ensemble film directed by David Mickey Evans and found at BLU SAN. She shares, “Smalls moves to a new neighborhood with his mom and stepdad, and wants to learn to play baseball. Rodriguez, the neighborhood baseball guru, takes Smalls under his wing. A summer of group adventures follows, in which the guys face their desires and their fears.”

Rachael recommends “The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians” by Carla Morris and found at FAVORITES ++ MOR. She calls it “a cute story about a boy who loves the library so much, he literally grows up there.”

We hope our recommendations are enjoyed and are looking to find a library patron interested in doing a guest column. Send an email to staff@monroepubliclibrary.org or call 608-328-7016 to share an idea. 

— Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is published the fourth Wednesday of the month.