Growing up isn’t always easy — they call it growing pains for a reason. As your child enters middle school and high school, they’ll go through the changes of adolescence, where they discover their own identity and forge their own path in the world. These experiences come with their own unique struggles, and reading books with relatable characters can help provide some solace.
For example, helping your child transition to a new school can be made easier through coming-of-age books, which can encourage self-discovery, get them excited about the new experiences they will have, and build up their confidence during the early years of middle school.
Graphic novels are a particularly great choice for middle schoolers because they hold children’s attentions with illustrations while introducing them to new literary concepts. Your child will love immersing themselves in captivating stories through a detailed visual medium that also sharpens their vocabulary (graphic novels are known to use higher vocabulary than chapter books).
In the gripping trilogy The Good Neighbors, Rue Silver's mother has disappeared, with her father being accused of killing her. But the truth is far more difficult to explain — Rue is actually a faerie, just like her mother. And in reality, Rue's father broke a clandestine promise to her grandfather, the faerie king, causing her mother to be returned to the faerie realm. Now, Rue must save her parents — and the world as we know it.
Meanwhile, in Change the Game, high schooler Colin Kaepernick's life is at a crossroads: an all-star athlete, Colin is set for a bright future in college baseball. His teachers, his family, his friends all expect him to go down that path. But Colin doesn't quite feel like it's the right fit for him.
Baseball is a white man's game, and Colin's heart truly lies in college football. He admires players like Allen Iverson, who are talented, hyper-competitive, and unapologetically Black. There's only one problem: Colin doesn't have any offers to play for a college football team — at least, not yet.
Readers will also love the best-selling Heartstopper graphic novel series, which details what it’s like to grow up and fall in love as a queer person. Charlie and Nick meet through a chance encounter when they sit beside each other in class.
As their friendship grows, Nick and Charlie become best friends and develop feelings for each other. The series follows Nick and Charlie’s high school journey, as their friendship evolves into a love relationship that has its own challenges and triumphs through the years.
Shop the best coming-of-age graphic novels below! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store, where you can get free shipping on book-only orders over $25.
