Culture, Food, and Identity

Part coming-of-age story, part food memoir, Fresh Off the Boat by Eddie Huang details the blogger and chef's childhood as the son of Chinese immigrants living in Orlando during the 1990s.  Huang learns form an early age (and from his ex-gangster dad) not to take insults from anybody, a lesson that gets him into trouble time and time again.  Fleshed out with references to hip hop, basketball, food, and '90s pop culture, Fresh Off the Boat explores issues of race, identity, and what it means to be American.  HM

A Little Sci-Fi with Your Fantasy

I'll be honest, Among Others by Jo Walton is kind of a weird book.  Told as journal entries written by 15 year-old Mori, we learn through the narrative that she is coping with life after the death of her twin.  Forced to start over amongst strangers, Mori consoles herself by voraciously reading Sci-Fi novels and trying to envision an unexpected life for herself.  Oh yeah, and her mother is a witch who she must ultimately face in order to save the world.  Part coming-of-age story, part fantasy, Among Others is a little outside the box, but definitely worth a read.  HM

The Little Red Guard: A Family Memoir

In his memoir of growing up during the waning years of the Cultural Revolution, Wenguang Huang frames his experiences around one all-pervasive family event -- his grandmother's funeral.  Though traditional burials were officially banned by the state, Huang Ma asserts her authority and over the course of the author's childhood, manages to persuade the family to build a coffin and secure a grave site in her ancestral village.  Huang's narrative is a mix of bittersweet coming-of-age story and a portrait of a society that is changing at a rapid pace.  HM

Coming of Age

The Age of Miracles is a fiction debut by Karen Thompson Walker, a new author worthy of attention.  The earth’s rotation is slowing causing changes in time, weather and gravity.  But this book is more about a young girls coming of age during this turbulent time than anything that could be considered sci-fi.  Julia, a middle-school student, must deal with all the issues a young teen has to deal with, while also dealing with major changes in the world as she knew it.  This book is highly readable and reminds me somewhat of Life As We Knew It, a teen fiction by Susan Beth Pfeffer (also recommended). SG

Growing Up Is Hard To Do

If you like strong first-person narratives, I invite you to take the hand of ten-year old Paddy Clarke and let him lead you through his engaging tale of growing up in 1960s Ireland. Roddy Doyle expertly captures the voice of his young protagonist in the Booker Prize-winning Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, guiding readers through Paddy's thoughts and recollections, sometimes jumping from one story to another and back again. Against the backdrop of his parents' deteriorating marriage, Paddy details his exploits in Barrytown (including setting fires, enduring school humiliations, and torturing his little brother, "Sinbad"). The tone of the story starts out lighthearted and gradually becomes more wistful, culminating in the origin of the book's title as Paddy leaves the innocence of childhood behind. HM

Check out this interview with Roddy Doyle and discover how Paddy came to be: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/aug/29/paddy-clarke-ha-roddy-doyle

Worth a Second Look

I've heard a lot of people say that they started to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, but never made it through to the end. If there is one book that is worth a second try, it's Betty Smith's classic coming-of-age tale. Set in the early part of the 20th century, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn follows the trials and triumphs of young Francie Nolan as she navigates a bittersweet childhood in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Francie's story is punctuated with the comings and goings of a variety of strong secondary characters, who serve to move the narrative in unexpected and sometimes heart-wrenching directions. This is definitely a book where the characters stick with you long after you've finished the last page. HM

Food As Identity

Wonder bread, Ding Dongs, potato chips, and Popsicles -- these are the constant cravings of Bich Minh Nguyen in her coming-of-age tale, Stealing Buddha's Dinner: A Memoir. A Vietnamese refugee in 1980s Grand Rapids, Nguyen struggles to reconcile her Asian family life with the Western culture surrounding her. Quickly, she comes to identify "being American" with eating American junk food, and finds herself torn between fried shrimp cakes and Kit Kats. Honored as a Michigan Notable Book in 2008, Stealing Buddha's Dinner is a fascinating look at childhood and the creation of identity through the eyes of an outsider. HM

Southern Coming of Age

Velva Jean Learns to Drive is the story of a young Appalachian girl growing up in the 30's. It's a fascinating read about the mountain life of Appalachia, with richly portrayed characters that are so interesting you won't want to put this book down. Velva Jean's secret dream as a young girl is to sing at the Grand Ol' Opry but you'll see that Appalachia in the 30s and 40s is not an easy place to live and not all of life's choices are your own.