This title examines the role and theme of the coming of age archetype in A Separate Peace, The Catcher in the Rye, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Giver, and The Fault in Our Stars. It features four analysis papers that consider the coming of age theme, each using different critical lenses, writing techniques, or aspects of the theme. Critical thinking questions, sidebars highlighting and explaining each thesis and argument, and other possible approaches for analysis help students understand the mechanics of essay writing. Features include a glossary, references, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards.