Books Like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith? If its new york city, coming of age and working-class protagonist hooked you, these 20 books hit the same notes — starting with 'Tis A Memoir, Little Women and The Outsiders. Every pick is matched by what’s actually inside the book, not just its genre, and we skip other books by the same author so you find someone new.

What’s inside A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: New York City · Coming of Age · Working-Class Protagonist · Female Lead · Character-Driven

'Tis A Memoir
Frank McCourt

Working-Class Protagonist · New York City · Bittersweet · Death of a Parent · Nostalgic

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Little Women
Louisa May Alcott

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Mother and Daughter · Nostalgic · Character-Driven

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The Outsiders
S.E. Hinton

Bildungsroman · Working-Class Protagonist · Coming of Age · Bittersweet · Death of a Parent

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Girl in Translation
Jean Kwok

Bildungsroman · Working-Class Protagonist · Coming of Age · Mother and Daughter · Character-Driven

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Brooklyn
Colm Toibin

Coming of Age · New York City · Working-Class Protagonist · Nostalgic · Bittersweet

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The Chosen
Chaim Potok

Bildungsroman · New York City · Coming of Age · Bittersweet · Character-Driven

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The Liars' Club
Mary Karr

Working-Class Protagonist · Coming of Age · Mother and Daughter · Death of a Parent · Multigenerational Family

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Tipping the Velvet
Sarah Waters

Bildungsroman · Working-Class Protagonist · Coming of Age · Character-Driven · Bittersweet

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This Side of Paradise
F. Scott Fitzgerald

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Nostalgic · Bittersweet · Character-Driven

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The Story of a New Name
Elena Ferrante

Bildungsroman · Working-Class Protagonist · Coming of Age · Multigenerational Family · Character-Driven

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The Silver Star
Jeannette Walls

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Working-Class Protagonist · Mother and Daughter · Character-Driven

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Circle of Friends
Maeve Binchy

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Nostalgic · Character-Driven · Bittersweet

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The Bell Jar
Sylvia Plath

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Death of a Parent · Mother and Daughter · New York City

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The Catcher in the Rye
Jerome David Salinger

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · New York City · Nostalgic · Character-Driven

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Bridge to Terabithia
Katherine Paterson

Working-Class Protagonist · Coming of Age · Nostalgic · Character-Driven · Bittersweet

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Out of the Dust
Karen Hesse

Coming of Age · Death of a Parent · Mother and Daughter · Bittersweet · Emotional

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A Separate Peace
John Knowles

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Nostalgic · Character-Driven · Bittersweet

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To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Nostalgic · Bittersweet · Character-Driven

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Of Human Bondage
W. Somerset Maugham

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Bittersweet · Death of a Parent · Character-Driven

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Anne of Green Gables
L.M. Montgomery

Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Character-Driven · Death of a Parent · Nostalgic

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