Books like…

Books Like The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky · about this book

Loved The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky? If its epistolary format, coming of age and first person narrator hooked you, these 20 books hit the same notes — starting with The Catcher in the Rye, Will Grayson, Will Grayson 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 The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Epistolary Format · Coming of Age · First Person Narrator · Teen Protagonist · Young Adult

1. 

   The Catcher in the Rye

   Jerome David Salinger

   Bildungsroman · Depression · Coming of Age · Teen Protagonist · Loss of Innocence

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2. 

   Will Grayson, Will Grayson

   John Green, David Levithan

   Depression · Coming of Age · First Love · Teen Protagonist · Teenagers

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3. 

   The Outsiders

   S.E. Hinton

   Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Loss of Innocence · Teen Protagonist · Young Adult

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4. 

   On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

   Ocean Vuong

   Epistolary Format · Substance Abuse · First Love · Coming of Age · Child Abuse

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5. 

   Gather

   Kenneth M. Cadow

   Coming of Age · Teen Protagonist · Young Adult · Self-Discovery · Substance Abuse

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6. 

   They Both Die at the End

   Adam Silvera

   First Love · Teen Protagonist · Young Adult · Teenagers · Bittersweet

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7. 

   Tess of the Road

   Rachel Hartman

   Sexual Assault · Bildungsroman · Young Adult · Self-Discovery · Coming of Age

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8. 

   The Summer I Turned Pretty

   Jenny Han

   Coming of Age · Teen Protagonist · First Love · Teenagers · Young Adult

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9. 

   The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

   Robert Dugoni

   Coming of Age · Nostalgic · Death of a Friend · Emotional · Character-Driven

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10. 

    Little Women

    Louisa May Alcott

    Coming of Age · Bildungsroman · Nostalgic · First Love · Character-Driven

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11. 

    What My Bones Know

    Stephanie Foo

    Child Abuse · Childhood Trauma · Anxiety · Depression · Self-Discovery

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12. 

    Demon Copperhead

    Barbara Kingsolver

    Coming of Age · Substance Abuse · Child Abuse · Bildungsroman · Teen Protagonist

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13. 

    To Kill a Mockingbird

    Harper Lee

    Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Loss of Innocence · Nostalgic · First Person Narrator

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14. 

    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

    J.K. Rowling

    Loss of Innocence · Teen Protagonist · Teenagers · Coming of Age · Death of a Friend

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15. 

    Never Let Me Go

    Kazuo Ishiguro

    Loss of Innocence · Nostalgic · Death of a Friend · Bittersweet · Character-Driven

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16. 

    Sunrise on the Reaping

    Suzanne Collins

    Loss of Innocence · Teenagers · Young Adult · Teen Protagonist · Death of a Friend

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17. 

    The Raven King

    Maggie Stiefvater

    Teen Protagonist · Young Adult · Teenagers · First Love · Bittersweet

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18. 

    Assassin's Apprentice

    Robin Hobb

    Bildungsroman · Coming of Age · Character-Driven · First Person Narrator · Bittersweet

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19. 

    Taran Wanderer

    Lloyd Alexander

    Coming of Age · Bildungsroman · Self-Discovery · Mentor Relationship · Teen Protagonist

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20. 

    Ham On Rye

    Charles Bukowski

    Childhood Trauma · Child Abuse · Coming of Age · Bildungsroman · Substance Abuse

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