Girlhood is complicated, but finding the right book isn’t. This list brings together 5 books that perfectly capture the messy, tender, and deeply human experiences of growing up. (Left image by @darkfaeacademia. Right image by @notesofthatreadergirl.)
Girlhood is messy, filled with emotion, self-discovery, and everything in between. There’s no single way to experience it, yet the universal experience of growing up and finding where we belong connects us all.
These 5 books about girlhood and growing up capture the beautiful, complicated, and individual process of learning who we are and growing into ourselves:
Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott
“Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.”
A timeless and treasured classic, Little Women is a must-read for any book lover. Set during the American Civil War, it is a coming-of-age story centering on the four March sisters, each with a distinct personality – Meg, the oldest, who often puts her family first; Jo, the tomboy and aspiring author; Beth, good-natured and sweet; and Amy, the youngest, spoilt and a little vain.
Little Women encompasses the facets of girlhood, from the yearning of adventure and defying traditional gender roles, to the pull of familial responsibility and maturing. Through love, loss, and hardships, we see the March sisters carve their own path under the guidance of Marmee, becoming the young women that they are. This novel is incredibly relatable, featuring lovable characters and life events that are easy to resonate with.
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Anne of Green Gables
by L.M. Montgomery
“There’s such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I’m such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn’t be half so interesting.”
Anne of Green Gables tells the story of Anne Shirley, an imaginative and talkative orphan who is mistakenly sent to live with the Cuthberts, Marilla and Matthew, on their farm in Avonlea. The coming-of-age novel follows Anne as she grows up, navigating friendships and her place in the world.
Though often considered a children’s novel, there are multitudes to learn from Anne, especially her optimistic approach to embracing mistakes and learning from them. This novel encourages imagination, appreciation for the world, and persistence, reminding readers that perfection isn’t necessary for growth. Anne of Green Gables is truly a story for readers both young and old.
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Crying in H Mart
by Michelle Zauner
“I had spent my adolescence trying to blend in with my peers in suburban America, and had come of age feeling like my belonging was something to prove. Something that was always in the hands of other people to be given and never my own to take, to decide which side I was on, whom I was allowed to align with. I could never be of both worlds, only half in and half out, waiting to be ejected at will by someone with greater claim than me. Someone whole.”
Crying in H Mart is a memoir by Michelle Zauner, featuring her experiences as the only Asian-American kid at her school, treasured moments bonding with her mother, moving abroad and creating the life she wanted to live.
Her story is more than just a reflection of a mother-daughter relationship through hardship and connection, it’s also about growing up mixed race, and finding your identity. These anecdotes can resonate with readers, or simply give a glimpse into a different perspective and experience of growing up.
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The Joy Luck Club
by Amy Tan
“Then you must teach my daughter this same lesson. How to lose your innocence but not your hope. How to laugh forever.”
The Joy Luck Club follows four Chinese women who recently immigrated to San Francisco and their daughters who live modern American lives. The mothers form the Joy Luck Club to play mahjong, and share stories of loss, migration and hope; the daughters grapple with identity and struggle to understand their mothers’ advice.
The novel not only explores the deep connection, as well as the ups and downs in each mother-daughter relationship, but also the complexities belonging to two worlds. It shows how major life events while growing up can shape mindsets and relationships with one another.
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The Original Daughter
by Jemimah Wei
“I’d charged forward without pausing, traipsing down the chain of yes yes yeses, now, for the first time I wondered: Did I truly have no choice, as I’d convinced myself, or was I inelegantly trying to restart my life the way one did a dead car engine, making the facts of my life interesting to myself again?”
The Original Daughter is set in millennial Singapore and follows Genevieve, who learns that her mother only has a few weeks to live. Her mother insists on her to reconnect with her estranged sister Arin. Years earlier, Arin was sent to live with Genevieve’s family after her own father abandoned her, causing tension. The two girls eventually form a close bond, only for it to fracture over the years. As their mother’s illness brings them together, Genevieve is forced to confront unresolved problems from the past.
This emotional debut novel captures the uncomfortable truths about girlhood and coming of age by exploring family, resentment, and the dysfunctional but close relationship of sisters throughout the years. The novel portrays girlhood as something more than innocence and youth, but also the way wounds are inherited and growing from uncomfortable situations.
