The Perks of being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
Charlie is a 15 year old who is just about to start his freshman year at high school. He is shy. He loves to read. He is weird. But he is a wallflower. He writes to his "friend" about the experiences he has from day to day. A coming of age story, one day Charlie's life changes when he meets Sam and her stepbrother Patrick. Together, they become "infinite".
The thing I love most about this book (amongst many others) is that Charlie says everything that we're thinking out loud. There's something about him that everyone can relate to. Published in 1999, it's definitely relevant to teens today. Chbosky writes about taboo subjects that society is still afraid to talk about. Sex, homosexuality and childhood traumas are just some of them but they are presented with such ease and normality that you find they are naturally part of the story and not to be controversial. Although, I would recommend this title for readers aged 15+.
Always a big fan of books that mention other books, this one does not disappoint. Charlie is led by his English teacher who introduces him to some great novels of literature such as To Kill a Mockingbird, Naked Lunch and The Great Gatsby. This is this generation's Catcher in the Rye.
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