Thomas Baker's readers advisory: Young Adult Annotation

Author: Stephen Chbosky

Title: The Perks of being a Wallflower

Genre: Young adult (Grades 9-12); books to movies; coming-of-age stories; diary novels; realistic fiction

Publication Date: 1999

Number of Pages: 213

Geographical Setting: Pennsylvania

Time Period: 1991-1992

Plot Summary: Charlie is a freshman in high school, in Pennsylvania. He writes letters to an unknown person with a lot of thought and feeling. He tells the story of his freshman year of high school with his ups and downs. He deals with divorce, suicide, death of an aunt and his anxieties. He has two best friends who are seniors, Sam who he has a crush on and Patrick, who is gay. He goes to their parties and someone calls him a wallflower because he like just there. He falls in love with Samantha or Sam, but dates another girl. Patrick is secretly dating the quarterback Brad, but the dad find out and ends the relationship. Charlie helps his friend deal with the breakup. Charlie learns a lot about life and growing up in his freshman year.

Subject headings: Child sexual abuse victims, gay teenagers, high school students, letter writing, teenage boys and teenagers.

Appeal: Pace - Fast; Storyline: Character-driven; Tone: Angst-filled, bittersweet, emotionally intense, funny.

Read a-likes by Novelist

Eleanor Park by Rainbow Powell
Set over one school year in 1986 about two-star-crossed misfits who fall in love.

Love, Stargirl
Stargirl was moping after being dumped by a boyfriend in Arizona, writes "the worlds longest letter" to Leo describing her life in Pennsylvania.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz
by A.S. King
Vera Dietz has a best friend whom she secretly loves, betrays her and then dies under mysterious circumstances.

Nonfiction