Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower Author: Steven Chbosky
Publisher: MTV (1999)


Media Format: Book
Genre: Coming of Age
Selection Source: YALSA Popular Paberbacks for YAs
Reading Audience: High School
Reading Recommendation: 4 ****
Curriculum Connection: none


Summary
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming of age story inspired by The Catcher in the Rye. It deals with issues such as homosexuality, sexual abuse, drug abuse, and friendship. The main character, Charlie has a relatively typical family life and caring parents. In school he's not really disliked, he just kind of blends in. This story is about him meeting his first real friends, and how having friends brought both love and pain into his life. He struggles to overcome his passivity, so he can participate in life and friendship. He also develops an apprentice-like relationship with his English teacher Bill, who gives Charlie books to read, so Charlie can write reports on them, including of course, The Catcher in the Rye.


Evaluation
This is a very engaging novel, and although I'm not a sensitive emo type like Charlie, so I didn't necessarily identify with him, I found him very endearing, and I got a lot of vicarious pleasure out of reading about him establishing very real connections with his friends. This book deals with mature issues, but is meant to be read by young high schoolers (the protagonist is a freshman). It's an enjoyable read for anyone, but it's a perfect read for adolescents who feel alienated, and it has an added bonus of suggesting many great works of literature and music to young readers.