Well, this week, both of my little boys screamed harder than they ever have before.

My oldest got an accidental lapful of hot peppermint tea on Easter. Then, two days later, my youngest crushed a finger between two rocks while playing outside, requiring seven stitches in the ER.

Thank God, both of my boys are fine. No burns. Finger is on the mend.

When we were in the ER, the doctor said, "Welp, getting stitches is a rite of passage for boys." We chuckled off our nerves.

I think it's also a rite of passage for moms—when our kids get hurt, we resist the urge to over-worry and encase them in bubble wrap; instead, we learn to pray that God uses those painful experiences to make them tougher, more resilient, and quick to turn to God for help.

Rites of passage. The threshold is almost always some type of trial or tribulation. After passing through it, we're better for having learned something profound by simply living life and figuring out how to deal with the problem the right way—usually by trying a bunch of wrong ways first.

Rite-of-passage stories are very popular, and it's no wonder.

According to Blake Snyder in Save the Cat!, the rite-of-passage story genre is about a character who struggles through a universally relatable life problem and overcomes it by undergoing a personal transformation and accepting hard truths.

Sometimes we call them coming-of-age tales, but they can happen at any time of life when we're transitioning from one stage to another.

Here are a few rite-of-passage books that I enjoyed.

Classics

​Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

• Life problem: When Pip goes from rags to riches, he must figure out whether he will deny his past or integrate it into his future.

​Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

• Life problem: As the primary character, Jo struggles between staying loyal to her family and fostering her independent, creative spirit.

​Emma by Jane Austen

• Life problem: Emma must form authentic relationships and stop acting like an aloof puppeteer.

Genre Novels

​Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

• Life Problem: An elderly woman is struggling to confront the realities of entering her final phase of life, and she must decide if she is going to give up or if she's willing to give more.

​The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

• Life problem: When Mary Bennet is forced to leave her childhood home, she struggles to find a place where she can flourish into the best version of herself.

​The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery

• Life problem: When Valancy receives a devastating diagnosis, she must decide if she has the courage to really live before she dies.

Young Adult

​Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

• Life problem: Catherine's parents insist that she get married, and she must decide if she's going to bemoan her powerless situation or embrace the personal agency she does have.

​I Am Kavi by Thushanthi Ponweera

• Life problem: When Kavi leaves her poor village behind to claim a scholarship to a fancy school in Colombo, she must decide in which world she truly belongs.

​The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

• Life problem: A young Jew is determined to get revenge on Rome for his father's death, until a man named Jesus comes on the scene with an outrageous message of love your enemies.

Book Lover's Grab Bag

👶 Why adults should read children's books by Katherine Rundell for BBC. "The human heart is not a linear train ride."

📱 Jonathan Haidt's book The Anxious Generation is here. If you're concerned about your kids' tech consumption, check out Let's Grow for ways to give kids more independence, play, and responsibility.

😂 Need a bookish laugh? I loved this!

As always, I'll leave you with one irresistible indulgence—it's a little early for summer, but so cute!

Your devoted,

Michelle

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