Perks of Being a Wallflower/Chbosky/213 pages

This is one of those books that is never on the library shelf. If you are lucky enough to find a copy, it is ragged and probably falling apart: the sign of a good book! Even though is was written in the late nineties, it has remained a favorite among teens for many years. Last year when the movie was released with Emma Watson, of Harry Potter fame, the book was in high demand again. "Perks of Being a Wallflower"  does have its critics, and because of the content it is probably more appropriate for high school readers. The main character, Charlie, is a freshman and is trying to find his place among his peers, he is trying to "participate" in life.  Charlie is very sensitive and  dealing with psychological issues, which are revealed throughout the story in letter writing narrative. This book has been compared to "Catcher in the Rye" which was a coming-of-age story for many of us that grew up in the 1960s. The content is mature, dealing with alcohol and drug use, sex and abortion. This would be a great book discussion book.