A Lot or a Little? What you will—and won't—find in this book. What's the Story? After his friend commits suicide, smart misfit Charlie is trying to learn to "participate" in life. He befriends a group of interesting older kids who introduce him to partying, but also respect his sensitivity. In letters that Charlie writes to an anonymous stranger, he talks about his family, his friends, and his complicated, often overwhelming, feelings about growing up. Eventually, his longtime crush tells him that he "can't just sit there and put everybody's life ahead of yours and think that counts as love," and he slowly learns to be present in his life. Talk to Your Kids About ... Families can talk about controversial books. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was the 10th most challenged book on the American Library Association's list of the 100 most banned or challenged books of 2000-2009. What makes it so controversial? Who should be able to make the decision about what you read or what's in your school or public library? Teens and parents may want to compare and contrast this book with some of the other coming-of-age classics Charlie reads during his 10th grade year, including The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird and A Separate Peace. Why did the author choose to include these books?