“He's a wallflower. You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.”
I’m honestly…speechless.
This book spoke to me in an indescribable way. To be honest I think it would speak to any fifteen year old.
This inspiring story follows a young boy named Charlie. He struggles with depression, derealization, anxiety, and the troubles of high school in a realistic, non-trendy way. His journey is so realistic. He has times wheres he’s okay, times where he’s not. He has normal parents and normal siblings. I never though such a realistic, mundane story could be so soul-stirring.
It’s written in letter format and Charlie is writing to a “friend” who we never learn the identity of. He is honest and his letters are easy to read. It’s almost like a diary in a really endearing, personal way. You feel like you really are in Charlies 15 year old mind!
“We accept the love we think we deserve.”
“Maybe it's good to put things in perspective, but sometimes, I think that the only perspective is to really be there. Because it's okay to feel things. I was really there. And that was enough to make me feel infinite. I feel infinite.”
Perks of Being a Wallflower is full of incredible lines. Each chapter was a reflection of the universal adolescent experience. The human experience, really.
Anyone who identifies as a wallflower too would resonant with Charlie so much. It really is like a warm hug from someone who actually understands us. In the end a shocking plot twist explains so much of Charlie’s mental state. I was so surprised and sad for Charlie.
This book does have some possibly triggering themes or topics of rape, substance abuse, and mental health issues so keep that in mind.
Overall this book has risen to the top of my favorite books of 2026 so far. I will be reading again. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone struggling. Especially the 20th anniversary edition which includes an extra letter that actually brought be to tears!
Before you go let me share with you a really moving poem in this book! (I read it multiple times) TW: suicide.
“Once on a yellow piece of paper with green lines
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Chops"
because that was the name of his dog
And that's what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A
and a gold star
And his mother hung it on the kitchen door
and read it to his aunts
That was the year Father Tracy
took all the kids to the zoo
And he let them sing on the bus
And his little sister was born
with tiny toenails and no hair
And his mother and father kissed a lot
And the girl around the corner sent him a
Valentine signed with a row of X's
and he had to ask his father what the X's meant
And his father always tucked him in bed at night
And was always there to do it
Once on a piece of white paper with blue lines
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Autumn"
because that was the name of the season
And that's what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A
and asked him to write more clearly
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
because of its new paint
And the kids told him
that Father Tracy smoked cigars
And left butts on the pews
And sometimes they would burn holes
That was the year his sister got glasses
with thick lenses and black frames
And the girl around the corner laughed
when he asked her to go see Santa Claus
And the kids told him why
his mother and father kissed a lot
And his father never tucked him in bed at night
And his father got mad
when he cried for him to do it.
Once on a paper torn from his notebook
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Innocence: A Question"
because that was the question about his girl
And that's what it was all about
And his professor gave him an A
and a strange steady look
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
because he never showed her
That was the year that Father Tracy died
And he forgot how the end
of the Apostle's Creed went
And he caught his sister
making out on the back porch
And his mother and father never kissed
or even talked
And the girl around the corner
wore too much makeup
That made him cough when he kissed her
but he kissed her anyway
because that was the thing to do
And at three a.m. he tucked himself into bed
his father snoring soundly
That's why on the back of a brown paper bag
he tried another poem
And he called it "Absolutely Nothing"
Because that's what it was really all about
And he gave himself an A
and a slash on each damned wrist
And he hung it on the bathroom door
because this time he didn't think
he could reach the kitchen.”
Now let’s go and be infinite!
Happy Reading, everyone!!!