Seventeen
 A Tale of Youth and Summer Time and the Baxter Family, Especially William

by Booth Tarkington

"Seventeen" by Booth Tarkington is a humorous novel published in 1916. The story follows seventeen-year-old William Baxter through a transformative summer when he falls hopelessly in love with Lola Pratt, a flirtatious visiting belle. William's infatuation leads him into a series of ridiculous situations as he pursues his first love, while his family—especially his mischievous ten-year-old sister Jane—constantly embarrasses him. This gentle satire of adolescent romance became a bestseller and explores the awkward, passionate world of youth with both comedy and insight.