Leo Tolstoy famously begins the novel Anna Karenina with the sentence: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this thematic collection, we have gathered noteworthy texts that navigate the joyous and sorrowful emotional terrain of the family unit.
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Family
Tags Magical Realism, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Poverty, Class, History: World, Religion / Spirituality, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, Indian Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Midnight’s Children is a 1981 magical realism novel by British American novelist Salman Rushdie. The story follows Saleem, a child born at the moment of India’s independence who possesses strange powers. The novel won many awards, including the Booker of Bookers Prize, which was awarded to the best all-time winner of the Booker Prize on the award’s 40th anniversary. Midnight’s Children has been adapted for theater, radio, and film. This guide uses the 2006 Vintage... Read Midnight's Children Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1966
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Irish Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Children's Literature, Fantasy
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Mike Lupica’s 2009 novel, Million-Dollar Throw, is about Nate Brodie, a 13-year-old quarterback who is the star of his eighth-grade football team. The novel is geared towards middle schoolers, with simple language and a straightforward plot. Although it can be considered a sports novel due to its heavy emphasis on the play-by-play actions of Nate Brodie’s football games, it is also a novel about friendship, enduring hardship, and sacrifice. Nate Brodie’s nickname is “Brady” because... Read Million Dollar Throw Summary
Publication year 1977
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature
Miracle’s Boys (2000) is a young adult novel by Jaqueline Woodson. The novel tells the story of three brothers, ages 21, 15, and 12, coping with the sudden death of their mother a year before. The middle brother, Charlie, recently returned home from a juvenile detention facility, where he was serving a two-year sentence for attempting to rob a candy store at gun point. Set in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in New York City, Miracle’s... Read Miracle's Boys Summary
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Animals
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Jacob Portman believes he is ordinary and is fascinated with his extraordinary grandfather, Abraham Portman, during his childhood years. Grandpa Portman introduces Jacob to interesting stories about monsters and unusual pictures of peculiar children. As a child, Abraham escaped Nazi Germany to Wales, where he lived in a house with other children under the guidance of Headmistress Peregrine.The older Jacob becomes, however, the more disbelief he has toward his grandfather’s stories. Similarly, Jacob’s family thinks... Read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Summary
Publication year 1947
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family
Tags Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Animals
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Disability
Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Mental Illness, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Southern Literature, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Disability, Bullying, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Biography
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, African American Literature, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Urban Development
Money Hungry is a 2001 middle-grade novel by American author Sharon G. Flake published by Little, Brown and Company. A Coretta Scott King Honor book, Money Hungry is the first book in Flake’s Raspberry Hill series. It explores 13-year-old Raspberry Hill’s hunger for money and the lengths to which she will go to acquire it. Stemming from a period of homelessness in her childhood, Raspberry will do almost anything to earn enough money to move... Read Money Hungry Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery
Tags Realistic Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature
... Read Moo Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Moon Over Manifest is a 2010 novel by author Claire Vanderpool. It relates the story of 12-year-old Abilene Tucker, a drifting girl in search of her father, a home, and a sense of belonging. When the novel starts, her father, Gideon Tucker, has just sent Abilene to the Kansas town of Manifest, claiming that he can’t take her to Iowa, where he is allegedly taking a railroad job. It is 1936, and the Great Depression... Read Moon Over Manifest Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance