Family

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 1980

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure

Parvana’s Journey by Deborah Ellis follows 13-year-old Parvana as she makes her way across war-torn Afghanistan in search of her mother and siblings. Published in 2002, this novel is a sequel to the international bestseller The Breadwinner, which was adapted as a 2017 animated film, and is the second in a series of four called The Breadwinner series. Although Parvana’s Journey is a work of fiction, Ellis bases the setting of the novel on the... Read Parvana's Journey Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Children's Literature, Magical Realism, Indian Literature, Fantasy


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

With the 2019 publication of his third novel Patron Saints of Nothing, Randy Ribay cemented his reputation as one of the new millennium’s most important and popular writers of young adult fiction. Ribay, a high school English teacher in San Francisco, was born in the Philippines but grew up in Michigan. His novels, coming-of-age stories praised for their hard-edged, street-hip lyricism, examine the implications of cultural identity and the problematic process of assimilation. In addition... Read Patron Saints of Nothing Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Animals

Tags Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Animals


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction

Peace Like a River is author Leif Enger’s debut novel. A work of literary fiction marketed for adult audiences but accessible to younger readers, Peace Like a River shares elements from Christian fiction, historical fiction, and coming-of-age literature. The book was named one of the Year’s Best Books by Time Magazine and the LA Times. It won the Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Adult Fiction in 2002, as well as an Independent... Read Peace Like a River Summary


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Grief / Death, Relationships


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Animals, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family

Tags Gender / Feminism, History: World, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ


Publication year 1994

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family

Tags Free verse


Publication year 2003

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags History: World, Middle Eastern Literature, Auto/Biographical Fiction

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic memoir and coming-of-age tale about Satrapi’s experiences growing up in Tehran, Iran, before and after the revolution in 1979. Originally published in France to critical acclaim in four volumes between 2000-2003, it was translated into English in two volumes in 2003 and 2004 and explores themes of Coming of Age During Revolution, Civil Unrest, and War, Family Resistance and Heroism, Joy in Wartimen... Read Persepolis Summary


Publication year 1956

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: Education, Self Discovery

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Peyton Place is a novel depicting sensational and melodramatic events in a small New England town in the 1930s and 1940s; it was written by American novelist Grace Metalious and published in 1956. Peyton Place provoked controversy due to its depiction of taboo topics including sexuality, sexual abuse, and abortion. Nonetheless, the novel sold extremely well, and it was also adapted into successful films and television series. Metalious explores themes such as Shame and Ambivalence... Read Peyton Place Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings


Publication year 1836

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Action / Adventure, Humor, Travel Literature, Class, History: European, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Sports, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

The debut novel of British author Charles Dickens, The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (commonly known as The Pickwick Papers) was first published as a series by Chapman and Hall between 1836 and 1837. The Pickwick Papers chronicles the adventures of the members of the Pickwick Club, a group of travelers who journey around England and share their experiences. Because of the original serial format of the novel, the chapters contain individual but interconnected... Read Pickwick Papers Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Parenting

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff is a novel for middle readers about a foster child, the eponymous Hollis Woods, and how she finds a family. It was originally published in 2002 and became a Newbery Honor Book in 2003. In 2007, Hallmark Hall of Fame adapted the novel into a movie. Giff is the author of many popular books for children, including series like Kids of the Polk Street School, Friends and... Read Pictures Of Hollis Woods Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Arts / Culture, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction

Picture Us in the Light is a young adult novel written by Kelly Loy Gilbert and published in 2018 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Gilbert is the author of three young adult novels, all of which focus on the young Asian American experience. Picture Us in the Light is written in the first-person perspective of protagonist Danny Cheng, but Gilbert includes flashbacks to China to connect Danny to a past his parents have... Read Picture Us in the Light Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Food, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction

Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson is a young adult novel published in 2017. In 2018, it won the Coretta Scott King Award from the American Library Award Association and was named a Newbery Honor Book by the Association for Library Service to Children. The novel comprises 76 chapters, each of which is given a bilingual title in English and Spanish. For example, Chapter 1 is titled “español - Spanish language,” and Chapter 2 is... Read Piecing Me Together Summary