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 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Military / War, WWI / World War I
Private Peaceful (2003) is a historical fiction novel by English author Michael Morpurgo. The story revolves around the reminiscences of Thomas “Tommo” Peaceful, a young World War I soldier who reflects on his upbringing in rural England. Thomas bridges the past and present while awaiting the execution of his older brother, Charlie, who faces charges of cowardice.Other works by this author include War Horse, The Butterfly Lion, and An Elephant in the Garden.This guide refers to... Read Private Peaceful Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2004
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Biography, African American Literature, Sports, History: U.S.
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Arts / Culture, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Food, Grief / Death, History: U.S., History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Incarceration, Military / War, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Social Justice
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Romance, Sports, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Sports, LGBTQ
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Social Justice, Education, Education, History: World
Written by Diane Glancy in 1996, Pushing the Bear: A Novel of the Trail of Tears follows a group of Cherokee people as they are forced to relocate to “Indian Territory” in Oklahoma in 1838 and 1839. The novel is told from varying perspectives of members of the Cherokee Nation as well as soldiers, reverends, and disembodied voices. These shifting perspectives create a fragmented yet nuanced narrative as Glancy weaves together multiple viewpoints and utilizes... Read Pushing the Bear Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy
Tags Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Classic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags History: World
Publication year 1978
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy
Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Fantasy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Indigenous, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community
Tags Poverty, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Grief / Death, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature
Publication year 1975
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Class, Race / Racism, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals, Disability, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Rain Reign is a work of middle-grade contemporary fiction written by American author Ann M. Martin and published in 2014. The novel was chosen for the 2014 New York Times Notable Children’s Books list. Martin is the original author of the best-selling Baby-Sitters Club series of books and has written over 100 books for young readers. She has received numerous awards over the course of her career, including the Newbery Medal in 2013 and a... Read Rain Reign Summary
Publication year 1977
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature
Publication year 1979
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Society: Class
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Self Discovery
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Ramona Quimby, Age 8, (1981) is the sixth book in Beverly Cleary’s middle-grade Ramona series. It follows spirited and curious Ramona as she balances her excitement about entering the third grade with her trepidation over the Quimby family’s financial struggles. Through her misadventures, Ramona learns her place in the family and how to stand up for herself at school using determination and creativity.Known for realistic fiction, Cleary organizes the novel in a series of loosely... Read Ramona Quimby Age 8 Summary