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 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Natural World: Space & The Universe
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Fantasy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1939
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Play: Drama, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes (1939) is often considered a classic American 20th-century drama. Set in Alabama in 1900, the play explores themes of greed, passive violence, and female agency in the deep south, not yet 50 years removed from the end of the Civil War. The Little Foxes premiered at The National Theatre on Broadway in New York City in 1939 starring Tallulah Bankhead as Regina, before touring for two seasons across the United... Read The Little Foxes Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, British Literature, Disability, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The London Eye Mystery (2007), by Siobhan Dowd, is a novel for young readers about a boy named Ted who teams up with his sister to figure out how their cousin disappeared while riding a giant Ferris wheel.The novel was nominated for a Carnegie Medal, was listed as a 2008 Booklist Children’s Editors’ Choice title, and a School Library Journal Best Book of 2008. It was also shortlisted for many English awards, including the Red... Read The London Eye Mystery Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, LGBTQ, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Space & The Universe
Tags LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Originally published via a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2014 and then by Hodder & Stoughton in 2016, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is Becky Chambers’ debut novel set in her fictional universe, the Galactic Commons. The novel is a science-fiction space opera concerned with the crew of the Wayfarer, a ship that bores wormholes between systems. Much of the plot serves as a backdrop for exploration of the emotional connections between the... Read The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet Summary
Publication year 1940
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1997
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Psychology, Psychology, Biography
The Lost Boy is the sequel to Dave Pelzer’s first memoir, A Child Called “It,” which tells the story of how he was severely abused by his mother as a young child. In The Lost Boy, Pelzer recounts how he is finally removed from his parents’ custody and placed in foster care. After years of neglect and abuse, David struggles to adjust to his new living situations and the uncertainty that comes with the life... Read The Lost Boy Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Language
Tags Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Italian Literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Relationships, American Literature, French Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Humor, Contemporary Literature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class, Love / Sexuality, Gender / Feminism, Italian Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction
The Lying Life of Adults (2020) by Elena Ferrante is a work of fiction. Set in Naples, Italy, the narrative is a coming-of-age story, also known as a bildungsroman, told by Giovanna Trada. Giovanna details her adolescence from 13 to 16 years of age and the growing pains she endured while searching for identity and autonomy. Themes include the struggle between good and evil, women as either sinners or saints, and compunction and gender roles... Read The Lying Life of Adults Summary