Brothers & Sisters

Whether marked by protective tenderness or tense rivalry, sibling bonds are like none other. This thematic collection offers insights into the unique dynamics of brothers and sisters.

The Recruit

by Robert Muchamore

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Fear, Coming of Age, Environment, Friendship, Siblings, Teamwork, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure

The Recruit by British author Robert Muchamore (Hodder Children’s Books, 2004) is the first book in the middle-grade spy adventure CHERUB series and follows a 12-year-old boy who is plucked from a difficult life to become a spy. The book offers a look at the opportunities presented by change while exploring themes of overcoming fear, seeing issues from both sides, and making difficult choices. The Recruit was nominated for eight awards and won seven of... Read The Recruit Summary

The Red Convertible

by Louise Erdrich

Publication year 1974

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Siblings, War, Indigenous Identity, Coming of Age

Tags Mental Illness, American Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism

Content Warning: This guide contains references to war-related trauma, suicide, and systemic racism and violence against Indigenous Americans.“The Red Convertible” is a short story that explores themes of Coming of Age and The Trauma of War through the lives of two young Chippewa men. Protagonist Lyman Lamartine reflects on his relationship with his brother, Henry Junior, before, during, and after Henry’s time serving in the Vietnam War. Lyman focuses on the period when he and... Read The Red Convertible Summary

The Red Pyramid

by Rick Riordan

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Family, Appearance & Reality, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (Hyperion Books for Children, 2010) is the first installment in the middle-grade fantasy adventure Kane Chronicles series and is followed by The Throne of Fire (2011) and The Serpent’s Shadow (2012). The book follows siblings Carter and Sadie Kane on a journey across North America to stop the Egyptian god of chaos from destroying the world. The Red Pyramid won a School Library Journal Best Book Award and was... Read The Red Pyramid Summary

The Road of Bones

by Demi Winters

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Fathers, Friendship, Siblings, Teamwork, Politics & Government, Fate, Loyalty & Betrayal, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance

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The Roar

by Emma Clayton

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Siblings, Power & Greed

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure, Survival Fiction, Children`s Literature

The Roar by British novelist Emma Clayton was published in 2008. It is a middle-grade, post-apocalyptic science fiction novel set in the British Isles. Clayton’s world is rife with lies and conspiracies, with mutant children and authoritarianism, but at its core, it’s a story of the bond between siblings and the lengths to which they will go to remain together. The Roar is the first of a two-book series, the second of which, The Whisper... Read The Roar Summary

The Scarlet Ibis

by James Hurst

Publication year 1960

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Death, Plants, Environment, Coming of Age

Tags Dramatic Literature, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

First published in The Atlantic in 1960, James Hurst’s “The Scarlet Ibis” won the magazine’s “Atlantic First” award. Frequently included in literature anthologies, Hurst’s tragic short story explores themes of pride, shame, and death within the context of coming of age.This guide refers to the 1960 version that appeared in The Atlantic as well as the brief biographical information included in that original publication.Content Warning: The source text uses outdated, offensive terms to describe people... Read The Scarlet Ibis Summary

These Hollow Vows

by Lexi Ryan

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Hope, Love, Gender Identity, Appearance & Reality, Siblings, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance

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These Summer Storms

by Sarah MacLean

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Grief, Hate & Anger, Love, Death, The Past, Place, Family, Fathers, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Social Class, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance

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The Shell Seekers

by Rosamunde Pilcher

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Memory, Siblings, Mothers, Nostalgia

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

IntroductionPublished in 1987, The Shell Seekers was written by Rosamunde Pilcher and is her first bestseller. Inspired by Pilcher’s conversation with Tom Dunne at St. Martin’s Press about her children’s desire to see their mother become famous, the novel is the author’s attempt to create a story for women based on the experiences of her generation. Set in 1984, it tells the story of Penelope Stern Keeling and her children (Nancy, Olivia, and Noel) and... Read The Shell Seekers Summary

The Skeleton Tree

by Iain Lawrence

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Masculinity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Animals, Environment, Plants, Food, Objects & Materials, Fathers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Fate, Safety & Danger

Tags Action & Adventure, Survival Fiction, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction

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The Sound and the Fury

by William Faulkner

Publication year 1929

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Fate, Economics, Siblings, Family, Guilt, Sexual Identity, Masculinity

Tags Southern Gothic, Classic Fiction, Modernism, Education, Education, Southern Literature, American Literature, World History

William Faulkner’s 1929 novel The Sound and the Fury relays the trials and decline of a once-prominent Southern family, the Compsons. The novel grapples with the challenges of a changing cultural landscape as modernity encroaches on the values—and deep-seated prejudices—of the Old South. Told through the perspectives of the three Compson brothers, Benjy, Quentin, and Jason, the novel visits and revisits key events in the family’s past and present. Much of the concern swirls around... Read The Sound and the Fury Summary