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.

What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day

by Pearl Cleage

Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Marriage, Siblings, Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Pearl Cleage’s debut novel, What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, traces one summer in the life of the protagonist, Ava Johnson. Ava’s once independent and exciting life in Atlanta, Georgia, changes forever when she tests positive for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that can lead to AIDS. As a Black woman living in the 1990s, Ava is immediately met with social and cultural stigmas surrounding the virus. Unable to maintain her hair... Read What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day Summary

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

by Peter Hedges

Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Grief, Disability, Death, Siblings

Tags Coming of Age, Dramatic Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape is the debut novel by Academy Award-nominated writer Peter Hedges. Set in 1989, the novel is a coming-of-age story about a young man whose life is overshadowed by the tragedy and family drama that surround him. The novel was a critical success upon its release in 1991 and was adapted into a movie starring Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio in 1993, for which Hedges also wrote the screenplay. This study guide... Read What's Eating Gilbert Grape Summary

White Angel

by Michael Cunningham

Publication year 1988

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Memory, Siblings, Family, Death

Tags Coming of Age, Grief & Death, Education, Education

Michael Cunningham’s short story “White Angel” was published first in the New Yorker in 1987 and later as a chapter in his 1990 novel A Home at the End of the World. Cunningham has won several major literary awards, including the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel The Hours. “White Angel” is written in a realist style, poetic and at times humorous. The author uses symbolism to illustrate the narrator’s preoccupation with time... Read White Angel Summary

Works and Days

by Hesiod

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Siblings

Tags Religion & Spirituality, Classic Fiction, Ancient Greece, Mythology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classical Period, World History, Fantasy

“Works and Days” is a didactic poem by Hesiod dating to approximately the eighth century BCE. Hesiod begins the poem with the traditional invocation to the muses, but he deviates slightly from this tradition by including personal information; the poem is an explanation of a dispute between Hesiod and his brother Perses over a family inheritance. The poem’s thematic concerns, which Hesiod explores by arguing how harmful his brother’s actions are not only to himself... Read Works and Days Summary

Year of Yes

by Shonda Rhimes

Publication year 2015

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Regret, Femininity, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Race, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, Equality, Fame

Tags Self-Improvement, Gender & Feminism, Memoir & Autobiography

Year of Yes: How to Dance it Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person (2015) is a memoir by television writer and producer Shonda Rhimes. The book recounts the life changes that Rhimes made in 2014 when she committed herself to saying “yes” to opportunities and invitations. In 2013, Rhimes was immersed in both a successful career and a busy life, parenting three daughters. An off-hand comment by her older sister complaining... Read Year of Yes Summary

Young Mungo

by Douglas Stuart

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Masculinity, Mothers, Siblings, Coming of Age, Conflict, Social Class, Safety & Danger, Love

Tags LGBTQ+, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Bullying, Social Class, Trauma & Abuse, Love & Sexuality, European History, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance

... Read Young Mungo Summary

Zodiac Academy

by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Siblings, Fate, Loyalty & Betrayal, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

... Read Zodiac Academy Summary