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.

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Loneliness, Memory, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Childhood & Youth, Fathers, Friendship, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Art, Equality, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt

Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ+, Children`s Literature

Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Social Class, Mothers, Siblings, Fear

Tags Realistic Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Grief & Death, Trauma & Abuse, Social Class, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Forged by Fire is a novel for young adults written by Sharon M. Draper. It is the second book in the Hazelwood High trilogy, which focuses on the lives of high schoolers in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was first published in 1997 and won the Coretta Scott King Award. Forged by Fire focuses on the life of Gerald Nickelby, a young African American boy, and his struggles with physical and emotional abuse. Other books in the... Read Forged By Fire Summary

Publication year 1961

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Hope, Loneliness, Grief, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, World History

Franny and Zooey is a 1961 book by J. D. Salinger. The book contains the 1955 short story Franny and the 1957 novella Zooey, both works that Salinger published separately in The New Yorker before he published them as a single book. J. D. Salinger is an American author most famous for his novel The Catcher in the Rye. The short story Franny follows Franny Glass as she visits her boyfriend Lane Coutell at school... Read Franny and Zooey Summary

Publication year 1972

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Self Discovery, Love, Coming of Age, Gender Identity, Childhood & Youth, Mothers, Siblings, Beauty

Tags Fantasy, Humor, Children`s Literature, Coming of Age

Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Siblings, Art

Tags Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Action & Adventure, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a 1967 children’s novel by E. L. Konigsburg. With elements of mystery and adventure, the novel follows two children who run away from home to hide out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where they are drawn into a mystery involving a newly acquired sculpture, even as they learn about themselves and the world around them. Praised for its humor and characters, the novel won... Read From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Summary

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Grief, Love, Memory, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Future, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, War, Fate, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Publication year 1978

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Perseverance, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Siblings

Tags Indian Literature, Education, Education, Asian Literature, Classic Fiction

“Games at Twilight” is a short story written by Indian author Anita Desai. It was originally published in 1978 in a collection titled Games at Twilight and Other Stories, which contains several texts that explore different aspects of Indian life in urban settings. That same year, Desai was nominated for the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize and the Sahitya Akademi Award for her novel Fire on the Mountain. “Games at Twilight” focuses on a young boy who... Read Games at Twilight Summary

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Shame & Pride, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy

Garden Spells is the debut novel by American author Sarah Addison Allen, published in 2007. The novel, an example of the urban fantasy genre, relates the story of a pair of Southern sisters coming to terms with their heritage. The book became a New York Times bestseller, was recognized on the American Library Association’s Reading List for Best Women’s Fiction of 2007, and won the 2008 SIBA Book Award for fiction. Following the success of... Read Garden Spells Summary

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes War, Siblings

Tags Military & War, World History, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Gates of Fire is a 1998 work of historical fiction by Steven Pressfield centered around the famous Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC), in which a heavily-outnumbered force of native Greeks led by the Spartans held the invading army of the Persian Empire at bay for several days. Despite their eventual defeat, the Greek forces became renowned for their valor and sacrifice. The story is framed as a series of interviews between Xeones (“Xeo”), a wounded... Read Gates of Fire Summary

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Science & Technology, Family, Siblings

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

Ghosted is British novelist Rosie Walsh’s first novel, published in 2018. After a career in television that included extensive travel, Walsh settled in the United Kingdom with her family, and Ghosted is set primarily in Gloucestershire and partially in other parts of England and Los Angeles, California. Released in the UK as The Man Who Didn’t Call and Ghosted in the United States, the novel addresses the phenomenon of “ghosting” in which a potential partner... Read Ghosted Summary

Publication year 2016

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Family, Religion & Spirituality, Siblings, Childhood & Youth

Tags Fantasy, Grief & Death, Science Fiction, Children`s Literature, Religion & Spirituality

Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Revenge, Aging, Death, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Art, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Femininity, Sexual Identity, Friendship, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Teamwork, Order & Chaos, Justice, Equality

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

Publication year 1862

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Appearance & Reality, Environment, Food, Nature Versus Nurture, Community, Education, Siblings, Beauty, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Wins & Losses

Tags Narrative Poem, Symbolic Narrative, Gothic Literature, World History, Fantasy, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Victorian Era, Classic Fiction

Enigmatic and strange, English poet Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market” has sparked multiple interpretations since its publication in 1862. The poem helped launch her career and expand the Pre-Raphaelite art movement into literature.The long narrative poem centers on Lizzie’s rescue of her sister from an enchantment cast by malicious goblins. Fairy tales and folklore inspired many Victorian writers, who felt weary about England’s increasing industrialization.Often seen as an allegory, scholars have posited that the poem’s characters... Read Goblin Market Summary

Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Family, Race, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Mothers, Siblings, Marriage, Fathers, Community, Memory, Future, Fear, Conflict, Loneliness

Tags Race & Racism, Politics & Government, 9/11, Relationships, LGBTQ+, Grief & Death, Parenting, Social Justice, Immigration & Refugeeism, Biography

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Conflict, Grief, Guilt, Love, Memory, Disability, Mental Health, Aging, The Past, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Military & War, Contemporary Literature, Dramatic Literature

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Joy, Love, Revenge, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Family, Friendship, Siblings, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, War, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Animals, Science Fiction

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal, War, Siblings, Place, Race, Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Guilt

Tags Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure, Coming of Age, World War II, Military & War, Grief & Death, Trauma & Abuse, Asian History, US History, Religion & Spirituality, Children`s Literature, World History