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.

Jacob Have I Loved

by Katherine Paterson

Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Siblings, Coming of Age, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

Jacob Have I Loved (1980) is the seventh book published by acclaimed American author Katherine Paterson. Set in the 1940s on a tiny crab-fishing island in the Chesapeake Bay, the coming-of-age novel tells the story of teenager Sara Louise Bradshaw as she navigates her contentious relationship with her twin sister, Caroline, and seeks identity and purpose in her village. The novel explores the theme of sibling rivalry and religious struggles. Jacob Have I Loved won... Read Jacob Have I Loved Summary

Jade City

by Fonda Lee

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Objects & Materials, Siblings, Teamwork, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Gender & Feminism, Leadership, Trauma & Abuse, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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Junie

by Erin Crosby Eckstine

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Grief, Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Guilt, Race, Coming of Age, Siblings, Self Discovery, Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Coming of Age, American Civil War

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Kira-Kira

by Cynthia Kadohata

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Grief, Love, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Siblings, Social Class, Economics, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, Grief & Death, Asian Literature, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Civil Rights & Jim Crow South, US History, Parenting, Race & Racism, American Literature, Children`s Literature, World History

Cynthia Kadohata’s first novel, Kira-Kira (2004), is a historical coming-of-age novel for middle-grade readers. The novel tells the story of the Japanese American Takeshima family, who live in the Chesterfield, Georgia, in the 1950s. The protagonist and first-person narrator is the younger daughter, Katie. The narrative spans seven years, involving the family’s move from Iowa to the South, where Katie’s parents become workers in the poultry industry. The narrative follows Katie as she awakens to... Read Kira-Kira Summary

La Linea

by Ann Jaramillo

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Immigration, Teamwork, Siblings, Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Mothers, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Perseverance

Tags Realistic Fiction, Action & Adventure, Coming of Age, Immigration & Refugeeism, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Arts & Culture

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Lavinia

by Ursula K. Le Guin

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Grief, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Place, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Military & War, Italian Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

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Let Me Hear a Rhyme

by Tiffany D. Jackson

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Music, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Love, Joy, Hope, Guilt, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Equality, Justice, Safety & Danger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Power & Greed, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Daughters & Sons, Family, Friendship, Siblings, Mothers, Race, Language, Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Music

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Let The Circle Be Unbroken

by Mildred D. Taylor

Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Perseverance, Hate & Anger, Race, Siblings, Social Class, Economics, Justice, Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Race & Racism, Great Depression, Children`s Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

Let the Circle Be Unbroken (1981) is part of the Logan Family Saga by author Mildred D. Taylor. The series follows the fortunes of a Black farming family, the Logans, through more than one generation as they experience the tribulations of life in the South before the Civil Rights era. The saga consists of 10 novels and novellas. The award-winning novels include The Land (2001), Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1976), and The Road... Read Let The Circle Be Unbroken Summary

Liar’s Poker

by Michael Lewis

Publication year 1989

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Economics, Siblings

Tags Business & Economics, World History, Finance, Politics & Government, Biography

Originally published in 1989, Liar’s Poker is a nonfiction book that details author Michael Lewis’s experiences as a Wall Street bonds salesman in the late 1980s. Liar’s Poker is a betting game played with single dollar bills. In the book, bond traders at Salomon Brothers, an investment bank, play a much bigger betting game involving hundreds of millions of dollars, but the skills they require—daring, quick thinking, and ruthless bluffing—are basically the same as in... Read Liar’s Poker Summary

Like Water for Chocolate

by Laura Esquivel

Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Femininity, Sexual Identity, Food, Family, Mothers, Daughters & Sons, Siblings, Marriage, Self Discovery, War

Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance, Food, Gender & Feminism, Love & Sexuality, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Like Water for Chocolate is the debut novel of Laura Esquivel, published in Mexico in 1989 and then translated into English by Carol and Thomas Christensen. Esquivel has sold over four million copies of the novel worldwide. She is a novelist and active politician serving in the Mexican Chamber of Deputies. She collaborated with her husband at the time to adapt the novel into a film in 1992, which was then nominated for a Golden... Read Like Water for Chocolate Summary