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 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality

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


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Gender / Feminism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, Grief / Death, Asian Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Parenting, Race / Racism, American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World

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


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

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


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

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


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Great Depression, Children's Literature, History: World, 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


Publication year 1989

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Business / Economics, History: World, Finance / Money / Wealth, 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


Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: 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


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender

Tags Crime / Legal, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Latin American Literature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Love / Sexuality


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Mental Illness, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction


Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Children's Literature, Arts / Culture

Locomotion, Jacqueline Woodson’s 2003 novel in verse, follows the perspective of Lonnie Collins Motion, nicknamed Locomotion. After his parents die in a fire and his sister is adopted, Lonnie grieves and navigates life, first in a group home and then with Miss Edna, his foster mother. Through poetry, he slowly finds joy in life again, highlighting the themes of The Search for Identity and Belonging, The Healing Power of Writing, and The Enduring Support of... Read Locomotion Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1956

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Midlife

Tags Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, Play: Tragedy, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse

Long Day’s Journey into Night is widely considered Eugene O’Neill’s best play. It was published posthumously under the pseudonym Tyrone and is an autobiographical work about O’Neill’s family. The play was originally published in 1956 with a first showing in Sweden that same year. The play has been adapted into film several times, including productions in 1962 and 1996, as well as television adaptations in 1973, 1982, and 1987. O’Neill was awarded the Nobel Prize... Read Long Day's Journey Into Night Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Jewish Literature


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, African American Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Contemporary Literature