Daughters & Sons

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child," exclaims William Shakespeare's King Lear. The fragility or strength of the bond between parents and their children is an eternally relevant theme in literature. In this study guide collection, we've put together texts that examine what it means to be a son or daughter.

Prairie Lotus

by Linda Sue Park

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Friendship, Coming of Age, Community, Race, Fathers, Daughters & Sons, Perseverance, Mothers

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Race & Racism, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, World History, Arts & Culture

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Raybearer

by Jordan Ifueko

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Politics & Government, Justice

Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+

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Reminders of Him

by Colleen Hoover

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Forgiveness, Self Discovery, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Family, Friendship, Mothers, Music, Trust & Doubt, Appearance & Reality, Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness

Tags Romance, Love & Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature

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Resist

by Alan Gratz

Publication year 2019

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes War, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Childhood & Youth, Death, Animals, Place, Daughters & Sons, Mothers, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Wins & Losses

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Children`s Literature

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Reunion

by John Cheever

Publication year 1962

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fathers, Coming of Age, Memory, Daughters & Sons

Tags Addiction & Substance Abuse, Education, Education, American Literature, Dramatic Literature, Classic Fiction

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Rock Paper Scissors

by Alice Feeney

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Mothers, Fathers, Friendship, Love, Hate & Anger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil, Truth & Lies, Daughters & Sons, Fear, Loneliness, Apathy, Marriage

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

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Rodrick Rules

by Jeff Kinney

Publication year 2008

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Conflict, Apathy, Fear, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Regret, Childhood & Youth, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Masculinity, Appearance & Reality, Education, Family, Siblings, Mothers, Fathers, Daughters & Sons

Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

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Room

by Emma Donoghue

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mothers, Daughters & Sons, Grandparents, Childhood & Youth, Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Conflict, Nostalgia, Memory, Love, Loneliness, Joy, Literature, Good & Evil, Fame, Justice, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Religion & Spirituality, Order & Chaos, Appearance & Reality, Animals, Environment, Plants, Food, Place

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Crime & Law, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature

IntroductionEmma Donoghue’s Room is a 2010 novel about a boy named Jack who lives in a single room with his mother, Ma. Room is a crime thriller novel that explores themes of trauma, innocence, and adaptability through the eyes of five-year-old narrator, Jack. Room has received many awards, including the ALA Alex Award, the Indies Choice Book Award for Fiction, and The New York Times Book Review Best Book of the Year award. Room was... Read Room Summary

Rouge

by Mona Awad

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mothers, Daughters & Sons, Beauty, Death, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Gothic Literature

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Roxana

by Daniel Defoe

Publication year 1724

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Daughters & Sons

Tags Classic Fiction, Education, Education, British Literature, World History, Historical Fiction

Originally printed in 1724, Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress was published anonymously and only later attributed to Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders. The novel appears as if it is a biography, which was a common trope amongst 18th-century fiction as it was thought to appeal more to the public if readers believed the story was based on true events in a person’s life. The novel has an episodic quality to it and is not necessarily strung together by... Read Roxana Summary

Rules of the Game

by Amy Tan

Publication year 1989

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Mothers, Daughters & Sons, Perseverance, Immigration

Tags Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, American Literature, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Chinese Literature, Relationships, Asian History

“Rules of the Game” is a story in Amy Tan’s 1989 collection, The Joy Luck Club, which was adapted into a film by the same name. Tan was born in California to Chinese immigrant parents and grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. She wrote the short story in response to an article she read about Chinese Americans playing chess.The story is told by Waverly Place Jong, the daughter of Chinese immigrants living in... Read Rules of the Game Summary

Rules of the Road

by Joan Bauer

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Fathers, Daughters & Sons, Family, Aging

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Travel Literature, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

Rules Of The Road is a contemporary young adult novel by established author Joan Bauer, first published in 1998. It is the first book in the Rules of the Road series. The second book, Best Foot Forward, was published in 2005. Joan Bauer’s own complicated childhood with an alcohol-addicted father inspired Rules of the Road, which was met with critical acclaim. It won both the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the Golden Kite Award... Read Rules of the Road Summary

Runaway: Stories

by Alice Munro

Publication year 2004

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Love, Loyalty & Betrayal, Nostalgia, Loneliness, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Guilt, Memory, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger

Tags Canadian Literature, Literary Fiction, Relationships

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