Family

Leo Tolstoy famously begins the novel Anna Karenina with the sentence: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this thematic collection, we have gathered noteworthy texts that navigate the joyous and sorrowful emotional terrain of the family unit.

How To Live Safely In a Science Fictional Universe

by Charles Yu

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Future, The Past, Family, Fathers

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Humor

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe (2010) is a science fiction novel by American writer Charles Yu. Yu wrote the novel after merging two separate story ideas—one about a father-son relationship and the other about a man who keeps waking up in different universes. The narrative views the emotional tension between the father and son through the lens of quantum mechanics and popular philosophy. The novel was a finalist for the John... Read How To Live Safely In a Science Fictional Universe Summary

How to Seal Your Own Fate

by Kristen Perrin

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Memory, Revenge, Death, Family, Social Class, Justice

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction

Kristen Perrin’s How to Seal Your Own Fate (2025) is the second installment in the Castle Knoll Files cozy mystery series. After inheriting the sprawling Gravesdown estate, Annie is drawn into investigating the mysterious 1961 car crash that killed three members of the aristocratic Gravesdown family. Guided by a cryptic fortune-teller, Annie uses her great-aunt’s extensive archives of village secrets to unravel a conspiracy of murder and betrayal, solving a 60-year-old cold case. The novel... Read How to Seal Your Own Fate Summary

Hum If You Don't Know the Words

by Bianca Marais

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Revenge, Race, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Friendship, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags World History, Arts & Culture, Historical Fiction, Race & Racism

... Read Hum If You Don't Know the Words Summary

Hummingbird

by Natalie Lloyd

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Disability, Family, Friendship, Perseverance, Hope, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Health, Disability

... Read Hummingbird Summary

Hush

by Jacqueline Woodson

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Perseverance, Justice, Hope, Loneliness, Mental Health, Race, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Race & Racism, Social Justice, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Hush Summary

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

by Erika L. Sanchez

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is Erika L. Sánchez’s debut novel. Published in 2017, the book is a young adult coming-of-age story set in contemporary Chicago. It is told from the perspective of 15-year-old Julia Reyes as she navigates her grief and struggles with mental health, familial relationships, and cultural expectations after her older sister Olga’s unexpected death. The book has won several awards, including the Thomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award... Read I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Summary