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.
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Biography
Publication year 1974
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, American Revolution, Military / War, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
My Brother Sam Is Dead tells the story of the Tim Meeker and his family during the years of the American Revolutionary War. Published in 1974, the novel won many awards, including a Newbery Honor, an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book designation, and National Book Award nomination. James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier, the authors, are brothers who together wrote a series of historical novels for young adults. James, a journalist, wrote most of... Read My Brother Sam Is Dead Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Immigration
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature, Children's Literature, Mental Illness, Biography
Publication year 2004
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Relationships
Publication year 2001
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Lyric Poem, African American Literature
Publication year 1976
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships, American Literature
Simon J. Ortiz originally published “My Father’s Song” in his poetry/story collection entitled A Good Journey (1977). Ortiz is a major writer in the Native American Renaissance, a movement which began in the 1960s and marked a significant increase in the production of literary works by Native Americans in the United States. The poem was written at a time when Ortiz was collecting and recounting stories from Indigenous tribes across the United States, and his... Read My Father's Song Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Publication year 2004
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Society: Immigration, Self Discovery
Tags Immigration / Refugee
Publication year 2017
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Humor
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is a 2013 coming-of-age novel by Fredrik Bachman. The story follows Elsa, a seven-year-old girl with a penchant for grammar and deep affection for her grandmother, Granny, who dies from cancer. As Elsa discovers Granny’s past and the many lives she affected, she also learns more about Life and Death, Celebrating Differences, and the Complexity of Human Nature.Originally written in Swedish, My Grandmother Asked Me has... Read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Education, Grief / Death, Parenting, Relationships, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery
Tags Children's Literature
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class, Grief / Death, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, Action / Adventure, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Elizabeth Strout’s New York Times bestselling novel My Name is Lucy Barton follows the titular character on a journey of healing. Published in 2016, My Name is Lucy Barton explores the impact of trauma as Lucy navigates her reunion with her estranged mother. Longlisted for the 2016 Man Booker Prize, My Name is Lucy Barton was adapted for the stage as a one-woman show featuring acclaimed actress Laura Linney in 2018 and 2020. Strout’s novel... Read My Name is Lucy Barton Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Disability
Tags Drama / Tragedy, Health / Medicine, Disability, Grief / Death, Parenting
My Sister’s Keeper is a 2004 novel by bestselling author Jodi Picoult centered on the controversy of savior siblings. In the novel, Anna Fitzgerald fights for medical emancipation in order to have a choice in whether or not she will donate a kidney to her sister, Kate, who has leukemia. In 2009, the novel was adapted into a feature film released by New Line Cinema. The movie was directed by Nick Cassavetes and starred Cameron... Read My Sister's Keeper Summary