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.

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2008

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

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


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency Era


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Economics

Tags Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 1976

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, African American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Roots is a 1976 historical fiction novel by Alex Haley. Haley served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II and as a military journalist after the war. Prior to writing Roots, Haley interviewed famous Black Americans and ghostwrote The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which has remained a bestselling work since its publication in 1965. In Roots, Haley combines his journalistic experience with Black America and his family’s oral history, bolstered with research... Read Roots Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Identity: Race

Tags Race / Racism


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships

Ruby Holler (2002) is a middle grade novel by Sharon Creech. It tells the story of twins, a brother and sister, who are orphaned and live at a children’s home. Their lives change unexpectedly when they are given the opportunity to travel with an elderly couple during their summer vacation.The author of 21 books, Creech was awarded the Newbery Medal for Walk Two Moons (1994) and received a Newbery honor for The Wanderer (2000). Ruby... Read Ruby Holler Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Diversity, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Rules was the first novel published by Cynthia Lord. Rules is a book for middle-grade readers that has remained popular and in print from the time of its initial publication. The Scholastic paperback version summarized here first appeared in 2018. For a debut novel, Rules was immediately accepted by young readers and by the literary community. The book won a prestigious Newberry Honor Book award and received the Schneider Family Book Award. It was named... Read Rules Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Aging

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, 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


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Parenting


Publication year 1970

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Fantasy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2002

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags LGBTQ, Mental Illness, Humor, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs was first published in 2002 as a memoir. After several of the figures it features sued for defamation and dishonesty of its claims, however, it was recategorized as a book. It can also be classified as a bildungsroman since it follows the adolescent growth of its narrator and protagonist. Running with Scissors was adapted into a feature film in 2006.Other works by this author include Dry and A Wolf... Read Running With Scissors Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Animals, Action / Adventure, Fantasy


Publication year 1977

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Grief / Death, Education, Education, History: World, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction

Originally published in 1977, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a middle-grade historical fiction novel written by Eleanor Coerr based on the true story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl living in Hiroshima, Japan, when the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. At age 12, Sadako is diagnosed with leukemia, often called “the atom bomb disease.” Inspired by a Japanese legend, Sadako sets out to fold 1,000 origami cranes, hoping she will be granted... Read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Published in 2009, Sag Harbor is the fourth novel by Colson Whitehead. Whitehead refers to this novel as “my autobiographical fourth novel,” as he used some of his childhood summer experiences at Sag Harbor, New York, to write this story. Sag Harbor was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. Whitehead is also the author of The Underground Railroad, which won the Pulitzer Prize, as well as The Nickel Boys, The... Read Sag Harbor Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mythology, Humor, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: War

Tags Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction

Salt Houses is a 2017 novel by Palestinian-American author Hala Alyan. A multi-generational saga that begins in 1963 and concludes in 2014, the narrative traces the family’s experiences during key events of 20th- and 21st-century Palestinian history. The novel is polyvocal; multiple family members act as narrators. Although the novel provides an in-depth character study of the way that war, displacement, and diaspora impact each family member, it is also a portrait of the Palestinian... Read Salt Houses Summary