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 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Parenting, Psychology, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1970
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family
Tags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Music, Arts / Culture
The First Rule of Punk is Celia C. Pérez’s 2017 debut YA novel. It was a 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book, a 2018 ALSC Notable Children’s Book, and a 2018 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award Winner. Pérez, as a long-time punk zine author and Mexican Cuban woman, drew from her adoration of “outsiders” and “weirdos” to craft her first novel. Pérez then penned her second YA novel, Strange Birds: A Field Guide... Read The First Rule of Punk Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Inspirational, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a novel by best-selling writer Mitch Albom. Published in 2003, it sold more than 10 million copies and appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. In 2004, the story was adapted into a made-for-television movie starring Jon Voight. In 2018, Albom penned a follow-up called The Next Person You Meet in Heaven. The novel follows the story of Eddie, a man who believes his life was... Read The Five People You Meet In Heaven Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family
Tags Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Business / Economics, Inspirational, Humor
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
The Forgotten Garden is the second novel by Australian author Kate Morton. First published in 2008, the book is classified as a historical mystery and won the Australian Book Industry Award for General Fiction in 2009. It later became a New York Times Best Seller. The Forgotten Garden is heavily influenced by the Gothic novel genre and pays homage to The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Events in the story were inspired by the... Read The Forgotten Garden Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Fame, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family
Tags Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, Asian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature
The Fortunes (2016) is a historical novel by British author Peter Ho Davies. Written in the form of four interconnected stories, it details the experiences of various groups of Chinese immigrants and their descendants in the United States. Three of the four stories are based on real, historical figures, and together the narratives form a vast, multi-generational portrait of Chinese American communities across time and in various regions of the US. The four stories take... Read The Fortunes Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Humor
In 2014’s The Fourteenth Goldfish, by Jennifer L Holm, an aging scientist turns himself into a teenager who must re-enter middle school alongside his granddaughter while they plot to get him back into his lab to finish his brilliant work. A humorous science-fiction novel for middle-grade readers, The Fourteenth Goldfish is the first in a two-book series. New York Times Bestselling author Holm has written nearly 60 books for young readers, including the May Amelia... Read The Fourteenth Goldfish Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Great Depression, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Identity: Language
Tags Education, Education, Inspirational, Biography
The Freedom Writers Diary is a nonfiction book that collects the stories of English teacher Erin Gruwell and her students at Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, as they move from their freshman to senior years from 1994-1998. The book is divided into eight major sections, one for the fall and spring of each year, as well as a forward and epilogue. Each major section begins with an introductory entry from Ms. Gruwell, followed... Read The Freedom Writers Diary Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Biography, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction