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 Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1988
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Disability
Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Southern Literature, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 1952
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Class, Relationships: Family
Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, British Literature
Introduction Written by British author Mary Norton in 1952, The Borrowers is the first in a five-part series along with The Borrowers Afield (1955), The Borrowers Afloat (1959), The Borrowers Aloft (1961), and The Borrowers Avenged (1982). The book follows the story of the Clock family, a trio of tiny people who live beneath the kitchen floorboards in a large house in the British countryside. Norton was born in London in 1903 and grew up... Read The Borrowers Summary
Publication year 1924
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Bullying
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Jason Reynolds’s 2015 young adult realistic contemporary novel, The Boy in the Black Suit, follows main character, Matt Miller, through several months of his senior year after the death of his mother. His grieving process is complicated by his father’s lengthy hospitalization after an accident, which leaves Matt to cope with his sadness alone. Matt discovers unexpected comfort, however, in his new job helping neighbor and funeral home director Mr. Ray. Matt meets Love, who... Read The Boy in the Black Suit Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War, Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender
Tags Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World
The Breadwinner, also known as Parvana, is a 2000 children’s novel by Canadian author and activist Deborah Ellis. It centers on an 11-year-old girl named Parvana who, due to her family’s circumstances, is forced to defy the Taliban and their repressive laws to become the breadwinner for her family. Exploring themes of human connection, maturation and bravery, and the repression of women, The Breadwinner was critically acclaimed upon its release and has had over 40... Read The Breadwinner Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Self Discovery
Tags Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Indian Literature, Children's Literature, Poverty, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, Religion / Spirituality, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Literary Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Contemporary Literature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Romance, Sports, Relationships
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Disability, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Nation, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Sports, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy