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 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 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, Humor, New Adult, British Literature, 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