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.

The Breadwinner

by Deborah Ellis

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Justice, War, Family, Gender Identity

Tags Children`s Literature, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Education, Education, Military & War, World History

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

The Break

by Katherena Vermette

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Indigenous Identity, Community, Colonialism, Self Discovery

Tags Gender & Feminism, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature

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The Bridge Home

by Padma Venkatraman

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Social Class, Siblings, Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Indian Literature, Children`s Literature, Poverty, Grief & Death, Trauma & Abuse, Social Class, Religion & Spirituality, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction

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The Brooklyn Nine

by Alan Gratz

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Memory, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Grandparents, Fathers, Mothers, Teamwork, Disability, Indigenous Identity, Gender Identity, Race, Immigration, Social Class, Community, Education, War, Nation, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Place, Equality, Fate, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Wins & Losses, Truth & Lies, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, The Past, Midlife, Death

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Sports, Realistic Fiction, World History

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The Brothers K

by David James Duncan

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Forgiveness, Memory, Childhood & Youth, War

Tags Sports, Historical Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

David James Duncan’s 1992 novel, The Brothers K, is a sprawling family saga set in Washington state against the backdrop of the Vietnam War era. An extended allusion to Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov (1879), the story is narrated by Kincaid Chance, the youngest of four brothers, as he chronicles his family’s tumultuous journey from the 1950s through the 1970s. The central conflict revolves around the opposing worldviews of his parents: his father, a minor... Read The Brothers K Summary

The Burgess Boys

by Elizabeth Strout

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Guilt, Conflict, Forgiveness, Grief, Race, Siblings, Self Discovery, Immigration, Politics & Government, War, Justice

Tags American Literature

Elizabeth Strout’s novel The Burgess Boys, published in 2013, explores the relationships between adult siblings during a time of family crisis. It examines the ways that past events and traumas continue to shape one’s sense of self. Set amid a Somali refugee crisis in the state of Maine, it also explores the ways that identity forms community and the way that community can be affected by newcomers.The author of 10 novels, Strout is acclaimed for... Read The Burgess Boys Summary

The Candymakers

by Wendy Mass

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Revenge, Fathers, Family, Friendship

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Food, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Wendy Mass’s novel The Candymakers is a work of middle-grade fiction that follows four children competing in a national candy making competition. As the children learn more about each other and the Life is Sweet candy factory, they give up their personal ambitions for the common good: to save the factory from a businessman who desires to steal the factory’s secret chocolate ingredient. Brown Books for Young Readers published the novel in 2010.Plot SummaryThe Candymakers... Read The Candymakers Summary

The Canyon's Edge

by Dusti Bowling

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Family, Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger, Self Discovery

Tags Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action & Adventure, Animals, Grief & Death, Mental Illness, Parenting, Natural Disaster, Science & Nature, Trauma & Abuse, Children`s Literature

... Read The Canyon's Edge Summary