Friendship

The solace and comfort of true friendship — and the pain of its loss — can rival any romantic or familial relationship. In this collection, we present texts that examine the unique qualities and costs of deep friendships.

The Passenger

by Cormac McCarthy

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Family, Grief, Friendship, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

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The Penderwicks

by Jeanne Birdsall

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Family, Self Discovery, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Animals

Tags Realistic Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Coming of Age, Animals, Relationships, Social Class, Music, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction

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The Pigman

by Paul Zindel

Publication year 1968

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Death, Truth & Lies, Mental Health, Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Grief & Death, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction

Published in 1968, Paul Zindel’s The Pigman established the young adult genre in fiction novels and became a classic book that is still read by teenagers in classrooms today. Written from the dual perspective of two high school students, Zindel takes the reader inside the mind of a teenager’s thoughts, fears, and impressions of others and examines what it means to be kind and empathetic. The novel was awarded the New York Times Outstanding Book... Read The Pigman Summary

The Poem of the Cid

by Anonymous

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Masculinity, Fathers, Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval, Narrative Poem, Action & Adventure, European History, Military & War

The Song of the Cid, also known as El Cantar de mio Cid, is a Spanish epic written in verse by an unknown author. The only surviving medieval Spanish epic, it is widely considered Spain’s national folktale, telling of fictionalized events at the formation of medieval Spain in the 11th century. It is based on the true story of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, a Castilian knight who in reality fought for both Christian and Muslim... Read The Poem of the Cid Summary

The Power of One

by Bryce Courtenay

Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Revenge, Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, World History, Classic Fiction

The Power of One (1989) is a Bildungsroman written by Australian author Bryce Courtenay, largely based on the life and experiences of the author who grew up on a small farm in the Lebombo Mountains in South Africa. It was the only novel published by the author for an American market. He noted that “American publishers [. . .] are interested in books [set] in their own country first and foremost,” but his novel was... Read The Power of One Summary

The Raven Boys

by Maggie Stiefvater

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Good & Evil, Truth & Lies, Power & Greed, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Religion & Spirituality

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater is a young adult fantasy novel about a girl from a family of clairvoyants, the boys she befriends, and how their lives are intertwined along their journey to wake a slumbering king. The book was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award and the Locus Award for science fiction and fantasy in 2013, and the Raven Cycle series was nominated for the Mythopoeic Awards in 2017... Read The Raven Boys Summary

The Recruit

by Robert Muchamore

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Fear, Coming of Age, Environment, Friendship, Siblings, Teamwork, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure

The Recruit by British author Robert Muchamore (Hodder Children’s Books, 2004) is the first book in the middle-grade spy adventure CHERUB series and follows a 12-year-old boy who is plucked from a difficult life to become a spy. The book offers a look at the opportunities presented by change while exploring themes of overcoming fear, seeing issues from both sides, and making difficult choices. The Recruit was nominated for eight awards and won seven of... Read The Recruit Summary

The Report Card

by Andrew Clements

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Education, Friendship, Coming of Age, Perseverance

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

The Report Card is a 2004 middle grade novel by prolific children’s author Andrew Clements that tells the story of a young genius who has kept her intelligence a secret for her entire life. Nora Rowley has never worried about report cards, but by fifth grade, she realizes the negative impact of grades and test scores on her classmates—especially her best friend, Stephen Curtis—and decides to do something about it. The story explores themes about... Read The Report Card Summary

The Ride of Her Life

by Elizabeth Letts

Publication year 2021

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Gratitude, Hope, Aging, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Plants, Place, Friendship, Community, Nation, Beauty, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery

Tags Animals, World History, Travel Literature, Action & Adventure, Biography

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