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 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Animals, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family

Tags Gender / Feminism, History: World, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ


Publication year 1994

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family

Tags Free verse


Publication year 2003

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags History: World, Middle Eastern Literature, Auto/Biographical Fiction

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic memoir and coming-of-age tale about Satrapi’s experiences growing up in Tehran, Iran, before and after the revolution in 1979. Originally published in France to critical acclaim in four volumes between 2000-2003, it was translated into English in two volumes in 2003 and 2004 and explores themes of Coming of Age During Revolution, Civil Unrest, and War, Family Resistance and Heroism, Joy in Wartimen... Read Persepolis Summary


Publication year 1956

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: Education, Self Discovery

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Peyton Place is a novel depicting sensational and melodramatic events in a small New England town in the 1930s and 1940s; it was written by American novelist Grace Metalious and published in 1956. Peyton Place provoked controversy due to its depiction of taboo topics including sexuality, sexual abuse, and abortion. Nonetheless, the novel sold extremely well, and it was also adapted into successful films and television series. Metalious explores themes such as Shame and Ambivalence... Read Peyton Place Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings


Publication year 1836

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Action / Adventure, Humor, Travel Literature, Class, History: European, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Sports, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

The debut novel of British author Charles Dickens, The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (commonly known as The Pickwick Papers) was first published as a series by Chapman and Hall between 1836 and 1837. The Pickwick Papers chronicles the adventures of the members of the Pickwick Club, a group of travelers who journey around England and share their experiences. Because of the original serial format of the novel, the chapters contain individual but interconnected... Read Pickwick Papers Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Parenting

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff is a novel for middle readers about a foster child, the eponymous Hollis Woods, and how she finds a family. It was originally published in 2002 and became a Newbery Honor Book in 2003. In 2007, Hallmark Hall of Fame adapted the novel into a movie. Giff is the author of many popular books for children, including series like Kids of the Polk Street School, Friends and... Read Pictures Of Hollis Woods Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Arts / Culture, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction

Picture Us in the Light is a young adult novel written by Kelly Loy Gilbert and published in 2018 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Gilbert is the author of three young adult novels, all of which focus on the young Asian American experience. Picture Us in the Light is written in the first-person perspective of protagonist Danny Cheng, but Gilbert includes flashbacks to China to connect Danny to a past his parents have... Read Picture Us in the Light Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Food, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction

Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson is a young adult novel published in 2017. In 2018, it won the Coretta Scott King Award from the American Library Award Association and was named a Newbery Honor Book by the Association for Library Service to Children. The novel comprises 76 chapters, each of which is given a bilingual title in English and Spanish. For example, Chapter 1 is titled “español - Spanish language,” and Chapter 2 is... Read Piecing Me Together Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family

Tags Modern Classic Fiction

Kent Haruf's Plainsong was published in 1999 and addresses such powerful themes as community, acceptance and loneliness, as well as the effects of isolation on the individual. The novel focuses on several storylines and takes place in the high plains of eastern Colorado. The characters face daunting trials and tribulations, and many of their paths cross with one another.Other works by this author include Our Souls At Night, Benediction, and Eventide.In Holt, Colorado, Tom Guthrie... Read Plainsong Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Disability


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family

Tags Bullying, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Education


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Sports, Relationships, New Adult


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Magical Realism, Health / Medicine, History: Asian, Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Translated from the Korean by Chi-young Kim, Please Look After Mom (2008) by Kyung-sook Shin is an international work of best-selling fiction. When 69-year-old So-nyo Park goes missing one Saturday outside Seoul Station, her disappearance sets in motion a desperate search not only for where So-nyo might be but for who So-nyo was to her shocked and confused family members. One by one, So-nyo’s family comes to terms with the fact that they didn’t know... Read Please Look After Mom Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Natural Disaster, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Italian Literature, History: World, Classical Period

Pompeii is a 2003 historical fiction novel by British author Robert Harris. The novel blends together the history of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD with a fictional plot about an engineer sent from Rome to repair the city’s aqueducts. This study guide uses an eBook version of the 2003 Ballantine Books edition. Plot SummaryMarcus Attilius Primus is a young aqueduct engineer, also known as an “aquarius.” His father and his grandfather were... Read Pompeii Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Animals, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Animals, Education, Education