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 2022
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Business / Economics, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Fantasy, Humor
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Asian Literature, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals
Publication year 2020
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Relationships, History: African , Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Race / Racism, African American Literature, Military / War, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2011
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Business / Economics, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Military / War, History: World, Biography
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe is the nonfiction debut of American journalist and author, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, first published in 2011. It chronicles the story of Kamila Sidiqi, a young woman living under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, who became a fashion entrepreneur at a time when the rights of women were strictly limited. Lemmon traveled to Afghanistan to study... Read The Dressmaker of Khair Khana Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
The Dutch House is the eighth novel of Ann Patchett, an award-winning author of contemporary fiction. Published in 2019, the novel tells the story of what happens to Danny Conroy and his older sister Maeve Conroy when their stepmother, Andrea Smith, expels them from their sumptuous childhood home after the death of their father, Cyril Conroy. Set in the Dutch House—located in the outskirts of Philadelphia—and New York, the novel is literary fiction with fairy-tale... Read The Dutch House Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Language, Society: Community, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy, Class, Arts / Culture, Depression / Suicide, Relationships, French Literature
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was published in 2006 and translated by Alison Anderson into English for publication in 2008. The novel has been translated into more than 40 languages and was a major bestseller in France. The novel was adapted into a film called The Hedgehog (Le Hérisson) in 2009 to critical acclaim. The Elegance of the Hedgehog follows the narrative point of view of two erudite narrators: Renée, a concierge... Read The Elegance of the Hedgehog Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Immigration
Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Children's Literature, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Biography
Publication year 1968
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags History: World, WWII / World War II, Relationships, Russian Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, Historical Fiction
The Endless Steppe is a young adult memoir in which Esther Hautzig, the author, details her five-year exile in Siberia, from June 1941 to March 1946. When the American politician and diplomat Adlai E. Stevenson visited the village of Rubtsovsk and wrote about it, Esther Hautzig wrote to him to tell him about her time living there. Stevenson suggested that Esther write about her experience. Published in 1968, during the Cold War, the book resonated... Read The Endless Steppe Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Scandinavian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Climate, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
The End We Start From (2017) is a dystopian novel by British author Megan Hunter. Set in an apocalyptic version of London, the story centers on climate disaster survival and the trauma of navigating pregnancy and motherhood in the wake of a cataclysmic climate event that alters the world as we know it. The story is primarily told from the first-person perspective of an unnamed narrator and written in a lyrical style that swings between... Read The End We Start From Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is a novel for middle graders by Cuban American writer Pablo Cartaya. This study guide refers to the original 2017 Viking edition.Plot SummaryIt is the beginning of summer in Canal Grove, a Cuban enclave in modern-day Miami. For 13-year-old Arturo Zamora, the novel’s narrator, this is usually a season of lazy pastimes, but surprises are in store. When he becomes lovesick over a Spanish girl named Carmen Sánchez, and... Read The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor, Children's Literature
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Science / Nature, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Published in 2009, Jacqueline Kelly’s The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is a middle grade novel that follows the life of a young Calpurnia as she explores her love for science in the highly patriarchal society that dominated Texas in the late 19th century. The novel received praise from both readers and critics for its thematic emphasis on discovery and personal growth, earning it the Newbery Honor Award in 2010. This guide refers to the 2011... Read The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Holidays & Occasions, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1971
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
The Exorcist is a 1971 novel in the horror genre by William Peter Blatty. It tells the story of the possession of a young girl named Regan MacNeil. In 1973, the book was turned into a critically acclaimed film that spawned a number of sequels. Plot SummaryIn northern Iraq, an elderly priest named Lankester Merrin finishes an archeological excavation of a tomb and returns to America, shaken by a premonition. While finishing a film shoot with the... Read The Exorcist Summary