Brothers & Sisters

Whether marked by protective tenderness or tense rivalry, sibling bonds are like none other. This thematic collection offers insights into the unique dynamics of brothers and sisters.

Publication year 1975

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 24

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Gender / Feminism, Disability, Relationships, Children's Literature, Education, Education

American author, educator, filmmaker, and civil rights activist Toni Cade Bambara published her short story “Raymond’s Run” in 1971. It first appeared in a collection edited by Bambara, Tales and Short Stories for Black Folks, and later in her first short story collection, Gorilla, My Love in 1972. During this time, Bambara became prominent in the contemporary Black women’s literature space, emerging as a notable writer and editor alongside contemporaries such as Toni Morrison and... Read Raymond's Run Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Children's Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Realistic Fiction, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1904

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Nation

Tags Play: Tragedy, Irish Literature

Riders to the Sea (1904) is a one-act Irish play by John Millington Synge, originally performed in the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The play portrays the events of one day in the cottage of a low-income family living on Inishmaan, one of the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland, as they cope with the loss of male relatives to the rough waters between the islands and mainland Ireland. This short play incorporates themes... Read Riders to the Sea Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Crime / Legal, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Journalism, Business / Economics, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Leadership/Organization/Management, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships

Ruby Holler (2002) is a middle grade novel by Sharon Creech. It tells the story of twins, a brother and sister, who are orphaned and live at a children’s home. Their lives change unexpectedly when they are given the opportunity to travel with an elderly couple during their summer vacation.The author of 21 books, Creech was awarded the Newbery Medal for Walk Two Moons (1994) and received a Newbery honor for The Wanderer (2000). Ruby... Read Ruby Holler Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Diversity, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Rules was the first novel published by Cynthia Lord. Rules is a book for middle-grade readers that has remained popular and in print from the time of its initial publication. The Scholastic paperback version summarized here first appeared in 2018. For a debut novel, Rules was immediately accepted by young readers and by the literary community. The book won a prestigious Newberry Honor Book award and received the Schneider Family Book Award. It was named... Read Rules Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature

Savvy, by Ingrid Law, is a fantasy-adventure novel for middle-grade readers about a girl from a psychic family who discovers her mental superpower and tries to master it quickly to use it to save her comatose father. First published in 2008, Savvy was a New York Times bestseller; it won a Newbery Honor and has appeared on more than 30 best book lists. The novel has two sequels, Scumble and Switch. Law’s books have been... Read Savvy Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, British Literature, Military / War, History: World

Secrets of a Charmed Life is a historical fiction novel written by Susan Meissner and published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Random House, in 2015. The book follows two sisters in wartime England, Emmeline and Julia Downtree, who are separated from each other during the Blitz. The book also follows an interview between American Oxford student Kendra Van Zant and Blitz survivor and artist Isabel MacFarland. The novel explores the themes of... Read Secrets of a Charmed Life Summary


Publication year 467

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Classic Fiction, Ancient Greece, Play: Tragedy, Classical Period, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy

Seven Against Thebes is a tragedy composed by Aeschylus and performed for the first time at the City Dionysia festival in 467 BCE. It was the final play of a connected trilogy based on the myths of Oedipus and his family, but the first two plays—Laius and Oedipus—are now lost, as is the satyr play Sphinx that would have been performed following the trilogy. This set of plays won first prize the year it was... Read Seven Against Thebes Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Asian Literature, History: World, Chinese Literature, Arts / Culture, Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Asian Literature

Shanghai Girls (May 2009) is a New York Times bestselling historical novel by Lisa See. It is the first of a two-book series that concludes with Dreams of Joy (2011). The author’s paternal great-grandfather emigrated from China, and many of See’s books examine the Chinese immigrant experience in America. Other titles that cover similar subject matter are Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005), Peony in Love (2007), China Dolls (2014), The Tea Girl of... Read Shanghai Girls Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Colonialism

Tags Magical Realism, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2011

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Music, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction