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 2007

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Relationships, Bullying, Children's Literature

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the first graphic novel in the titular series by Jeff Kinney. Since its initial publication in 2007, Diary of a Wimpy Kid has become a New York Times bestseller and 16 sequels have followed in the series. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is written in a diary format and documents the misadventures of middle school student Greg Heffley, who longs for popularity and hatches dozens of schemes to achieve... Read Diary of a Wimpy Kid Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult, Western


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery

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


Publication year 2016

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family

Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery

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

Double Fudge (2002) is the fifth and final book in the popular children’s series by bestselling American author Judy Blume. The Fudge series begins with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and includes Superfudge, Fudge-a-Mania, and Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great. The Fudge series was published across three decades and follows the lives of the Hatcher family, and most of the novels feature Peter Hatcher and his younger brother Fudge, who is always getting... Read Double Fudge Summary


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

In Dreamland, a young adult novel by Sarah Dessen, a teenage girl named Caitlin O’Koren reacts to the disappearance of her sister by breaking away from the path that was set out for her. The novel is broken into three parts that focus on the core of the conflicts in each section. Part I, “Cass,” traces the O’Koren family after Cass, the eldest of two daughters, runs away instead of attending Yale. Part II, entitled... Read Dreamland Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Music


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Natural Disaster, Education, Education


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Music, Magical Realism, Fantasy

Echo (2015) by Pam Muñoz Ryan is a young-adult novel about the power of music to unite individuals across time, and even save lives: the wide-reaching novel follows an enchanted harmonica to 1933 in Germany, 1934 in Pennsylvania, and 1942 in California, before uniting the characters we meet along the way at Carnegie Hall in 1951. Covering the rise of Nazism in Germany, the tail end of the Great Depression in the United States, and... Read Echo Summary


Publication year 450

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

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


Genre Play, Fiction

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

Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family

Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Health / Medicine, Politics / Government, History: U.S., Addiction / Substance Abuse, Business / Economics, Crime / Legal, Finance / Money / Wealth, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Biography


Publication year 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Bullying, Military / War, Cold War, Action / Adventure

Ender’s Game (1985) is a best-selling dystopian science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card. The story follows a precocious boy’s fight against space aliens and his own government. The essence of the story first appeared in a small sci-fi journal in 1977 as a short story of the same name. Card expanded the premise into a series that includes 15 novels and 13 related short stories. In addition to winning a Nebula Award in 1985... Read Ender's Game Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction

Escaping the Giant Wave is a middle-grade disaster thriller by American author Peg Kehret. The story follows 13-year-old Kyle Davidson and his little sister, BeeBee Davidson, as they struggle to survive an earthquake, a fire, and a tsunami. Kyle battles to save BeeBee and himself, and he learns to overcome his own fears. Escaping the Giant Wave is one of six novels centered around natural disasters by Kehret and was published in 2003. Kehret has... Read Escaping the Giant Wave Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Grief / Death, Religion / Spirituality

Best-selling and award-winning novelist Neal Shusterman published the fantasy novel Everlost in 2006. It is the first novel in the young adult Skinjacker trilogy, which also includes Everwild (2009) and Everfound (2011). Everlost explores what might lie between life and death and incorporates a rich cast of characters, all of whom are children. The novel has won multiple awards and distinctions, including being included among the 2009 Garden State Teen Book Award nominees and the... Read Everlost Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Regret

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Immigration, Natural World: Place, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Education, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Grandparents

Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, History: Middle Eastern, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Grandparents

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Magical Realism

Fablehaven was written by Brandon Mull and first published in 2006. It is the first in a series about an ecological preserve for magical creatures. In the novel, middle-school-aged siblings Kendra and Seth take a trip to their grandparents’ land in rural Connecticut, which they soon realize is hiding magic of all types. The siblings explore the magical world they have discovered while learning how to be both brave and responsible.Fablehaven deals with themes concerning... Read Fablehaven Summary