"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child," exclaims William Shakespeare's King Lear. The fragility or strength of the bond between parents and their children is an eternally relevant theme in literature. In this study guide collection, we've put together texts that examine what it means to be a son or daughter.
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Historical Fiction, Western, History: U.S., History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Humor, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Climate, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, American Literature
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Flora/plants
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, American Civil War, African American Literature, Grief / Death, History: U.S., Love / Sexuality, Post-War Era, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Asian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature, Arts / Culture
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is a novel by contemporary American writer Lisa See. See is one-eighth Chinese, and most of her books feature Chinese history and traditions. First published in 2017, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane centers around the story of a young girl named Li-yan, who lives with her family in remote tea mountains of China. In their everyday life, her village relies on rituals, belief, and taboos, and they are... Read The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Education, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Psychology, Parenting, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine
The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults (2014) is by American neurologist Frances E. Jensen with journalist Amy Ellis Nutt. A New York Times bestseller, the book was nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Prize for Literary Science Writing. The Teenage Brain is a guide to the workings of the adolescent brain aimed at parents. Using scientific research data combined with real-life stories and anecdotes, the author explains the changes... Read The Teenage Brain Summary
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Grief / Death
The Truth About Forever (2004) is a young adult contemporary romance by Sarah Dessen. The novel follows Macy Queen, a teen girl struggling to heal from the tragic death of her father, only to find that the answers lie not in chasing perfection and control but embracing the unpredictable and chaotic joys of life. The Truth About Forever is Sarah Dessen’s sixth published novel and won the 2004 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Urban... Read The Truth About Forever Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Urban Development, Holidays & Occasions, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Psychology, British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Maggie O’Farrell’s novel The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, published in 2006, is the author’s fourth novel and tackles the grim history of forced incarcerations of women and the devastating effects of family secrets. O’Farrell’s work often focuses on women trapped physically, emotionally, and psychologically by forces over which they have no control, and this novel is no exception. Through a twisted entanglement of three different perspectives, O’Farrell tells the story of not only Esme... Read The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags History: World, Regency Era, Romance, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Irish Literature
Publication year 1938
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Classic Fiction, Animals, Agriculture, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, History: World
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings published The Yearling in 1938 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1939. Maxwell Perkins, who also worked with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, edited the novel. The Yearling traces one year in the life of Jody Baxter, chronicling his family’s hardships as they endure floods, plague, and death—and Jody’s tender relationship with an orphaned fawn. The novel became a bestseller in 1938 and has since been translated into 29 languages. In... Read The Yearling Summary
Publication year 1958
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Colonialism
Tags Colonialism / Postcolonialism, African Literature, History: African , Heinemann African Writers, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Things Fall Apart, published in 1958, is Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe’s first novel. Simultaneously portraying the traditions and beliefs of Nigerian Ibo culture and engaging with the narrative of European colonialism in Africa, Things Fall Apart uses one man’s story to speak for many. It is considered the first modern African novel, and it is the first African novel published by a Western press. It has become a classic of African postcolonial literature and explores... Read Things Fall Apart Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, History: Asian, Natural Disaster, Parenting, Military / War, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Social Justice, Race / Racism, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction