Daughters & Sons

"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 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Parenting, Psychology


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 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Immigration

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Nonfiction

The Winter Room is a 1989 young adult novel by American author Gary Paulsen. The story follows 11-year-old Eldon, who lives on a northern Minnesota farm with his family. The narrative explores Eldon’s relationship with his older brother, Wayne, and their connection to their great-uncle David. The boys grow up working on the farm all year and listening to Uncle David’s stories during the winter. The novel received the Newbery Medal Honor in 1989. Gary Paulsen... Read The Winter Room Summary


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


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Military / War, History: World, French Literature, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1976

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: War

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Historical Fiction, American Revolution, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1968

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction

True Grit is a 1968 western novel by Charles Portis that tells the story of Mattie Ross, a determined and headstrong 14-year-old girl from Arkansas who seeks vengeance for her father’s murder. With the unlikely help of Rooster Cogburn, a tough US Marshal, and LaBoeuf, a Texas Ranger, Mattie sets out to capture the killer, Tom Chaney. True Grit was an instant bestseller, adapted as a film in 1969 and in 2010. This guide uses the... Read True Grit Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Great Depression, Animals, Realistic Fiction, History: World

Turtle in Paradise is a 2010 historical fiction children’s novel by Jennifer L. Holm. Set in the Florida Keys during the Great Depression, the novel follows an 11-year-old girl’s struggles and successes as she visits her aunt and cousins in the town where her mother grew up. The novel won the Golden Kite Award and is a Newbery Honor Book as well as a Junior Library Guild selection. Other works by this author include The... Read Turtle in Paradise Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Grandparents

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction