Family

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 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery

Tags Sports, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery

Tags Memoir / Autobiography


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery

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

Content Warning: Better Nate Than Ever contains sensitive material, such as bullying and LGBTQ-related slurs.Better Nate Than Ever (2013) is the first book in a trilogy about Broadway hopeful Nate Foster; the next two titles in the series are Five, Six, Seven, Nate! (2014) and Nate Expectations (2018). The novel is intended for middle grade and young adult readers but may also appeal to adult fans of theater-related fiction. Author Tim Federle and the fictional... Read Better Nate Than Ever Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Climate Change, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery

Tags LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Gender / Feminism, Biography


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, WWII / World War II, Class, Education, Finance / Money / Wealth, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Military / War, Grief / Death, History: World, Parenting


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction

Lauren Wolk’s historical novel Beyond the Bright Sea (2017) takes place in 1925. Its narrator, 12-year-old Crow, was put to sea alone in a boat just hours after her birth. Now, she lives on the Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Massachusetts with the solitary painter who found her, Osh. As Crow searches for clues about her birth family and origins, she also strengthens bonds with Osh and the world she has grown up in... Read Beyond the Bright Sea Summary


Publication year 1920

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags American Literature, Play: Tragedy, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction

Eugene O’Neill’s Beyond the Horizon is a play that centers on the disaster that befalls two brothers when they choose to fight against their own natures. Realizing that they both love the same woman, each brother ends up pursuing the dream of the other with dire consequences.Written in 1918, Beyond the Horizon was O’Neill’s first full-length work to be produced, although it wasn’t published and first performed until 1920, the same year that it won... Read Beyond the Horizon Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class

Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family

Tags Southern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Parenting

Bitter in the Mouth, by Monique Truong, is a contemporary work of literary fiction first published in 2010. The novel is written in a stream-of-consciousness style in which the protagonist, Linda Hammerick, recounts her experience growing up as a Vietnamese American girl with synesthesia adopted by a white family in Boiling Springs, North Carolina in the 1970s. The novel explores issues of race, gender, sexuality, family, truth, and trauma.The novel is split into two parts... Read Bitter in the Mouth Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, History: World, Romance, Fantasy

Published in 2004, Alice Hoffman’s novel Blackbird House chronicles a house on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and its inhabitants over a 200-year span. The story, which invokes elements of magical realism, begins during the War of 1812 and ends in the present day. Shifting between first-person and third-person point-of-view, the novel delves into the themes of Love as Motivation, Resilience Resulting from Adversity, and The Power of Place in Shaping Lives.Other works by this author include... Read Blackbird House Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race

Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Race / Racism


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Romance, LGBTQ, African American Literature, New Adult, Love / Sexuality, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, African American Literature