The solace and comfort of true friendship — and the pain of its loss — can rival any romantic or familial relationship. In this collection, we present texts that examine the unique qualities and costs of deep friendships.
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Poverty, Humor
Scrawl (2010) is a young adult novel by American author Mark Shulman, who has written more than 200 books for young readers. Scrawl follows a young teenage bully, Tod Munn, and his experience in detention where he is required by a guidance counselor to write about himself in a journal. In the journal, Tod describes his struggles with coming from a low-income family, low self-esteem, and his problematic behavior at school. The novel was a... Read Scrawl Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Self Discovery, Identity: Language
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Relationships, Psychology, Mental Illness
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Education
Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Relationships, Children's Literature, Animals, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Survival Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1849
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Historical Fiction, Romance, Gender / Feminism, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
Shirley is a historical novel by Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855). Written in 1849, it is Brontë’s second novel and followed the overwhelming success of Jane Eyre (1847). It was also very popular when it was published. Set in Yorkshire in 1812-1813, a time of financial depression, its setting engages directly with the Luddite uprisings in the North of England, when textile workers protested the unemployment caused by new mechanical equipment in mills and factories. Shirley follows... Read Shirley Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Shiver (2009) is the first installment in Maggie Stiefvater’s young adult paranormal romance series The Wolves of Mercy Falls. Influential in shaping modern fantasy romance narratives, the bestselling series is set in a universe where werewolves exist and their transformations are controlled by the weather. Shiver tracks the story of Grace Brisbane, who was bitten by werewolves when she was child but never changed, and Sam Roth, a werewolf destined to remain a wolf forever... Read Shiver Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
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
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a young adult (YA) bildungsroman published in 2001 by Ann Brashares. It is the first in the eponymous series of five best-selling novels, two of which were adapted into feature films. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants follow Carmen, Lena, Bridget, and Tibby, four teenage girls who share an inseparable bond and a pair of “magical” pants that fit each of them perfectly. During their first summer apart... Read Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration
Tags Historical Fiction, Indian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
In the novel Sister of My Heart, the Indian-born American author and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni explores issues of family, womanhood, and diasporic experience, constantly affirming and exploring the redemptive power of storytelling. Divakaruni’s first collection of stories, Arranged Marriage, won an American Book Award, a PEN Josephine Miles Award, and a Bay Area Book Reviewers Award. Her novel The Mistress of Spices was released as a film of the same name in 2005. Sister of My Heart was made into a television series... Read Sister of My Heart Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Irish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
Skippy Dies, published in 2010, is a tragicomic novel by Irish author Paul Murray. Murray originally wrote the novel as a short story before expanding it into a longform work of fiction, basing the Catholic boarding school where the book is set on the prestigious secondary school the author attended in Dublin.The novel was nominated for the longlists and shortlists of several distinguished awards, including the Booker Prize, the Irish Novel of the Year, and... Read Skippy Dies Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Realistic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Race / Racism, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Depression / Suicide, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
David Lubar’s young adult novel Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie (2005) was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults in 2006 and a BCCB Blue Ribbon Book. Lubar, a computer programmer-turned-author, has published many books for young readers, including Hidden Talents (1999) and the Weenies series.The story follows 14-year-old Scott Hudson as he navigates his first year of high school with both hilarious and tragic results. Lubar’s novel humorously addresses coming-of-age issues such as changing relationships... Read Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Food, Disability, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence