Friendship

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 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature

Walter Dean Myers first published his middle grade novel, The Young Landlords, in 1979. Like most of the 100 books Myers penned before his death in 2014, the story centers on Black youth. The Young Landlords is particularly personal to Myers, however, because he writes about the neighborhood in Harlem, New York, where he grew up, describing the sort of activities and individuals he encountered as a youth. The main character, 15-year-old Paul Williams, pays... Read The Young Landlords Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Humor, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World


Publication year 1996

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Play: Drama

This Is Our Youth is a theatrical play of the realistic fiction genre, written by Kenneth Lonergan. It originally premiered in 1996 off-Broadway. It takes place in the US in 1982, during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, and centers around the lives of privileged youth who lack direction and fear The Disillusionment of Adulthood. Lonergan was inspired by his own experiences of listlessness and feeling lost in his youth in the early 1980s, as well as The... Read This Is Our Youth Summary


Publication year 1993

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Class

Tags Grief / Death, Education, Education


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: World


Publication year 2014

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

This One Summer is a Canadian young adult graphic novel written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by her cousin, Jillian Tamaki. Mariko Tamaki has written several graphic novels, and has worked for both Marvel and DC Comics. This One Summer was originally published in 2014 by Groundwood Books, and follows the summer experiences of two young girls approaching adolescence and watching their parents cope with the various pressures of adulthood. The novel has been the... Read This One Summer Summary


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 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery

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


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, Italian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2014) is the third book in pseudonymous Italian author Elena Ferrante’s world-acclaimed adult fiction series The Neapolitan Novels. The four-novel series chronicles the friendship between first-person narrator Elena Greco and Raffaella “Lila” Cerullo from childhood to old age in an impoverished neighborhood in Naples, Italy. Translated by Ann Goldstein, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay documents the beginning of middle age, wherein the two women grapple with... Read Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Action / Adventure

Three Times Lucky (2012) is a middle grade mystery fiction novel written by Sheila Turnage. Turnage is the author of the Mo & Dale series and lives in North Carolina, where her books take place. Three Times Lucky was a Newbery Honor Book, a New York Times Best Seller, a Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year, and an E. B. White Read-Aloud Honor Book. In the story, 11-year-old best friends Mo and Dale... Read Three Times Lucky Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality

Tags LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Poverty, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure

Published in 2010, Andy Mulligan’s dystopian young adult novel Trash examines themes of poverty, homelessness, corruption, and friendship. Set in the near future in an unnamed country, it follows the adventures of three boys who take turns narrating the story: Raphael, Gardo, and Jun-Jun (known as Rat throughout most of the book). The boys are poor, as are the majority of the people in their region. They live, as do most, by picking through trash... Read Trash Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Children's Literature, History: African , Race / Racism, African American Literature, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Relationships, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Parenting, Love / Sexuality

Truly Madly Guilty is Liane Moriarty’s seventh adult novel, published in 2016. The work uses suspense elements and a nonlinear timeline to tell a story of a backyard barbecue and its deep emotional and psychological repercussions for the attendees. The book explores themes of friendship, marriage, and parenthood through the relationships of three couples, Erika and Oliver, Clementine and Sam, and Tiffany and Vid.The edition referenced is the first US e-book edition from Flatiron Books.Plot... Read Truly Madly Guilty Summary


Publication year 1975

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, American Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Romance

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt follows the journey of a young girl’s decision to live forever or remain mortal. The book received many honors and awards, including the Janusz Korczak Medal and the 1976 Christopher Award as best book for young people, among others, and it was named an ALA Notable Book. Tuck Everlasting was adapted twice into a full-length feature film (1981 and 2002), and it appeared on Broadway as a stage musical in... Read Tuck Everlasting 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.This guide refers to the 2010 Random House... Read Turtle in Paradise Summary