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 1900
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
Published in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a beloved children’s classic by L. Frank Baum. It was adapted in 1939 into an iconic film starring Judy Garland. L. Frank Baum went on to write 13 further books set in the Land of Oz. This guide refers to the 2008 Puffin Books edition of The Wizard of Oz.Plot SummaryDorothy is a young girl living with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on a farm... Read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Education
Tags Humor, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Action / Adventure
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 1958
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature
Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce is a children’s fantasy novel that follows Tom Long, a boy who discovers a magical garden that appears only at midnight. In this garden, Tom meets Hatty, a girl from the past. Through their friendship, the novel explores the themes of The Impact of History on the Present, The Contrast Between Childhood and Adulthood, and The Transformative Power of Friendship. Tom’s Midnight Garden has been in print continuously since... Read Tom's Midnight Garden 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