With classics like J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and contemporary hits like Min Jin Lee's Pachinko, this collection gathers texts that grapple with the complex and archetypal role of the mother.
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Inspirational, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: War, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Nation
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Race / Racism, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2014
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Immigration
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Religion / Spirituality, Jewish Literature, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World
The Red Tent (1997) is an adult historical novel by Jewish American author Anita Diamant. It describes the life of Dinah, daughter of Jacob, who appears in the biblical Book of Genesis. While her mention in the Bible only concerns her abduction by a Canaanite man and her brothers’ act of atrocity in response, Diamant imagines a full life for Dinah—including a childhood raised by several mothers, her first marriage, and life in Egypt, where... Read The Red Tent Summary
Publication year 1926
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Class, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Modernism, Finance / Money / Wealth, Class, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
D. H. Lawrence published “The Rocking Horse Winner” in 1926, just four years before his death in 1930. He had written a story, “Glad Ghosts,” for inclusion in Lady Cynthia Asquith’s supernatural fiction anthology Ghost Book. She did not like the story, partly because of the celebration of male sexuality and other erotic undertones. Lawrence wrote “The Rocking Horse Winner” for her instead. Lawrence sets the story in a haunted house, appropriate for a “ghost”... Read The Rocking Horse Winner Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Humor, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Magical Realism, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death
Andrew Clements’s The School Story is a 2001 middle grade fiction novel about two sixth-grade girls who set out to get a book published. The School Story is Andrew Clements’s fourth full-length novel. Prior to writing novels, Clements worked extensively on picture books, and his familiarity with the publishing industry allowed him to create a realistic yet fantastical story about two children trying to navigate it. The School Story explores themes of loss, honesty, and... Read The School Story Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Depression / Suicide, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Bullying
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers
Tags British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, WWI / World War I
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1989
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Jewish Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, American Literature, History: World
Cynthia Ozick’s The Shawl is actually two separate (though interrelated) narratives: a short story set during the Holocaust, and a novella set roughly 40 years later in Miami, Florida. In the short story, also titled “The Shawl,” a young Jewish woman named Rosa Lublin is sent with her niece Stella and her infant daughter Magda to a concentration camp. Against all odds, Magda survives much longer than her mother expects, thanks largely to the shawl... Read The Shawl Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
IntroductionPublished in 1987, The Shell Seekers was written by Rosamunde Pilcher and is her first bestseller. Inspired by Pilcher’s conversation with Tom Dunne at St. Martin’s Press about her children’s desire to see their mother become famous, the novel is the author’s attempt to create a story for women based on the experiences of her generation. Set in 1984, it tells the story of Penelope Stern Keeling and her children (Nancy, Olivia, and Noel) and... Read The Shell Seekers Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Italian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1960
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Humor, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Biography, Religion / Spirituality
The Sound of Gravel is a memoir by Ruth Wariner about her experiences growing up in a polygamist colony in Mexico. Originally published in 2015, the memoir is a rare, detailed examination of the life of children in polygamist colonies, and it examines several themes, including The Consequence of Childhood Neglect, The Flaws and Dangers of Fundamentalism, Courage and Resilience in the Face of Adversity, and The Joys, Pains, and Sacrifices of Familial Love. Ruth... Read The Sound of Gravel Summary