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 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 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 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Bird Box is a 2014 post-apocalyptic, dystopian horror novel by Josh Malerman. The story follows a woman’s struggle to protect two children in a world where people are driven to violence by unseen monsters, touching on such themes as paranoia, raising children to deal with an uncertain future, and the dangers of exceptionalism. Bird Box won a Michigan Notable Book Award and was also nominated for the James Herbert Award as well as the Bram... Read Bird Box Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community
Tags Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Sociology, Philosophy, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), African American Literature, Philosophy
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Love / Sexuality, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Bluebird, Bluebird (2017) by Texas native Attica Locke, published by Little, Brown and Company, is a 2018 Edgar and Anthony award-winning mystery novel. It was also selected as a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Kirkus Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2017. The first in the Highway 59 series follows Texas Ranger Darren Mathews through the backroads of Texas in search of justice and reform... Read Bluebird, Bluebird Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Bluefish (2011) is a young adult novel by Pat Schmatz. This text is also sometimes classified as middle grade. The novel centers around Travis, an eighth grader who has lost his parents and dog and recently moved to a new school. Travis befriends Velveeta, a charismatic girl who is grieving the loss of her stand-in father figure, Calvin. As Travis and Velveeta’s friendship develops, they explore the challenges of coping with loss and family trauma... Read Bluefish Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
... Read Bob Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Japanese Literature, Gender / Feminism, Asian Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism
Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Breath, Eyes, Memory is a novel by Haitian American author Edwidge Danticat, first published in 1994. The book is semi-autobiographical: like the protagonist, 12-year-old Sophie Caco, Danticat herself was born in Haiti but moved to the United States at a young age. She has since written several novels and short stories about Haiti, immigration, and the complex ways that one’s identity is formed by where they are from and where they now live. The novel... Read Breath, Eyes, Memory Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism, Social Justice
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude
Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Great Depression, Race / Racism, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World
Publication year 2012
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Fantasy, LGBTQ
Carmilla is a Gothic novella in which a young woman named Laura details her relationship with a vampire in the form of a young woman named Carmilla. The first event that Laura details in the novella is an episode from her childhood: a six-year-old Laura is attempting to sleep when she is visited by a mysterious young lady (later revealed to be the vampire Carmilla, or at least a representation of Carmilla) who bites her... Read Carmilla Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Music
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1816
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Place, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Love / Sexuality, LGBTQ, Religion / Spirituality, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gothic Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a key figure in the British Romantic Era of poetry wrote the Gothic narrative poem “Christabel” in two parts, the first in 1797, and the second in 1800. Though it was still unfinished, “Christabel” was published in 1816.“Christabel” is Coleridge’s longest poem, at almost 700 lines. It is also the least edited of Coleridge’s work. Most of the poem contrasts the innocent piety of Christabel with the experience and supernatural abilities of... Read Christabel Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Education
Tags Poverty, Social Justice, Education, Education, Sociology, Biography, Politics / Government