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 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II
Goodnight Mister Tom is a work of historical fiction written by Michelle Magorian and published in 1981. The novel is aimed at an audience of middle grade readers. It tells the story of eight-year-old William Beech, who, at the start of WWII, has to move with his abusive mother from an impoverished suburb of London to the countryside, where they are in the care of an elderly recluse, Thomas Oakley. The novel explores the impact... Read Goodnight Mister Tom Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Race / Racism, Politics / Government, September 11 Attacks, Relationships, LGBTQ, Grief / Death, Parenting, Social Justice, Immigration / Refugee, Biography
Publication year 2006
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Health / Medicine, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1978
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Free verse, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Birth, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family
Tags Relationships, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Sports, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Relationships, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Originally published in 1993, Heart of a Champion is a young adult novel written by award-winning author Carl Deuker, whose work is primarily about sports and intended for young adult readers. The novel is the first-person narrative of a California boy, Seth, whose father died prematurely, leaving a huge void. Seth befriends Jimmy, whose love of baseball quickly becomes Seth’s passion as well. After the death of his friend after an alcohol-induced car crash, Seth... Read Heart of a Champion Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, History: World, Arts / Culture
Here by Richard McGuire is a graphic novel published on December 4, 2014, by Pantheon Books. The graphic novel focuses on the same corner of a room over billions of years. It depicts the area long before the house is built and long after it falls. By using different visual styles, overlapping panels, and non-chronological narration, McGuire creates a narrative that comments on the nature of time and life. Here is considered a transformative work... Read Here Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Disability, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism, Disability, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Holidays & Occasions
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community
Tags Parenting, Self Help, Psychology, Anthropology
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, History: World, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Humor, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Mental Illness, Depression / Suicide, Animals, Biography