Family

Leo Tolstoy famously begins the novel Anna Karenina with the sentence: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this thematic collection, we have gathered noteworthy texts that navigate the joyous and sorrowful emotional terrain of the family unit.

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family

Tags Magical Realism, LGBTQ

Written by acclaimed American author Ann Patchett, The Magician’s Assistant is a piece of contemporary literature that explores life after grief, the nature of love, and the power of family dynamics. Told in two parts, one set in Los Angeles and the other in small-town Nebraska, the novel emphasizes the importance of setting and environment in the development of identity.The author of nine novels and the recipient of numerous awards, Ann Patchett is an outspoken... Read The Magician's Assistant Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Grief / Death, Relationships, Animals, Action / Adventure

A fortuneteller tells 10-year-old Peter that an elephant will lead him to his lost sister, which starts Peter on a journey of self-discovery and wonder in Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo’s The Magician’s Elephant (2009). When a magician miraculously conjures an elephant, its appearance affects everyone in town. In his efforts to find his sister Adele and rescue the homesick elephant, Peter must overcome obstacles and unite a diverse group of characters that includes a policeman... Read The Magician's Elephant Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Relationships: Family

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery

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

The Man Who Loved Clowns by June Rae Wood is a young adult novel about a teenage girl, Delrita, who lives with her Uncle Punky, who has Down syndrome. Wood based the novel on her personal experience growing up with her brother, Richard, who had Down syndrome. The Man Who Loved Clowns was published in 1992 and won the Mark Twain Award in 1995. Wood published a sequel, Turtle on a Fence Post, in 1997.This... Read The Man Who Loved Clowns Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Children's Literature


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Crime / Legal, Inspirational, Incarceration


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Femininity

Tags Historical Fiction, Renaissance, Italian Literature, History: World


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction

Published by Scholastic in 2008, Rick Riordan’s The Maze of Bones is the first novel in an interactive middle grade mystery-adventure series called The 39 Clues that follows the hidden exploits and conflicts of the Cahills, the most influential family in history. Riordan is a former teacher and prolific author best known for publishing the Percy Jackson series. The 39 Clues franchise proved to be another success, with books from the series landing on the... Read The Maze of Bones Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Disability, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is a work of fiction written by Kim Edwards and published in 2005. The story follows the harrowed marriage of David and Norah, beginning with the birth of their twins, Paul and Phoebe, in 1964. Conflict immediately emerges within the novel as Phoebe is born with Down’s Syndrome and David decides to give her away rather than have his wife and himself face the pain of their daughter dying early like... Read The Memory Keeper's Daughter Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1915

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Classic Fiction, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy

First published in 1915, Franz Kafka’s surrealist novella The Metamorphosis, translated from Die Verwandlung, is widely acclaimed and one of the author’s best-known works. Kafka, a Jewish novelist and short-story writer, is regarded for his exploration of the fantastic. Kafka employs realism to depict his protagonists in bizarre circumstances. In The Metamorphosis, Kafka incorporates themes of alienation and absurdity to convey narratives about isolated and anxious protagonists. The time period in which The Metamorphosis transpires is... Read The Metamorphosis Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Poverty, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 1860

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period


Publication year 1959

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender

Tags Play: Drama, Play: Historical, Disability, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction, Biography

William Gibson’s drama The Miracle Worker chronicles the relationship between the real-life Helen Keller, a young girl from Alabama who was blind and deaf, and her teacher, the Irish, headstrong Annie Sullivan from Boston. The play follows a three-act structure and was adapted from Gibson’s 1957 Playhouse 90 teleplay. The staged production premiered in New York City at the Playhouse Theatre in 1959. The show received five Tony Award nominations in 1960 and won four... Read The Miracle Worker Summary