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 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Inspirational, Parenting, Religion / Spirituality, Biography
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Relationships, History: World
Publication year 2001
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Relationships: Family
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Psychology, Psychology, Biography
Finding Fish is a 2001 memoir by Antwone Fisher, a Hollywood screenwriter. The memoir begins in Cleveland in 1959, when Eddie Elkins is shot and killed by his girlfriend. Shortly after, Antwone Fisher is born to Eva Gardner, whom Eddie dated briefly. The Elkins family never speaks about the tragic incident.Antwone’s first memory is looking out of a window at the home of his foster parents, the Picketts. Though he meets his biological mother once... Read Finding Fish Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Children's Literature, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Korean War
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World
Finding Langston, Lesa Cline-Ransome’s debut novel for middle-grade readers, is the story of an 11-year-old boy named Langston who loses his home but finds himself. The book received numerous accolades following its publication in 2018, including the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. In 2020 Cline-Ransome published Leaving Lymon, a companion novel to Finding Langston that tells the story of Langston’s bully Lymon. This study guide refers to the 2018 Holiday House edition.Plot SummaryFinding Langston... Read Finding Langston Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government
Publication year 2022
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Inspirational, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Bullying, Love / Sexuality, Poverty, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Biography
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor, Romance
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 1980
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2000
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags History: World, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Military / War, Politics / Government, Biography
First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers is a nonfiction memoir by the Cambodian author Loung Ung. A survivor of the 1970s Cambodian genocide under Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime, Ung wrote the story as an adult looking back on her childhood years between the ages of five and nine. Although some experts criticized the book over its historical accuracy, other critics lauded Ung for capturing the emotional truth of her experiences... Read First They Killed My Father Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Romance, Sports
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, African American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism
Pubished in 2007, Flight: A Novel is Sherman Alexie's—one of the best-known and most lauded Native American writers—work of historical fiction and fantasy. Alexie—a Washington State native, like his protagonist—is a noteable poet, novelist, and screenwriter. He both wrote and produced the 1998 film, Smoke Signals, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won both the Audience Award and the Filmmaker’s Trophy.Plot Summary15-year old Zits wakes up in yet another foster home. As usual... Read Flight Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Children's Literature
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Survival Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Flipped is a contemporary young adult novel by Wendelin Van Draanen. The main characters, Juli Baker and Bryce Loski, are neighbors in Mayfield, a fictional American town. Now in eighth grade, the two protagonists reveal the story of their relationship in a dual narrative of alternating first-person chapters that recount how Juli “flips” for Bryce at a young age but later decides she is not interested…right around the time Bryce finally “flips” for Juli. The... Read Flipped Summary