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 1946

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Military / War, Education, Education, History: World, Biography

Miné Okubo’s Citizen 13660 is a graphic memoir about the Japanese American author’s experience in Japanese internment camps during World War II. First published in 1946, Citizen 13660 is told from Okubo’s first-person narrator experience, although the author draws herself in third-person in nearly every scene.Plot OverviewAfter Okubo’s mother’s passing, she lived with her brother in Berkeley, California until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. In response, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive... Read Citizen 13660 Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

City of Ashes (2008) by Cassandra Clare is the second novel in the six-part Mortal Instruments series. The book follows 16-year-old Clary Fray, who has recently discovered that she is not an ordinary mortal, but a Shadowhunter, part of a group who saves the world from demons. In City of Bones (2007) the first book of the series, Clary also learned that she is the daughter of rogue Shadowhunter Valentine Morgenstern and that her romantic... Read City of Ashes Summary


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World, Action / Adventure, Poverty, Class, Mystery / Crime Fiction

City of Orphans is a 2011 middle-grade novel by Newbery Medal-winning author Avi. Set on the Lower East Side of New York City in 1893, it centers on 13-year-old Maks Geless, who works as a newsie to provide for the needs of his immigrant family. When Maks’s sister is jailed for theft, he is tasked with gathering clues to help save her. Plot SummaryMaks spends his days selling papers with his newsie friends and traveling... Read City of Orphans Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family

Tags Afro-Caribbean Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism

Claire of the Sea Light is a 2013 work of historical fiction by Haitian-American novelist Edwidge Danticat. The novel portrays the lives of the various inhabitants of a small town in Haiti, relaying a series of related events from several different characters’ perspectives. This guide is based on the 2013 Random House e-book version of Claire of the Sea Light.Plot Summary The novel begins on Claire Limyè Lanmè Faustin’s seventh birthday. That morning, a fisherman... Read Claire of the Sea Light Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags African American Literature, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Black Lives Matter, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Indian Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Relationships, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Asian Literature, History: World

Clear Light of Day (1980) is Anita Desai’s sixth and—according to the author—most autobiographical novel. This novel was the first of three of Desai’s books to be nominated for the prestigious Booker Prize. Like other books in her corpus, such as Cry, the Peacock (1963) and Where Shall We Go This Summer? (1975), it deals with gender struggles in a modernizing India. Set against the backdrop of Indian Independence and Partition, it explores the lives... Read Clear Light of Day Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

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

Sara Pennypacker’s Clementine is a short chapter book for elementary-aged readers. Marla Frazee’s black and white illustrations bring the text to life. Clementine and the subsequent books in the series have won numerous awards; notably, Clementine is a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the 2007 Boston Globe/Horn Book Award. Little, Brown and Company published Clementine in 2006. This study guide refers to the 2008 first trade paperback edition of the book.Plot SummaryClementine... Read Clementine Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Community, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Parenting, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

Clock Dance (2018) is Anne Tyler’s 22nd domestic literary fiction novel that explores the smaller details of the human condition. Clock Dance, which spans time periods from 1967 to 2017, follows Willa, a woman who’s always made herself useful to those around her without any regard for her own needs. Through Willa’s life, Clock Dance explores themes of self-fulfillment, appreciation, passivity, and community to show how people do (or don’t) change throughout time. This novel... Read Clock Dance Summary


Publication year 1853

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Classic Fiction, Race / Racism, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction

Clotel; or, The President’s Daughter, published in 1853 by former slave William Wells Brown, is considered the first African-American novel. Drawing on what were, in the 19th century, rumors that Thomas Jefferson had children with his slave Sally Hemings, the novel follows the slave Clotel and her family as they are sold to different masters. The novel is more than the story of a fictional slave, however: Brown includes newspaper articles, advertisements, and real-life anecdotes... Read Clotel Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Space & The Universe

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, History: World


Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Class

Tags Sociology, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Poverty, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Social Science, Urban Development, History: World


Publication year 1986

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Written by the best-selling author Ann Patchett, Commonwealth was published in 2016 and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. Commonwealth tells the story of two families: the Keatings and the Cousins. In a nonlinear fashion, the novel follows their stories over fifty years from multiple points of view, although the dominant point of view comes from Franny Keating. The novel explores the burdens and joys of children and old... Read Commonwealth Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 1956

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Education, Education, American Literature, Classic Fiction

“Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket,” a short story by American author Jack Finney, was first published in Collier’s magazine in October 1956. The story subsequently was published in literature anthologies, including the one referenced in this study guide: the Heritage edition of Adventures in Appreciation, published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1980.As a novelist and short story writer, Finney is noted for his artistry in creating suspense and heightening tension until the plot resolves... Read Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Relationships, Food, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Neil Gaiman’s Coraline is a 2002 middle-grade horror novel that follows the titular character through a strange world of wonder and fear. Coraline must use her wit, her bravery, and the help of her allies to survive and escape the strange world. As the story unfolds, it examines What It Means to Be Brave, The Drawbacks of Always Getting What You Want, and The Importance of Having Allies. Coraline is a New York Times bestseller... Read Coraline Summary