Brothers & Sisters

Whether marked by protective tenderness or tense rivalry, sibling bonds are like none other. This thematic collection offers insights into the unique dynamics of brothers and sisters.

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Urban Development, Holidays & Occasions, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Psychology, British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Maggie O’Farrell’s novel The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, published in 2006, is the author’s fourth novel and tackles the grim history of forced incarcerations of women and the devastating effects of family secrets. O’Farrell’s work often focuses on women trapped physically, emotionally, and psychologically by forces over which they have no control, and this novel is no exception. Through a twisted entanglement of three different perspectives, O’Farrell tells the story of not only Esme... Read The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Summary


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags History: World, Regency Era, Romance, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Social Justice, Crime / Legal, Politics / Government

The 2016 novel The Whistler by American author John Grisham is a legal thriller that centers on an investigation of corrupt business operations involving Native American gaming. The novel is based on the real-life corruption of US casinos in which entities outside the Native American community illegally offer financial incentives in exchange for long-term profit.This is the 29th of Grisham’s adult novels, which are primarily legal thrillers but also include contemporary and humorous fiction. In... Read The Whistler Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

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

The Wide Window is a middle grade novel first published in 2000. It is published under the name Lemony Snicket, the pen name of novelist, playwright, musician, and screenwriter Daniel Handler. This mock-gothic adventure story blends elements of mystery, humor, and fantasy with a macabre setting in which a family of three orphans—Violet, Sunny, and Klaus Baudelaire—is sent to live with their fearful Aunt Josephine. Throughout the novel, the Baudelaire children must contend with their... Read The Wide Window Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature

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


Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Immigration

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Nonfiction

The Winter Room is a 1989 young adult novel by American author Gary Paulsen. The story follows 11-year-old Eldon, who lives on a northern Minnesota farm with his family. The narrative explores Eldon’s relationship with his older brother, Wayne, and their connection to their great-uncle David. The boys grow up working on the farm all year and listening to Uncle David’s stories during the winter. The novel received the Newbery Medal Honor in 1989. Gary Paulsen... Read The Winter Room Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Military / War, History: World, French Literature, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1901

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family, Society: Class

Tags Play: Drama, Russian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

Anton Chekhov wrote the play Three Sisters in 1900 as a commission for the now-famous Moscow Art Theatre (MAT). The production debuted there in 1901 and was directed by the MAT’s two founders, Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko. It was the first play that Chekhov penned specifically for production at the MAT. Three Sisters uses the three titular characters—Olga, Masha, and Irina—to examine the decay of the Russian aristocracy. Raised and educated to become the... Read Three Sisters Summary


Publication year 65

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Play: Tragedy, Ancient Rome, Classical Period, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han is the first in a series of three novels; P.S. I Still Love You was published in 2015 and Always and Forever, Lara Jean in 2017. A movie adaptation of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before was released on Netflix in 2018 and instantly became one of Netflix’s most-watched movies. Simon Schuster first published To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in 2014.To All... Read To All the Boys I've Loved Before Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2001

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings

Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy

Topdog/Underdog, by Suzan-Lori Parks, premiered Off-Broadway at the Public Theater in 2001 and opened on Broadway the following year. In 2002, the play earned Parks the distinction of becoming the first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize. Parks won a MacArthur Genius Grant the same year. Like most of Parks’s plays, such as The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire Universe (1990), Venus (1996), and Father Comes Home From the... Read Topdog/Underdog Summary


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Animals, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 1916

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings

Tags Classic Fiction, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Drama / Tragedy

Trifles is a one-act play by Susan Glaspell. The play covers the aftermath of the murder-by-strangulation of a farmer named John Wright. During the play’s first run in 1916 at the Wharf Theater in Provincetown, Massachusetts, Glaspell appeared as the character Mrs. Hale. The play was loosely inspired by the real-life, 1900 murder of John Hossack, an Iowa farmer who died due to axe wounds he sustained while sleeping in bed. His wife, Margaret Hossack... Read Trifles Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Drama / Tragedy