The solace and comfort of true friendship — and the pain of its loss — can rival any romantic or familial relationship. In this collection, we present texts that examine the unique qualities and costs of deep friendships.
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Animals, Action / Adventure, Relationships, Leadership/Organization/Management, Children's Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Language, Society: Immigration, Identity: Race
Tags Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Midlife, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Romance, Humor, LGBTQ, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1986
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Stephen King’s 1986 novel It is widely considered to be one of the most frightening stories ever written. The book’s cast of characters clash against a monster that can assume the form of their worst fears, in a town called Derry that is itself a source of evil. It examines themes of friendship, family, grief, fear, and memory.The novel jumps frequently between past and present, but the structure of the story told in It can... Read It Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Romance
It’s Kind of a Funny Story was Ned Vizzini’s second Young Adult novel, published by Hyperion in 2006. It is a critically acclaimed Young Adult novel and coming-of-age story that was given a starred review by the American Librarians Association and adapted into a film of the same name (2010).Other work by this author includes the novel, Be More Chill.Content Warning: This novel and study guide include topics and themes that may be sensitive for... Read It's Kind of a Funny Story Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags African American Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: Education
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Science / Nature
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1961
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Magical Realism, Animals, Action / Adventure
James and the Giant Peach by British author Roald Dahl was first published in 1961. This critically acclaimed children’s novel was made into an award-winning film in 1996. It tells the story of a giant peach that magically grows in a young boy, James’s, back garden—big enough for him to enter the center of the peach and have adventures with the insects who live in there. Dahl is known as one of the 20th century’s greatest... Read James And The Giant Peach Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Historical Fiction, Satire, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Agriculture, Class, History: U.S., Poverty, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Vietnam War
Publication year 1992
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Jesus’ Son (1992) is a collection of short fiction by American writer Denis Johnson, published by Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux. It explores themes of The Slipperiness of Time, Substance Use Disorder, and Violence as Inevitability. In the form of a short story cycle, each of the 11 stories of Jesus’ Son is narrated by the same protagonist, who has a substance use disorder and is referred to in the narrative as “Fuckhead”. The book takes... Read Jesus' Son Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos