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 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Humor
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry is a 2013 coming-of-age novel by Fredrik Bachman. The story follows Elsa, a seven-year-old girl with a penchant for grammar and deep affection for her grandmother, Granny, who dies from cancer. As Elsa discovers Granny’s past and the many lives she affected, she also learns more about Life and Death, Celebrating Differences, and the Complexity of Human Nature.Originally written in Swedish, My Grandmother Asked Me has... Read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Education, Grief / Death, Parenting, Relationships, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Romance, New Adult, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Race / Racism, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community
Tags Philosophy, Ancient Greece, Philosophy
Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle consists of 10 books that explore the best way to live. The work was compiled from a collection of notes based on Aristotle’s lectures at his school, the Lyceum. The philosopher was a student of Plato and an observational scientist. Nicomachean Ethics provides a roadmap for achieving happiness, which is not wealth or gratification, but the “good soul” that is a product of virtue. In this work, Aristotle defines virtues and... Read Nicomachean Ethics Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Race / Racism, Poverty, LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports
Publication year 2022
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Ninth House is a 2019 contemporary occult fantasy novel by American writer Leigh Bardugo. Inspired by the author’s undergraduate experiences at Yale University, Ninth House is part of the Alex Stern series with the next book planned for release in 2021. The novel is also popular on BookTok, a community of readers and book content creators on TikTok. The story is set in a macabre version of the real world and focuses on the occult... Read Ninth House Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Education, Children's Literature, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Animals
No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman (Hyperion Books, 2002) is a humorous middle-grade fiction book about how one boy’s unwillingness to lie changes his life and the lives of everyone at his school. No More Dead Dogs won the 2002 Young Reader’s Choice Award (intermediate), one of many award-winners penned by Korman. Gordon Korman published his first book (This Can’t be Happening at Macdonald Hall, first in the Macdonald Hall series) when he was... Read No More Dead Dogs Summary
Publication year 1970
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Great Depression, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Food, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction
No Promises in the Wind is a young-adult historical novel that takes place at the height of the Great Depression. The first-person narrative tells the coming-of-age story of a 15-year-old boy who leaves home with his younger brother because their family doesn’t have enough to eat. Josh and Joey Grondowski use their musical talents to survive on their own as they travel through a country of angry and impoverished people. First published in 1970, the... Read No Promises In The Wind Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
No Talking (2007) is a children’s novel by Andrew Clements, and the 2010 recipient of the California Young Reader Medal. In the novel, fifth-grade boys and girls compete to see who can talk the least at school. The competition causes an uproar among teachers and staff, exploring questions of authority in the school setting and building friendships across differences. Andrew Clements was a teacher, author, editor, and book publisher, best known for his debut novel, Frindle... Read No Talking Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Humor, Magical Realism, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Nothing to See Here is a 2019 novel by New York Times best-selling author and short story writer Kevin Wilson. The novel, which is set in Tennessee, includes a dedication to fellow Tennessean writer Ann Patchett. This is not Wilson’s first work about unusual characters and their families. He achieved success with his first novel, The Family Fang, and another called Perfect Little World. In these works, Wilson developed the prototype for the unique brand... Read Nothing to See Here Summary