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 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Pretty Little Liars is a young adult fiction novel written by Sara Shepard. It is the first book in the Pretty Little Liars series, which features 16 books, along with seven companion novels. The highly successful series was featured on The New York Times best-seller list and adapted into a television show in 2010. The popular show lasted seven seasons and aired on the Freeform Network. Although Shepard had only written eight books in the... Read Pretty Little Liars Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Prodigy (2013) is the second installment in the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu. In this young adult series set in a dystopian future, the United States is divided into two warring nations, the Republic and the Colonies. Prodigy follows the first-person perspectives of two teen protagonists first introduced in Legend (2011), June and Day, as they join a rebel group called the Patriots in hopes of overthrowing the corrupt government. As they work to take... Read Prodigy Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Sports
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 2012
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Education
Tags Psychology, Self Help, Sociology, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Indigenous, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community
Tags Poverty, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Grief / Death, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature
Publication year 2025
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Animals, Self Discovery
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Nature Writing, Animals, Science / Nature
Publication year 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Animals, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1977
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature
Publication year 1977
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Humor
Margaret Atwood’s “Rape Fantasies” (1977) is a short story written from the first-person point of view of the protagonist Estelle. The short story revolves around Estelle’s attempts to understand why recent magazine articles feature frequent discussions of rape. After she and her office coworkers share their rape fantasies, Estelle delves into her own sexual imaginings. Rooted in the cultural context of the 1970s Women’s Movement, “Rape Fantasies” explores themes including the Conflation of Fantasy and... Read Rape Fantasies Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Raymie Nightingale is a 2016 middle grade novel by two-time Newbery Medal winner Kate DiCamillo. The novel was a National Book Award finalist in the year of its publication. Set in Florida in the summer of 1975, it tells the story of 10-year-old Raymie Clark as she copes with loss and forms a deep friendship that helps her and her new friends in unexpected ways.Plot SummaryRaymie Clark is determined to win the Little Miss Central... Read Raymie Nightingale Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2017
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Humor, Relationships, Depression / Suicide
Publication year 1942
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Cornell Woolrich’s short story “Rear Window” first appeared under the title “It Had To Be Murder” in Dime Detective Magazine in 1942. The tale follows protagonist Hal “Jeff” Jeffries who is confined to his New York apartment by a broken leg during an oppressive summer heatwave. The back of his apartment looks toward the backs of the apartments on a parallel street, and Jeff routinely peeps from his rear window into theirs. He eventually becomes... Read Rear Window Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Romance