8 Books that Celebrate Family

The holidays are always a special time because it centers around family.  I always look forward to our family traditions: baking a turkey on Thanksgiving Day, baking Christmas cookies, choosing and decorating the tree, wrapping presents.  It seems that at this time of year, we prioritize our time together a little more. And this is important! Spending time with family is actually good for you. Studies show that people that spend time with family are happier and have less stress.

Family can mean different things to different people.  Sometimes, it’s not necessarily the people related to you that act as your family.  And sometimes, to a book lover, characters can seem like family, too. I know that when I was young, I read Little Women so many times I felt like I was a part of the March family. (or at least I wished I was!)  

Here are 8 great books that celebrate the special bonds of family:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

This book celebrates the special bond of 4 sisters, Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, as they navigate changing family circumstances during the Civil War.  The March family, once very well to do, were hit hard when their father went away to be a chaplain in the war and the five women were left to fend for themselves.  No matter how bleak the outlook, they were always there for each other and made the best of their situation. An inspiring family-centered book!

Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner

This is a story of a retired professor of history, now confined to a wheelchair, who moves into his grandparents’ house.   His intention is to write the story of his grandparents, who were settlers in the inhospitable and wild west. He spends his days going through the letters that his grandmother wrote in her younger days when she was first married and moved out west to be with her engineer husband.  This is a story that makes you reflect on the difficulties that our ancestors faced and how we are bound to our histories.

Before we Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

This is the story of a poor family, living on a riverboat in the 1930s.  Imperfect as all families are, their parents have struggles, and one night the children are left alone in the riverboat.  Police, working for a corrupt adoption agency, take the children and they are placed for illegal adoption. This story follows these children as some are adopted and some are left to face to the abuse and cruelty of the orphanage.  The parallel story in the book runs in present time, when two of the sisters are reunited, and still feel an incredible bond, even though it was so many years later. This is a sad story, but one that shows how strong family bonds can be.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

One of my all time favorite books, Anne of Green Gables celebrates family that were brought together by accident.  When Anne, an orphan from Nova Scotia, is sent to live with siblings Marilla and Matthew by mistake, Marilla is determined to send her back.  They needed a boy to help Matthew with the farm, not a talkative young girl with her head in the clouds.  But Matthew sees something in Anne and convinces Marilla to give her chance.  And while Anne certainly causes her share of mischief, she ends up being the best thing that ever happened to Matthew and Marilla.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Set in the early sixties, Lily grows up in a house with her abusive father and Rosaleen, their black housekeeper, who is the one person that truly loves her.  One day, Rosaleen is harassed by racists in town. That night, Lily and Rosaleen run away.  Without food or water, the two become desperate until they come upon the house of sisters, May, June, and August.  The three sisters take them in and teach Lily about beekeeping, spirituality, and life. This book not only celebrates the close bond of sisterhood but also shows that family isn’t always determined by birth.

About a Boy by Nick Hornby

One of my favorite books (and movies) of all time, this story is about Will Freeman, self-proclaimed playboy, and eternal bachelor, not interested in anyone other than himself.  Sound like a terrible person? He was, that is until he meets Marcus. Marcus is a nerdy twelve-year-old boy, living with a single mother who struggles with depression. Marcus is worried that if something happens to his mother, he will be all alone.  He tries to match cool hipster Will with his quirky, earthy mother.  Although Will and Fiona aren’t a match made in heaven, Will and Marcus end up forming a bond that changes both of them and gives them both the family they never had.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Everyone’s favorite dad, Atticus Finch is raising his two children, Scout and Jem, alone since his wife died.  It’s a full-time job raising children in a world that is out of kilter. Atticus, an attorney, is defending a black man accused of rape in the South during the early thirties.  The entire town is against Tom Robinson, yet Atticus puts forth his best defense. They say actions speak louder than words, and Scout and Jem learn a lot from their father about what is important and how to treat people in this classic American novel.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

How could we talk about family and holidays without bringing up A Christmas Carol?  What better portrayal of family than the Cratchits – a family living in poverty, yet still happy because of the love they share.  And what better depiction of how life can be improved when surrounded by family and friends, than Ebenezer Scrooge? This story cannot fail to make you feel warm and festive during this holiday season.

I hope that you will take time to enjoy your family, and a few good books, this holiday season!  Let me know in the comments below if you know of other great reads about family.

That’s it for now.  Until next time, happy reading!

Other posts you might enjoy:

5 Books You’ll Want to Read Again and Again

5 Best Books of 2018