9 Moving YA Novels About The Struggles of Modern Families

Edited by Ezvid Wiki Editorial on 3 June 2019

Familial relationships aren't always easy. Misunderstandings can turn into tear-filled arguments and conflict often arises when young adults start to come into their own and question the traditions of their parents. The nine moving works listed here explore the struggles of growing up in the modern world with a less-than-perfect family. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

Young Adult Books About Family: Our 9 Picks

Title Author
1. In the Land of the Living Austin Ratner
2. All We Had Annie Weatherwax
3. An Infidel in Paradise S.J. Laidlaw
4. Positively Beautiful Wendy Mills
5. Redeeming Brother Murrihy Antony Millen
6. Chasing Eveline Leslie Hauser
7. Scream All Night Derek Milman
8. The Midnights Sarah Nicole Smetana
9. All the Ways the World Can End Abby Sher

Literary Charities

If you want to spread your love of YA literature with those in need, then you should consider looking into these non-profit organizations that help kids and teens get access to books and high-quality education.

8 Great Films About Family

  1. Little Women (1994)
  2. A Quiet Place (2018)
  3. The Princess Diaries (2001)
  4. Juno (2007)
  5. Interstellar (2014)
  6. Ramona and Beezus (2010)
  7. Romeo + Juliet (1996)
  8. Big Fish (2003)

The Philosophy of Family Obligations

In Depth

Beneath the surface of even the happiest family is a complex web of problems. Whether its the untimely passing of a parent or the absence of a sibling, pain and conflict have a way of growing over time and threatening familial bonds. But there's always a way to heal these wounds, as seen in these nine moving young adult novels about struggling families, presented here in no particular order.

For #1 we have "In the Land of the Living" by Austin Ratner. This novel spans generations to depict the pain shared between father, sons, and brothers. Isidore survives his mother's death and his father's abuse and goes on to graduate from medical school and start a family of his own. His happiness is cut short, however, when he dies soon after the birth of his second son. Fatherless, brothers Leo and Mack seem doomed to walk a path just as turbulent as their dad's. They must find a way to come together or risk growing apart.

Coming in at #2 is "All We Had" by Annie Weatherwax. Single mother Rita and her daughter Ruthie live as wanderers, traveling from place to place to evade the problems that always seem to follow them. It's not until they're forced to live in the rural town of Fat River that they find a sense of stability. Rita can give up her nomadic lifestyle, and Ruthie has time to be a relatively normal teenager. In her desire to do right by her daughter, Rita makes decisions that she thinks are responsible, but could ultimately cost the two their newfound comfort.

In her desire to do right by her daughter, Rita makes decisions that she thinks are responsible, but could ultimately cost the two their newfound comfort.

Our #3 pick is "An Infidel in Paradise" by S.J. Laidlaw. After the separation of her diplomat parents, sixteen-year-old Emma moves to Pakistan with her two siblings and their mother. The teenager is comfortable relocating thanks to her parents' profession, but this time the culture shock and the new rules she has to learn are too much to handle. Her father's absence and her mother's obsessive devotion to work mean that Emma must navigate this new society on her own, while helping her brother and sister overcome strange conflicts they don't understand.

For #4 we have "Positively Beautiful" by Wendy Mills. Though her father died in a plane crash when she was a child, high-schooler Erin has managed to live a safe, stable life. When her mom is diagnosed with breast cancer, she discovers that the disease runs in her family. Erin tests positive for the genetic mutation, and her peace of mind unravels. Her only joys are flying lessons and an online friend named Ashley. In a desperate moment, the young pilot takes to the skies to meet the one person who understands her, hoping to find comfort in their shared despair.

At #5 is "Redeeming Brother Murrihy" by Antony Millen. Conrad Murrihy's life is turned upside down when his ill mother asks him to bring his older brother Francis back to Nova Scotia from New Zealand. The family hasn't seen or heard from him in years. With the death of his mother looming, Conrad takes the trip. What he discovers makes tracking his brother down all the more difficult: Francis has been leading multiple, sometimes contradictory lives. As he uncovers his brother's secrets, Conrad finds that a reunion might be impossible.

Conrad Murrihy's life is turned upside down when his ill mother asks him to bring his older brother Francis back to Nova Scotia from New Zealand.

Our #6 entry is "Chasing Eveline" by Leslie Hauser. The only connection Ivy Higgins has with the mother who abandoned her is a mutual love of an 80s rock band. It's made her an outsider to her peers, but she's convinced that somehow the group Chasing Eveline could be the key to meeting her mother again. With the help of her equally lonely friend Matt, Ivy undergoes a long-shot quest to reunite the musicians. Though the odds are slim, she hopes that a concert could lure her mother out of hiding and make her family whole again.

For #7 we have "Scream All Night" by Derek Milman. Dario Heyward, the son of a famous horror movie director, left home at fourteen to escape his dad's perfectionism and abuse. Three years later, his brother invites him back to the castle estate of Moldavia Studios to help stage a tribute to their late father's first film. Over the course of reuniting with the actors and other familiar faces, Dario is pulled back into Moldavia's world. Despite the hate he has for his father, he feels compelled to save the floundering studio.

Coming in at #8 we have "The Midnights" by Sarah Nicole Smetana. Susannah Hayes has always idolized her rock-star father and wants nothing more than to follow his lead and become a musician. But his sudden death causes her mother to move the family to Southern California. As she struggles to continue in her father's footsteps, Susannah learns that he may not have been perfect after all. As she questions the memory of her hero, she must balance the pursuit of her dream with reevaluating the strained relationship she has with her mother.

As she struggles to continue in her father's footsteps, Susannah learns that he may not have been perfect after all.

Finally, at #9, we have "All the Ways the World Can End" by Abby Sher. Young Lenny feels the world is ending when her best friend moves across the country and her father is diagnosed with cancer. To cope, she begins to list all the ways the world could actually end, but her OCD leads her to prepare for these scenarios as well. No matter what she does, nothing changes the fact that everything has an ending, and no amount of preparation can stop someone from dying. Among all the loss, she must find new beginnings or risk losing her own life.