Family & Home Stories Books

In this splendid collection of stories, we have books about family, relationships, bonds, belonging, journeys of self-discovery, and individual identities. Amongst all our other collections of books and genres; this one is the closest to our hearts. Here we have a collection of books that matter beyond genres—creative, contemporary, literary nonfiction, or fiction. The books in this section cover a range of themes; from family issues to coming-of-age adventures. Stories about relationships with your grandparents, siblings, and even yourselves.

Some stories chase the question of the protagonist’s identity whilst some follow them through their journeys and relationships. Let’s take a look at some books that delve into these very sensitive yet relevant themes.

If All the World Were... by the poet and playwright Joseph Coelho is a moving picture book about a young girl coping with the loss of her beloved grandfather. A beautifully illustrated, moving, and yet uplifting book, this one is an ideal way to introduce children to the concept of the loss of a loved one. Following this story of love and loss of a grandparent; through spring, summer and autumn are Allison Colpoys' brilliant artworks. As the grandfather teaches the young girl to live without him, to create, and to imagine—the reader too will experience a flood of emotions. Soothing, moving, and finally uplifting; If All the World Were... is a beautiful approach to surviving love and loss. 

Winner of several literary awards, The Bone Sparrow is a beautiful, vivid, and deeply moving story about a refugee boy who has lived his entire life in a detention centre. The book is a reminder of the importance of freedom, hope, and home. Subhi the protagonist has only ever known life behind the fences. But as he grows, so does his imagination, until it reaches the brink of his world. The Night Sea brings him gifts, the faraway whales sing to him, and the birds tell their stories. One night however the sea brings him Jimmie, a scruffy, impatient girl who appears from the other side of the wires, and brings a notebook written by the mother she lost. Unable to read it, she relies on Subhi to unravel her own family’s love songs and tragedies. A vivid tale of sorrow, self-discovery, and survival—this book is an interesting children’s story about family, relationships, and self.

A family storybook; No Ballet Shoes in Syria by Catherine Bruton is a story about self-discovery and identity. Aya is an eleven-year-old Syrian refugee who has arrived in Britain with her mum and brother seeking asylum. As Aya starts to discover her life in Britain, she stumbles across a local ballet class where her dance teacher recognises her exceptional talent and sees her potential to win the ballet scholarship. But winning the ballet scholarship is the least of Aya’s concerns. She must, at the same time, fight to be allowed to remain in Britain, make a home in a new country and find her father who was separated from them in Syria. Through Aya’s life story as a refugee in Britain; the book tells a captivating account of authentic ballet detail and in the process becomes a piece of literature championing the rights of refugees. A story of hope, humanity, and the undying human spirit; the book is all heart and all feels.