Family Stories

"Family stories" isn't really a recognized genre, but it should be. Sure, most novels deal with families on some level, but we aren't talking about the dysfunctional ones so common in modern (and Russian) fiction. For us, family stories are those that celebrate family life through a particular family's story, whether it's a Ma and Pa taking their girls across country in a covered wagon, an Austrian count saving his wife and kids from the Nazis, or a Jewish family in New York prior to World War I.

Tolstoy's famous observation that "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way," is constantly disproved in these stories. Unhappy families are usually unhappy as a result of selfishness and sin, while happy ones enjoy remarkably diverse experiences that broaden each individual member and the whole family unit together. That's not to say happy families never suffer—they often suffer even more than others, but the difficulties bring them closer together and build character.

By extension, families who take heed of these real and fictional families' response to hardship will find themselves similarly bonded, thankful for each other instead of resentful, happy to sacrifice individual desires for the benefit of the group rather than demanding special favors. Other than Christ's Body, the family is the most important social group for Christians, and we prefer family stories that reflect a pursuit of godliness—the too-often-neglected Papa's Wife is an excellent example.

Some of the stories here are just for fun, though. Cheaper by the Dozen may not spur you on to piety, but it will make you laugh till your sides hurt. The Sarah, Plain and Tall books aren't churchy, but the love of Jacob Witting for his children and the woman who becomes their mother is instructive for us all. Family stories make good family reading, too, because the best ones appeal to each member. Besides, any activity that brings everyone together can never be considered a waste of time.

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76 Items found Print
Active Filters: 7th grade (Ages 12-13), New Books & Materials
Belles On Their Toes
by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
from HarperCollins
Family Stories for 4th-9th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$15.99
Berliners
by Vesper Stamper
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for 7th-12th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$21.99
Blue Willow
Puffin Newbery Library
by Doris Gates
from Puffin Books
for 4th-7th grade
1941 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Caddie Woodlawn
by Carol Ryrie Brink
from Simon and Schuster
Realistic Family Fiction for 3rd-7th grade
1936 Newbery Medal winner
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$19.99
Canadian Summer
Mitchells Series #2
by Hilda Van Stockum
from Bethlehem Books
Family Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$16.95
Cheaper By the Dozen
by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
from HarperCollins
Family Stories for 4th-9th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$16.99
Day No Pigs Would Die
by Robert Newton Peck
from Random House
Realistic Stories for 6th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Dicey's Song
by Cynthia Voigt
from Atheneum
for 6th-10th grade
1983 Newbery Medal winner
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Elephant in the Garden
by Michael Morpurgo
from Feiwel & Friends
for 5th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Ella of All-of-a-Kind Family
All-of-a-Kind Family Series #5
by Sydney Taylor, illustrated by Gail Owens
from Lizzie Skurnick Books
Family Stories for 6th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.95 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Esperanza Rising
by Pam Munoz Ryan
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$7.99
Francie on the Run
Bantry Bay Series
by Hilda Van Stockum
from Bethlehem Books
Realistic Fiction for 5th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$16.95
Friendly Gables
Mitchells Series #3
by Hilda Van Stockum
from Bethlehem Books
Family Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$16.95
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
by E. L. Konigsburg
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Mystery/Suspense for 4th-7th grade
1968 Newbery Medal winner
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$8.99
Getting Near to Baby
by Audrey Couloumbis
from Puffin Books
for 4th-8th grade
2000 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman
by Gladys Aylward
from Moody Press
for 7th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.99
Golden Age
by Kenneth Grahame
from Dover Publications
for 6th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.95
Golden Age
by Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by Maxfield Parrish
from SeaWolf Press
for 6th-9th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$7.95
Good Old Archibald
by Ethelyn M. Parkinson
from Bethlehem Books
for 3rd-7th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$14.95
Jar of Dreams
by Yoshiko Uchida
2nd edition from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 5th-9th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$6.99
Kira-Kira
by Cynthia Kadohata
from Atheneum
for 6th-9th grade
2005 Newbery Medal Winner
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Little House - Softcover Boxed Set
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
$79.91
Little Men
Puffin Classics
by Louisa May Alcott
from Puffin Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$8.99
Little Men
by Louisa May Alcott, Illustrated by Reginald B. Birch
150th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
$9.95
Little Town on the Prairie
Little House Series #7
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1942 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99
Little Town on the Prairie
Little House Series #7
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1942 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$19.99
Little Town on the Prairie
Little House Series #7
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1942 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$9.99
Little Town on the Prairie - Audio CD
Little House Series #7
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1942 Newbery Honor Book
in Audio Books & Dramas (Location: CD-AUDIO)
$25.99
Little White Farm House in Iowa
Precious Memories Book 1: The First 10 Years
by Carol Brands
from Inheritance Publications
for 4th-9th grade
in Inheritance Fiction (Location: FIC-WH03)
$9.00
Little Yellow Farm House in Iowa
Precious Memories Book 2: Years 11-17
by Carol Brands
from Inheritance Publications
for 4th-9th grade
in Inheritance Fiction (Location: FIC-WH03)
$9.00
Long Way from Chicago
Puffin Modern Classics
by Richard Peck
from Puffin Books
Humorous Family Stories for 5th-9th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$8.99
Long Way from Chicago
by Richard Peck
from Puffin Books
Humorous Family Stories for 4th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Long Winter
Little House Series #6
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1941 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$9.99
Long Winter
Little House Series #6
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1941 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$10.99
Maizy Chen's Last Chance
by Lisa Yee
from Yearling
for 4th-8th grade
2023 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$16.99
Maizy Chen's Last Chance
by Lisa Yee
from Yearling
for 4th-8th grade
2023 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Mama's Bank Account
by Kathryn Forbes
from Harcourt
Realistic Fiction for 7th-10th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$15.99 $7.00 (1 in stock)
Mary Poppins
by P. L. Travers
from Harcourt Children's Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$16.99
Mary Poppins from A to Z
by P. L. Travers
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 4th-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$16.99
Miracles on Maple Hill
by Virginia Sorensen, illustrated by Beth & Joe Krush
2003 edition from Harcourt
Family Stories for 4th-7th grade
1957 Newbery Medal winner
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99 $5.00 (4 in stock)
Missing May
by Cynthia Rylant
from Scholastic Inc.
for 5th-8th grade
1993 Newbery Medal winner
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.99
Mitchells
Mitchells Series #1
by Hilda Van Stockum
from Bethlehem Books
Family Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$16.95
Moominland Midwinter
Moomintrolls Book #5
by Tove Jansson
from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
for 1st-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Moominpappa at Sea
Moomintrolls Book #7
by Tove Jansson
from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
for 1st-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Moominsummer Madness
Moomintrolls Book #4
by Tove Jansson
from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
for 1st-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Moominvalley in November
Moomintrolls Book #8
by Tove Jansson
from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
for 1st-7th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
My Favorite Songs
by Maria Trapp
from Veritas Press
for Kindergarten-Adult
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$17.00
Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving
by Louisa May Alcott
from Applewood Books
Family Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.95
Pegeen
Bantry Bay Series
by Hilda Van Stockum
from Bethlehem Books
Realistic Fiction for 5th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$16.95
Peterkin Papers
by Lucretia P. Hale
from Dover Publications
Humorous Fiction for 7th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99
Peterkin Papers
by Lucretia P. Hale
from Living Book Press
Humorous Fiction for 7th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.95
Phoenix and the Carpet
Puffin Classics Nesbit Trilogy Book 2
by E. Nesbit, illustrated by H. R. Millar (uncredited)
from Puffin Books
Fantasy for 4th-8th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$6.99
Railway Children
Puffin Classics
by E. Nesbit, illustrated by C. E. Brock
from Puffin Books
Family Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$7.99
Railway Children
Puffin Classics
by E. Nesbit, illustrated by C. E. Brock
from Living Book Press
Family Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$10.99
Scottish Seas
by Doug Jones
from Canon Press
Historical Fiction for 4th-7th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$12.00 $7.50 (1 in stock)
Seven Little Australians
by Ethel Turner
from Akasha Classics
for 4th-7th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Story Girl
by L. M. Montgomery
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 6th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Story of the Treasure Seekers
Puffin Classics
by E. Nesbit, illustrated by Cecil Leslie
from Puffin Books
Family Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99 $3.50 (1 in stock)
Super Jake and the King of Chaos
by Naomi Milliner
from Running Press
for 2nd-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$16.99
Swallows and Amazons
by Arthur Ransome
from David R. Godine
Family stories/boating for 7th-9th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$16.95
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
New edition from Yearling
for 5th-9th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$8.99
Swiss Family Robinson
Puffin Classics
by Johann Wyss
from Puffin Books
Realistic Stories/Adventure for 4th-8th grade
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$8.99
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss, translated by Mary Godwin, introduction and notes by John Seelye
from Penguin Classics
for 5th-9th grade
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$15.00
Swiss Family Robinson
by Johann Wyss
New edition from Signet Classics
for 5th-9th grade
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$5.99
That Girl of Pierre's
by Robert Davis
from Bethlehem Books
Realistic Fiction for 6th-9th
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$10.75
Time Sight
by Lynne Jonell
from Henry Holt and Company
Time Travel Fantasy for 4th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$16.99
Treasure Seekers
by E. Nesbit, illustrated by Cecil Leslie
from Living Book Press
Family Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden
Vanderbeekers #2
by Karina Yan Glaser
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 3rd-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.99
Vanderbeekers Lost and Found
Vanderbeekers #4
by Karina Yan Glaser
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 3rd-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.99
Vanderbeekers Make a Wish
Vanderbeekers #5
by Karina Yan Glaser
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 3rd-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
Vanderbeekers #1
by Karina Yan Glaser
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 3rd-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$9.99
Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963
by Christopher Paul Curtis
from Yearling
for 4th-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99
When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead
from Yearling
for 5th-9th grade
2010 Newbery Medal winner
in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
$7.99
Winding Valley Farm
by Anne Pellowski
from Bethlehem Books
for 4th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$14.95
Year Down Yonder
by Richard Peck
from Puffin Books
Humorous Family Stories for 5th-9th grade
2001 Newbery Medal winner
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Year of the Black Pony
by Walt Morey
from Bethlehem Books
Realistic Fiction for 6th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.95 $8.00 (1 in stock)