Librarians and teachers will find this guide invaluable for introducing young readers to various typical family situations through contemporary and classic literature.

The Family in Literature for Young Readers: A Resource Guide for Use with Grades 4 to 9 provides a thorough exploration of the diversity of modern family structure and composition as depicted in contemporary literature for young readers. Written specifically with librarians and teachers in mind, this book serves as a reference guide for selecting and recommending these titles to students in grades 4 to 9.

After an overview of the subject of family in books for young audiences and a brief history of the family and marriage, the book provides detailed analysis of more than 40 specific books, including coverage of plot, principal characters, passages for booktalking, themes and subjects, and guidance on using the book. A wide range of family organizations and specific relationships are presented: parents and daughters, parents and sons, siblings, extended families and intergenerational interactions, single-parent families, and same-sex families. Sensitive subjects like divorce, adoption, foster homes, and physical and mental abuse are also addressed.