The Best Books About Siblings

I wanted to make a list of the best books about siblings. When I think of the great family dynamics in these books, I marvel at how different the relationships are between sisters, brothers, and siblings. The number of kids in a family also changes the dynamics in so many ways.

Books About Siblings

Kirsten and I have read all these sibling books and can tell you that these books are everything you need. If you are looking for more family drama books or family saga books, we have that list for you as well.

The Best Books About Siblings

Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre of books about siblings. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.

Books About Sisters

Hello Beautiful

Author: Ann Napolitano

Year: 2023

Genre: Literary Fiction

More info: March 2023 Oprah Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

I adored this family saga about the four Padavano sisters and the man that enters their family orbit. William Waters grew up in a house with indifferent parents, so he fell head over heels for Julia and then her family.

But William’s inner demons cause a rift between the sisters that shakes the family to its core and dramatically changes the dynamics between all the Padavanos. Told over decades, this story examines the ties that bind us to our family through the ebbs and flows of life.

Suicide attempt, Mental illness

As one of four children, this coming-of-age story really spoke to me. Napolitano does an incredible job of accurately depicting the individual sibling relationships with one another and the role each person plays within the larger family dynamic. It’s a tall order and a near-impossible challenge to nail the complexities of a big family, but Napolitano does it with aplomb.

Find this book in: Books About Sisters / Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Best Books of 2023 / Family Sagas / Best Books for Book Clubs to Read / Best Books About Siblings

Blue Sisters

Author: Coco Mellors

Year: 2024

Genre: Literary Fiction

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 16+

More info: September 2024 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

In this poignant novel, the three Blue sisters are returning home to stop the sale of their family’s NYC apartment a year after their fourth sister, Nicky, dies unexpectedly. Normally scattered across the world, when they are forced to live under one roof, they face just how much each of them has spiraled since Nicky’s death.

Avery, the eldest and a recovering alcoholic, is typically the mom of the bunch. But she’s been sabotaging her relationship with her wife to avoid facing the harder truths of her marriage. Lucky, who struggles to do anything without a drink, has recently been dropped by her modeling agency after ruining a Parisian runway show. Bonnie, is adrift in LA working as a bouncer after a failed run at becoming a boxing champion.

Each sister is struggling with her own demons but together, they might just be able to overcome the loss of Nicky and get their lives back on track.

Alcoholism, Addiction

This character-driven story focuses on grief and finding your way after a devastating loss. But it also looks at the cycle of addiction and the role our families play in that cycle. This is a meaty story that is filled with discussion points for a book club, but be aware of the trigger warnings. #gifted by Penguin Random House.

Find this book in: Books About Sisters / Best Books About Siblings

little women

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Year: 1868

Genre: Classic

Age: 10+

The classic story by Alcott has survived for generations for a reason, the way she wonderfully encapsulates what it’s like to be in a family. The highs and lows of the personal and collective lives of Beth, Jo, Amy, and Meg are an endearing testimony to the bonds of sisters.

I remember reading this coming-of-age novel with my grandmother when I was young. It features a family of four girls who are trying to support each other and their mother while their father is away at war.

Find this book in: Literary Classics / Books about Motherhood / Coming-of-Age Books for Teens / Fun Books for Teens / Best Books About Siblings

The Vanishing Half

Author: Brit Bennett

Year: 2020

Genre: Literary Historical Fiction

More info: June 2020 GMA Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

The premise of this book set in the 70s is so unique. Two black sisters are so pale they can pass for white. One embraces her black heritage and her hometown, the other disappears into white suburbia. When they meet up again 20 years later through their own daughters, the result is a stunning portrayal of the ties that tether us to our families.

Racism, Domestic Abuse

I adored Bennett’s debut book The Mothers so I was nervous to read her sophomore novel. Sometimes the next novel doesn’t live up to the first, but The Vanishing Half absolutely does with this wonderful and thought-provoking book.

Issa Rae is producing the movie adaptation of this book for HBO.

Find this book in: Books Becoming Movies / Thought-Provoking Books / Books Set in the 70s / Books About Sisters / Books by Female BIPOC Authors / Family Drama Books / Beach Reads 2021 / Best Books About Siblings

the most fun we ever had

Author: Claire Lombardo

Year: 2019

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

More info: April 2024 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

Lombardo’s debut is a tremendous contemporary fiction book about the complicated dynamics and hidden secrets of the Sorenson parents and their 4 daughters.

The story alternates between the present day and the past. In the current storyline, Jonah reunites with the daughter who gave him up 15 years prior. The flashbacks touch on moments in the Sorenson family history that are returning to haunt them.

I’m a sucker for character-driven novels. Each of Lombardo’s characters is deliciously flawed and complex. She writes in a way that brings characters to life. I could have sworn I’d met them before.

I love that at the heart of the story, the book is about the many forms of love and how to live well. I cannot believe that Claire Lombardo is not a 50 or 60-year-old woman with children of her own. 

Find this book in: Books Becoming Movies / Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Books About Sisters / Best Contemporary Fiction Novels / Best Books About Siblings

Books About Brothers

This is how it always is

Author: Laurie Frankel

Year: 2018

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

More info: October 2018 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

Rosie and Penn have five boys.  The youngest, Claude wants to be a girl when he grows up.  The family begins to navigate life with secrets because there is never a good time to explain that your youngest daughter was born a male. 

These loving and supportive parents try to navigate a world where not everybody is open-minded, all while trying to do right by each of their children.

Transphobia, Homophobia

This is one of the best book club books on this list and a powerful look at what motherhood is all about.

Wow! There are so many things that I love about this contemporary fiction book. The story is poignant and all too realistic.  It captures the innocence of youth and the struggles of an entire family. 

Find this book in: Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Books about Mothers / Family Drama Books / Best Contemporary Fiction / Best LGBTQ Books / Best Books About Siblings

Mercury

Author: Amy Jo Burns

Year: 2024

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Age Range: 16+

In Mercury, PA the Joseph brothers and their roofing business are known to all. When a body is found in the attic of the local church when the roof needs repair, a mystery is unleashed, and a family saga unfolds.

A decade prior, Marley West came into town with her mother and fell in love with the Joseph brothers. She dated one, married one, and helped raise another. She becomes a defactor mother figure to the whole family.

As the mystery of who is in the attic unravels, the story bounces back and forth in time while revealing the secrets and hidden motivations of Marley and the Joseph family.

Miscarriage

It’s a character analysis more than a mystery, a slow-burn of a story more than a high-stakes thriller. I was utterly enthralled. I think it’s the first contender of the year for the best books of 2024 list.

Find this book in: Family Sagas / Best Fiction of 2024 / The Best Books of 2024 / Best Books About Siblings

the inheritance games

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Year: 2020

Genre: YA Mystery

More info: Book 1 of 5: The Inheritance Games

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 14+

I knew I had to read this YA mystery series after it was compared to one of my favorite middle-grade mystery books, The Westing Game.

In this story, Avery, a poor orphan is told she’s just inherited a billionaire’s fortune. His family is determined to get to the money, but Avery has bigger fish to fry – the riddles and puzzles the deceased Tobias Hawthorne left behind for her to solve. As she teams up with unlikely allies, she’s forced to figure out who is a friend or foe. In order to receive the money, she must follow the clues.

I flew through this story and can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy!

I loved everything about this series, from the characters to the plot to the mystery of “why”.

Amazon purchased the rights to this book intending to make a TV series with Osprey Productions. Grainne Godfree is writing it and Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one of the producers. Release date is TBD.

Find this book in: Books for 13-year-olds / Best Mystery Books for Teens / Best Puzzle Books / Cozy Mystery Books / Fun Books for Teens / Books Becoming TV Series / Best Books About Siblings / Best Books About Siblings

The Latecomer

Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz

Year: 2022

Genre: Fiction

More info:New York Times Notable Book of 2022

Age Range: 16+

I want to scream from the rooftops about this family drama contemporary fiction set over the course of the lives of the Oppenheimer family. The Oppenheimer triplets have been averse to each other since they were born. On the brink of escaping to the freedom of college, their parents decide to have a fourth child.

Soon secrets are unraveling, choices are called into question, and sibling rivalry reaches a crescendo. This character-driven story is truly marvelous.

This book is perfect for fans of Ann Patchett and Clare Lombardo. It is truly a sibling story at its best and I could not put it down.

Find this book in: Best Books About Siblings / Best Family Sagas / Ultimate List of Contemporary Fiction

Books About Siblings

the immortalists

Author: Chloe Benjamin

Year: 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: A “Best Book of the Year”: Washington Post
Instant New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

What would you do if you knew the day that you were going to die? Would want to know?  The four Gold children find out the information that will shape their lives in this amazing family drama book. We follow the Gold children over the next 5 decades. Simon heads to the West Coast, Klara becomes a magician in Las Vegas, Daniel becomes an army doctor, and Varya seeks out the research of immortality.

Suicide, Mental Illness

This book is beautifully written. Ms. Benjamin does a superb job of creating different voices for each of these characters. They are so vivid and unique.

  This family saga book about grief is un-putdownable and stays with you long after you have finished reading the last page.

Find this book in: Family Sagas / Carnival and Circus Books / Books About Mental Illness / Books Set in the 80s / Best Books About Siblings

Pineapple Street

Author: Jenny Jackson

Year: 2023

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

More info: March 2023 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

I loved this family drama book about the blue-blooded Stockton family, told from the perspective of sisters, Darley and Georgiana, and their sister-in-law, Sasha.

Each woman struggles to navigate life in the Stockton family. Sasha, a middle-class artist feels like an unwelcomed outsider. Darley struggles to live up to the Stockton family name after she gives up her identity to embrace motherhood. Georgiana, the youngest, needs to grow up and become a capable adult!

Each family member struggles both on their own and within the family dynamic in this wonderful contemporary fiction. Each sibling faces dramatic struggles from sick parents to committing adultery to a lost job.

I loved seeing how they each grew throughout this book for book clubs and ultimately how they strengthened their familial bond. While the book had enough meat for me to get invested, it also had glimpses of the whimsy of the monied elite. The matriarch of this family in particular is a hoot!

Find this book in: Best Books of 2023/ Ultimate Beach Reads 2023/ Best Family Drama Books / Books with Food in the Title / Best Books About Siblings

far from the tree

Author: Robin Benway

Year: 2017

Genre: YA Fiction

More info: National Book Award

Age Range: 13+

This wonderful story is about Grace who was adopted at birth.  When she finds herself pregnant, she puts her daughter up for adoption. 

This prompts her to look for her biological mother.  What she finds are two siblings that she never knew about. This is an amazing story told from multiple points of view. Even though I included it in books that make you cry, you will love every moment.

This novel for tweens is the winner of the National Book Award for good reason.  I adored this middle-grade fiction book.  I spent half of it crying and the other half smiling. 

Find this book in: Coming-of-age Books for Teens / Best Books for 13-year-olds / Feel-good Books / Books to Make You Cry / Fun Books for Teens/ Best Books About Siblings

Nothing to see here

Author: Kevin Wilson

Year: 2019

Genre: Magical Realism

More info: November 2019 Read by Jenna Book Club Pick

Age Range:16+

This magical realism book is about a woman who becomes a nanny for two children who start on fire when they get mad.  There is wonderful humor in this book that is centered around strong and beautiful relationships.  I cannot recommend this family drama story highly enough.⁣

There is so much that I love about this family drama novel.  It is such a feel-good book that is more than what it seems.  It is well-written and funny and made our top books of 2019 list.

Find this book in: Best Family Drama Books/ Best Adult Fantasy Novels / Magical Realism Books/2024 Read with Jenna Book Club List / Adult Fantasy Novels / Best Books About Siblings

the dutch house

Author: Ann Patchett

Year: 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: October 2019 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

Ann Patchett has done it again with this tale of sibling devotion that is a testament to the love that holds a family together. Danny and Maeve are victims of an abandoned mother and father who all but ignores them. Danny narrates the story of their lives as it ties into The Dutch House – a storied mansion their father purchased in Elkins Park. The home that is both a blessing and a curse, symbolizes how the mistakes parents make can impact children for a lifetime.

I couldn’t put this story down. I did a mix of reading and listening, but ultimately I got swept into Tom Hank’s incredible narration. I was so fully drawn into the story that the world seemed to fall away.

Find this book in: Best Audiobooks / Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Family Sagas / Fall Books / Best Books of 2019 / Best Books About Siblings

Frequently Asked Questions About Sibling Books

What is the best sibling book?

There are so many great books about siblings that it is impossible to choose just one. I made a list of my favorite books about siblings, brothers, and sisters and put them all on one list so that you can pick from only the best books.
If I had to pick a few I would say:
1. This is How it Always is by Laurie Frankel
2. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
3. Hello Beautiful by Anna Napolitano

What makes something a sibling book?

A sibling book is a book about brothers and sisters in the same family. The siblings are the center of the plot rather than a part of a greater family saga. For example, Ann Patchett’s, The Dutch House, is a perfect example of a sibling book. This one in particular is also historical fiction.

BTB Elements and icons 10
  • Read a book that is similar to your family makeup and see if the dynamics are similar
  • Conversely, read a book that is different from your own family makeup and see if it is different.
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Epilogue

What are your favorite books about siblings? Do you love family dramas as much as I do?

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