Middle grade books featuring siblings are a great way for readers to connect the text to their own lives and experiences. 

In Al Capone Does My Shirts, Moose Flanagan navigates the challenges of living on Alcatraz Island while caring for his sister, Natalie, who has autism. 

In Stella by Starlight, Stella and her brother Jojo face the harsh realities of racism in the segregated South, relying on each other for support. 

Larger family dynamics also make an interesting read. Readers see the joys and struggles of sisterhood in All-of-a-Kind Family as the girls experience life in early 1900s New York City. And in The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street five siblings’ fierce loyalty is crucial as they fight to save their family home. In my experience, readers without siblings delight at reading stories with large families as it is a window into another type of family.

Sibling relationships in books either mirror those of readers, or provide a glimpse into the complexity of those dynamics. They are an entertaining way for students to consider the power of family.