Top 16 Books About Brothers Updated 04 /2024

I've always been attracted to books about families and all of the tension, drama, and betrayal that can happen when there is a lot of them in the same place. Books about brothers, on the other hand, have a different dynamic. Emotions are more intense, like love, jealousy, rage, shared memories, unbreakable bonds, and a genetic pull that can't be broken.

My first book, Boys Don't Cry, is about two brothers, Joe and Finn. It is a relationship based on love and kindness. Joe works hard to protect Finn from the world they live in. That's why this relationship is also frozen in time. It won't ever be able to grow to its full potential because of that. The book talks about how this affects the brother who is left behind.

Between the books I've chosen for this list, I hope they show some general truths about brothers, both good and bad.

The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer

Matt Homes, 19, is having a hard time dealing with his mental illness in a health care system that is too full. As a result, he is also haunted by the death of his brother Simon, who died 10 years ago, At the start of the book, we are told that Simon died because of the "shock of the fall." As we read on, we learn more about what happened on that fateful day, and why Matt is still so angry. A beautiful book with a lot of humor, honesty, and strength.

The Wild Laughter by Caoilinn Hughes

Farming brothers Hart and Cormac, who dislike each other very much, must work together to carry out their dying father's last wish. This is at the start of the bust years in Ireland. That's who went to college and had a whole new life after that. People say that Hart has the right looks. He chose to stay on the farm land that he now feels like he's being held back from going somewhere else. If you want to read something dark and funny, this book is for you. It's all told in the cramped setting of the family home in the country.

Moonrise by Sarah Crossan

When Joe hasn't seen Ed in 10 years, he's on death row. Joe wants to spend the last few weeks of his life with him. The book is written in free verse and talks about the death penalty, how much you value life, and how to say goodbye when you know what the future holds. It will make you cry buckets.

Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent

People who know the three Drumm brothers are going to a funeral. One of them is in the coffin. Who is it? Which brother killed him, and for what reason? The book is broken up into three parts, each from a different brother's point of view, each more disgusting than the last. They reveal a shared history of competition and betrayal. It's even worse when you add a narcissistic mother who loves to pit them against each other. I can't stop reading this book because it takes sibling rivalry to a whole new level.

Grief Is the Thing With Feathers by Max Porter

Several young brothers are heartbroken over the death of their mother at a young age. To help them figure out what's going on, a Nanny McPhee-like character comes to their house. Crow says she won't leave until they don't need her anymore. This story is told in a way that changes from Crow to Dad to his two sons. The boys come together in their grief, even in their stories. They find themselves doing things their mother didn't like in order to "keep wanting her." It is a beautiful book that talks about grief and love in all their shades.

My Name Is Leon by Kit de Waal

From the time he was very young, Leon learned how to not only take care of himself, but also to help his mother. In addition to having a new baby brother to care for, Jake has also added a lot of extra responsibility to his older brother. The brothers are soon taken into foster care. It breaks Leon's heart that he can't keep the family together when Jake is taken in by someone else. A very honest book, with a lot of love and no judgment at all.

The Day That Went Missing by Richard Beard

Beard was 11 years old when he and his younger brother Nicholas were swimming in the sea during a family vacation to Cornwall. They both died. A few days after Nicholas died, the family went back to their vacation home in Cornwall. Nicholas and the accident were never talked about again. It has been a long time since Richard has been back in Cornwall, but he goes back to the small beach where he saw his brother drown. He lets his suppressed memories come back up so that he can start the grieving process on his own. A heartbreaking memoir that talks about trauma, guilt, and grief.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

This is one of my favorite books, even though it doesn't have brothers in the traditional sense. Elwood and Turner are brothers in all but name, and their relationship is based on love and friendship. Trevor Nickel Academy was a juvenile reform school in the early 1960s. The two boys both went there at the same time. The boys see a lot of injustice, cruelty, and other terrible things every day, but the story doesn't make them feel bad about it. It's just shown, and it's even more powerful because of it. A real reform school is the subject of this book, which made it even more scary. A deeply disturbing but important book to read.

No Matter What by Debi Gliori

A picture book that I have read many times to both my own kids and my class. People who are big and small are the main characters in this story. It could be a big brother and his little brother, or it could be the parents of someone who is a big brother. People should love each other no matter what. It is also a powerful way to deal with grief, with Big telling Small that "love, like starlight, never dies." A beautiful book for all ages.

The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh

I know I'm going to list a play here, but I couldn't leave this one out. The Pilllowman starts in a room where people are being questioned by a totalitarian government. Author Katurian Katurian is being questioned because his stories are very scary and seem to mirror a recent string of child murders. Michal, Michal's brother, is in the cell next door. This is a black comedy at its darkest. It's horrifying, heartbreaking, and funny all at the same time.

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