In recent years, the found family trope has exploded in young adult literature spaces. If you are unfamiliar, the found family trope refers to a bond between those not related by blood, but related by the decision to come together and form their own family. This trope appeals to a desire for community and connection that doesn’t always manifest in traditional or conventional ways. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has often been hailed as the epitome of the trope, but I cannot in good conscience promote Rowling’s work in light of her blatant hatefulness and transphobia. Instead, I’ve found four works of young adult literature that feature found family and deserve more recognition than they have received!
- Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson
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Starting off with a novel from one of my personal favorite young adult authors, Tiffany D. Jackson: Let Me Hear A Rhyme. The book, published in 2019, features Quadir and Jarrell, who posthumously release their best friend Steph’s music in the underground rap scene. With help from Steph’s younger sister Jasmine, the group promote Steph’s beats under the name “The Architect”. The three form a close-knit friend group that starts to feel more like family as they grieve Steph, navigate the rap scene, and come into their own as individuals. This one definitely sounds like a must-read!
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
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Leigh Bardugo has positioned herself as a central figure in the young adult fantasy genre, her most famous book being Six of Crows. Bardugo released the book in 2015, delving into the mystical city of Ketterdam. A group of six outcasts comprise an epic heist crew, slowly becoming something akin to family as they face the harsh world around them. Romance and adventure swirl around the characters, but they develop a strong sense of camaraderie that carries them through it as a unit. I could not be more excited to pick up Six of Crows and its sequel, Crooked Kingdom.
- The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
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I’ll admit it: I was a Percy Jackson kid. I absolutely devoured the original series, and I loved the ‘Heroes of Olympus’ series even more! The addition of Jason, Piper, Leo, Frank, and Hazel to the lore through Riordan’s 2010 The Lost Hero made this group of rag-tag demigods seem even more like a family unit, navigating adolescence and Olympus at the same time. The group are bonded by their mutual experiences, developing a uniquely communal understanding of the mythological world that surrounds them. Maybe it’s time for the HOO reread; what do you think?
- Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan Mcguire
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Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series, starting with 2016’s Every Heart a Doorway, centers around the fictional Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children. The series has strong ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’ vibes, with children struggling to transition into normality after experiencing various fantasy worlds by way of portal travel. This first book focuses on the character Nancy as she and her schoolmates balance fantasy and reality, finding that the truest happiness lies in their connections to one another. I’ll definitely be looking for Every Heart a Doorway next time I’m at Barnes & Noble!