If you enjoy reading books by Kathryn Stockett then you might also like the following authors:
Sue Monk Kidd is an author known for creating heartfelt and atmospheric stories. Her book, “The Secret Life of Bees,” tells the story of Lily Owens, a young girl in 1960s South Carolina who runs away from an abusive home.
She finds refuge with three Black sisters, who are beekeepers. Through her time with them, Lily uncovers truths about her mother’s past and learns about love and acceptance.
The book explores deep connections between people and how they can heal once they find a sense of belonging. Fans of Kathryn Stockett might enjoy the strong, complex characters and vivid Southern setting.
Toni Morrison writes stories that stick with you, weaving together deep emotions and rich histories.
Her novel “The Bluest Eye” tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, a young Black girl in 1940s Ohio who wishes for blue eyes, believing they will bring her beauty and love in a world that dismisses and mistreats her.
Through the perspectives of Pecola and those around her, Morrison explores themes of race, family, and the weight of societal expectations in a way that’s raw and unforgettable.
Lisa Wingate writes stories that focus on family, resilience, and uncovering the past. Her novel, “Before We Were Strangers”, tells the story of a journalist named Avanté who returns to her hometown in Texas after years away.
She begins to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her childhood neighbor. As secrets surface, the story reveals the bonds that shape people and the truths that linger in forgotten places.
Fans of Kathryn Stockett may appreciate Wingate’s heartfelt approach to storytelling and her focus on connections across time.
Harper Lee is an American author best known for her novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The story, set in the 1930s, follows young Scout Finch as she grows up in a small Alabama town. Her father, Atticus, is a lawyer who defends a Black man wrongly accused of a crime.
Through Scout’s eyes, we see the harsh realities of prejudice and the courage it takes to stand against it. The book captures moments of innocence and deep truths about human nature, making it unforgettable.
Fans of Kathryn Stockett’s “The Help” may feel drawn to Lee’s compassionate portrayal of social justice and Southern life.
Kristin Hannah is a bestselling author known for writing stories that focus on human connection and resilience. Her book, “The Nightingale,” is set during World War II and follows the lives of two sisters in Nazi-occupied France.
One sister joins the Resistance, risking everything to fight back, while the other tries to protect her family under impossible circumstances. The story shines a light on the sacrifices people make during war and the strength they find in the face of fear.
Anne Tyler is a writer known for creating characters that feel real and familiar, often focusing on family relationships. In her book “Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant,” she tells the story of the Tull family, led by Pearl, a single mother with a sharp personality.
The book explores how her three children—Ezra, Cody, and Jenny—each deal with their complicated bond with her and with each other as they grow older.
Ezra dreams of running a cozy restaurant, Cody wrestles with jealousy, and Jenny becomes a doctor but struggles with her own choices. The story captures the messiness of family life in a way that feels honest and personal, showing their moments of connection and distance.
Barbara Kingsolver is an author known for creating stories with deep emotions and strong character relationships. Her book “The Poisonwood Bible” follows a missionary family that moves to the Congo in the 1960s.
The story is told through the voices of the family’s daughters, each with her own perspective on the upheaval caused by their father’s decisions and the challenges of living in a new culture. The mix of family drama and historical events gives the story an unforgettable depth.
It’s a powerful look at the ways people adapt to change—or fail to.
Alice Walker is an author known for her powerful storytelling and focus on deep personal struggles and relationships.
Her novel “The Color Purple” tells the story of Celie, a young Black woman in the early 20th century who faces abuse, loss, and silence but finds strength through letters she writes to God and the connections she builds with strong women around her.
It’s a story full of raw emotion, as Celie learns to reclaim her identity and voice. The book highlights themes of resilience, love, and the importance of support from others. Walker’s characters feel real and unforgettable.
Fannie Flagg writes stories with strong characters and a real sense of place, connecting readers to small-town life and the relationships that shape it. Her book, “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe,” weaves the past and present of Whistle Stop, Alabama.
It follows the bond between two women running a café during the Great Depression and a modern-day friendship sparked by their tale. The café becomes a hub for the community, with rich moments of humor, heartache, and a bit of mystery too.
Fans of Kathryn Stockett’s focus on friendships and Southern storytelling might enjoy her work.
Elizabeth Strout is an author who writes stories about ordinary people and their complicated lives. Her book “Olive Kitteridge” focuses on a retired schoolteacher in a small town in Maine.
Olive can be prickly and blunt, but she has a sharp sense of justice and carries deep emotions beneath her tough exterior. The book is told through connected stories, showing her relationships with her husband, her son, and the people in the community.
One story shows her navigating a strained mother-son relationship, while in another, she crosses paths with a former student who is struggling. Strout’s writing brings out the raw, real side of human interactions.
Delia Owens is a biologist turned author, known for creating vivid settings and characters with deep emotional stories. Her novel, “Where the Crawdads Sing,” takes you to the marshlands of North Carolina.
It follows Kya, a young girl abandoned by her family, as she grows up isolated from society, learning to survive on her own. The book blends her struggles with a murder mystery that draws the small town into a web of secrets, accusations, and unexpected revelations.
Fans of Kathryn Stockett’s focus on resilience and human connection may find this story captivating.
Dorothea Benton Frank wrote stories that often explored family dynamics, personal growth, and the comforts of home. Her novel, “The Hurricane Sisters,” is set in the South Carolina Lowcountry and dives into the lives of three generations of women.
It follows a young woman, Ashley, as she dreams of making it in the art world and her mother, Liz, who juggles life as a wife and mother while keeping family secrets. At the heart of the story is Ashley’s grandmother, Maisie, whose wisdom cuts through the chaos.
The book weaves themes of passion, betrayal, and resilience into a story that feels both heartfelt and real. Fans of Southern drama like “The Help” might enjoy the rich sense of place and the focus on family connections.
Minrose Gwin is an author who writes powerful stories set in the American South, drawing on history and deeply human experiences. Her novel, “The Queen of Palmyra,” is set in 1960s Mississippi and explores the life of a young girl named Florence.
Through Florence’s eyes, readers see a community grappling with racial tensions and secrets. Her family’s dynamics are uneasy, with her mother struggling to escape the confines of their world and her father tied to a dangerous ideology.
The story paints a vivid picture of the South during a turbulent time, showing how a child tries to understand the broken world around her. Fans of Kathryn Stockett will likely find resonance in the complex characters and the setting.
Jeannette Walls is an author who writes with emotional depth and a keen eye for detail. In her memoir, “The Glass Castle,” she shares the story of her unconventional and often difficult upbringing.
The book takes you through her childhood with her eccentric, free-spirited parents, who were both loving and neglectful in their own ways. Her father, brilliant but troubled, would often promise her the world, symbolized by naming a future home “The Glass Castle.”
Her mother, an artist, prioritized her dreams over stability. Walls’ journey from poverty to a successful career as a journalist is both heartbreaking and inspiring, filled with vivid memories that bring her family to life.
Beth Hoffman is an author known for writing heartfelt stories about friendships, family, and personal growth. Her novel, “Saving CeeCee Honeycutt,” takes readers to the South, where a young girl moves in with her eccentric great-aunt after a tragedy.
The story explores themes of healing and belonging as CeeCee adjusts to her new life surrounded by strong, colorful women. Fans of Kathryn Stockett might enjoy the charm and emotion in Hoffman’s storytelling.