This is the quintessential tale of an orphan's struggle in a cruel world. The innocent and kind-hearted Oliver Twist flees a parish workhouse in Victorian London only to fall in with a gang of juvenile pickpockets led by the conniving Fagin.
Dickens uses Oliver's plight to expose the vulnerability of orphaned children and indict the social injustices of the era, while still offering a powerful story of resilience and the enduring hope for kindness.
Jane Eyre follows its titular heroine from a childhood of neglect and abuse at the hands of her aunt and later at the harsh Lowood Institution. As a young woman, she becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall and falls for her enigmatic employer, Mr. Rochester.
Forged by her lonely upbringing, Jane's fierce independence, deep-seated passion, and unwavering moral compass define her character as she navigates the complexities of love, social class, and self-identity.
This beloved novel introduces Anne Shirley, an imaginative and talkative orphan who arrives by mistake at Green Gables, the home of aging siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. Set in picturesque Avonlea, Anne’s irrepressible spirit and penchant for dramatic mishaps transform the lives of her adoptive family and the entire community.
The novel is a heartfelt chronicle of Anne’s transformation from a lonely, imaginative child into a cherished member of her newfound home.
The story of Pip, an orphan raised by his harsh sister and her kind husband, Joe Gargery, is set in motion by a chance encounter with an escaped convict. When an anonymous benefactor provides him with the means to become a gentleman, Pip is thrust into London’s high society.
Pip’s orphan status is a constant undercurrent, shaping his ambition, his feelings of inadequacy, and his ultimate search for a true identity beyond wealth and status.
Set largely in a rural Maine orphanage, this novel centers on Homer Wells, an orphan who is twice adopted and returned, ultimately staying at the St. Cloud's orphanage to be mentored by its director, Dr. Wilbur Larch. Dr. Larch, an obstetrician and secret abortionist, raises Homer to be his successor.
The novel masterfully explores themes of morality, choice, and belonging as Homer ventures out into the world to forge his own path and define his own rules for life.
Harry Potter’s life begins as an orphan, left on the doorstep of his cruel aunt and uncle after his parents are murdered. On his eleventh birthday, he discovers his magical heritage and begins his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
His identity as an orphan is central to the entire series, driving his quest to understand his parents’ sacrifice and confront their killer, the dark wizard Lord Voldemort.
Narrated by Death, this novel follows Liesel Meminger, a young girl sent to live with foster parents in Nazi Germany after her brother dies and her mother is forced to give her up. She finds solace from the horrors of the era by stealing books and learning to read.
Through Liesel's eyes, Zusak crafts a poignant and unforgettable tale about the power of words and human connection to defy the darkness of an era.
When her wealthy father dies, Sara Crewe is abruptly left orphaned and penniless at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies. Instantly demoted from star pupil to scullery maid, she is subjected to cruelty and deprivation.
Despite her reversal of fortune, Sara’s unwavering kindness and rich imagination prove that true worth is internal, ultimately transforming the lives of those around her.
Orphaned at a young age, Beth Harmon discovers the game of chess in the basement of her orphanage and reveals herself to be a prodigy. After being adopted, she finds a complicated maternal figure in her new mother but is left alone again after her death, forcing Beth to navigate the competitive world of chess while battling addiction.
Her orphan background is the crucible that forges her fierce ambition, her social isolation, and her relentless drive for control over the 64 squares.
Thirteen-year-old Theo Decker survives a bombing at an art museum that kills his mother and leaves him orphaned. In the chaotic aftermath, he takes a small, famous painting, "The Goldfinch."
The novel follows Theo through his turbulent adolescence and into adulthood, as the stolen painting becomes both a tangible link to the mother he lost and a secret that pulls him into the criminal underworld. Tartt delivers an immersive narrative about the long shadow of grief and the search for permanence in a life shattered by loss.
After his family is murdered, a toddler wanders into a nearby graveyard where he is adopted and raised by the ghosts who reside there. Given the name Nobody "Bod" Owens, he learns the secrets of the dead while navigating the dangers of the living world that lies just outside the cemetery gates.
Gaiman masterfully blends fantasy, horror, and a classic coming-of-age tale, using Bod's unusual upbringing to explore themes of family, community, and what it means to be alive.
After a cholera outbreak in India leaves her orphaned, the sour and spoiled Mary Lennox is sent to live at her uncle’s gloomy manor on the Yorkshire moors. Lonely and sullen, she discovers a long-abandoned garden and, with the help of two new friends, begins to bring it back to life.
Mary’s journey from an isolated child to a caring friend is a powerful metaphor for healing, demonstrating how nurturing the world around her allows her to heal herself.
Set during the Great Depression, this story follows ten-year-old Bud Caldwell, who escapes an abusive foster home and sets out to find the man he believes is his father: a famous jazz musician. Armed with a few treasured clues, Bud embarks on a journey across Michigan.
His unwavering optimism and humor in the face of racism and poverty make his quest for family a deeply moving and life-affirming story of resilience.
The Baudelaire children—Violet, Klaus, and Sunny—are orphaned when their parents perish in a mysterious fire. They are placed in the care of the villainous Count Olaf, who is determined to steal their inheritance.
This first book sets the tone for the entire darkly comedic series, highlighting the children's ingenuity and resilience as they use their unique talents to escape one perilous situation after another in a world full of incompetent adults.
Matteo "Matt" Alacrán is not an orphan in the traditional sense—he is the clone of El Patrón, the powerful drug lord of the country of Opium. Raised in isolation and viewed as an animal, Matt grapples with a profound sense of otherness and a desperate search for identity.
This gripping work of science fiction uses Matt’s unique, parentless existence to explore complex questions of humanity, free will, and what it means to have a soul.