• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Nathan Bransford | Writing, Book Editing, Publishing

Helping authors achieve their dreams

  • Blog
  • Writing Advice
  • Publishing Advice
  • About
  • Take a Class
  • Get Editing

Who are the most memorable parents in books?

July 24, 2019 by Nathan Bransford 9 Comments

The Wormwoods in Matilda. The Weasleys in Harry Potter. Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.

There are some seriously memorable parents in literature. Which ones are your favorites?

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes (NEW!), my guide to writing a novel and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Art: The Artist and His Family by James Peale

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Roald Dahl

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. abc says

    July 24, 2019 at 12:13 pm

    Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are pretty intense.

    Reply
  2. JOHN T. SHEA says

    July 24, 2019 at 1:30 pm

    God the Father, the Virgin Mary, and stepfather Joseph spring to mind. They’ve certainly been remembered a long time already, and in a lot of books!

    Reply
    • Wendy says

      July 24, 2019 at 7:58 pm

      Here, here. John. Penultimates.

      Reply
  3. Dana Bailey says

    July 24, 2019 at 2:23 pm

    How about Marilla and Mathew Cuthbert from Ann of Greene Gables? Do they count? And the Bennets from Pride and Prejudice.

    Reply
    • Ekta Garg says

      July 24, 2019 at 5:06 pm

      Yes! I was going to say Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert as well! Love them!!

      Reply
  4. Wendy says

    July 24, 2019 at 8:05 pm

    The most memorable parents for me are from The Tail of The Sea Witch. Eleven-year-old Marina might be considered a handful by some with her adventurous spirit and imagination, but her parents raise her with tolerance, caring and understanding and a sense of humour.

    Reply
  5. Vince Murdock says

    July 25, 2019 at 1:00 am

    One of my favorite books (by one of my favorite authors) is The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. The father is so determined to protect his son it really comes through in the writing. Stories like that have driven me to love that genre.

    Reply
    • Wendy says

      July 25, 2019 at 3:00 am

      Vince, compelling idea to release early drafts of your story through this blog site in regular small parcels, accompanied by detailed, modern illustrations with full-bodied action shots of the characters.

      Reply
    • Kate says

      July 25, 2019 at 1:16 pm

      Wow… so I was definitely thinking more along the lines of the Longbottoms in HP, Matthew and Marilla, or perhaps the Jonathan and Martha Kent, but your comment about The Road hit me as right on. I evidently have a tendency toward the warm and fuzzy stories about orphans, but The Road… I only read it a few months ago and it’s such a simultaneously mundane, yet visceral and epic depiction of parenthood. I have to agree with you 100%

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Nathan

Hi, I’m Nathan. I’m the author of How to Write a Novel and the Jacob Wonderbar series, which was published by Penguin. I used to be a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. and I’m dedicated to helping authors achieve their dreams. Let me help you with your book!

My blog has everything you need to know to write, edit, and publish a book. Can’t find what you need or want personalized help? Reach out.

Learn more about me

Need Editing?

I'm available for consultations, edits, query critiques, brainstorming, and more.
Learn more!

My Books

How to Write A Novel
Cover of How to Publish a Book by Nathan Bransford
Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapo
Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe
Jacob Wonderbar and the Interstellar Time Warp

Forums

Need help with your query? Want to talk books? Check out the Nathan Bransford Forums
Footer Logo
Nathan Bransford

Helping authors achieve their dreams

  • Editing Services
  • My Books
  • About Me
  • Blog Directory
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Twitter Logo Facebook Logo Instagram Logo
As an Amazon and Bookshop Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon and Bookshop links are usually affiliate links.