Education

The Education Collection focuses on titles that explore teaching, learning, and knowledge through fiction and nonfiction genres. Offering perspectives from educators and students alike, these selections examine the formal and informal ways people gain and share knowledge and the social institutions that define education and schooling.

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World


Publication year 1976

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Grandparents, Natural World: Environment, Society: Education

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, American Literature, Classic Fiction

Published in 1976, The Education of Little Tree is a memoir-styled work of fiction written by Forrest Carter, the pseudonym for Asa Earl Carter. The novel received some critical acclaim in the 1980s and was perceived to be the actual memoir of a child growing up in the wilds of Tennessee with his Cherokee grandparents. This premise resonated with the desire of the time to become more attuned to nature. However, the book has since... Read The Education of Little Tree Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Language, Society: Community, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy, Class, Arts / Culture, Depression / Suicide, Relationships, French Literature

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was published in 2006 and translated by Alison Anderson into English for publication in 2008. The novel has been translated into more than 40 languages and was a major bestseller in France. The novel was adapted into a film called The Hedgehog (Le Hérisson) in 2009 to critical acclaim. The Elegance of the Hedgehog follows the narrative point of view of two erudite narrators: Renée, a concierge... Read The Elegance of the Hedgehog Summary


Publication year 1963

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Society: Education, Society: Economics

Tags Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., History: World, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Betty Friedan’s 1963 The Feminine Mystique is considered a classic text of feminist non-fiction. It was enormously influential in kick-starting the second wave of feminism, a movement that began in the 1960s advocating increased rights and new social roles for women. By voicing the despair that many women felt, The Feminine Mystique galvanized readers across the US to join the feminist movement and prompted others to at least to take its criticisms of mid-century American... Read The Feminine Mystique Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, History: World


Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Identity: Language

Tags Education, Education, Inspirational, Biography

The Freedom Writers Diary is a nonfiction book that collects the stories of English teacher Erin Gruwell and her students at Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, as they move from their freshman to senior years from 1994-1998. The book is divided into eight major sections, one for the fall and spring of each year, as well as a forward and epilogue. Each major section begins with an introductory entry from Ms. Gruwell, followed... Read The Freedom Writers Diary Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1951

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Health / Medicine, British Literature


Publication year 1996

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Education

Tags Lyric Poem, Education, American Literature


Publication year 2008

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Education, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, African Literature, Arts / Culture, Education, Education, African American Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1991

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Education, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Satire, Narrative / Epic Poem, Modernism, Humor


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Education, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Science / Nature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Education, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Race / Racism, History: World


Publication year 1831

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Language, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, French Literature, History: World

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is an 1831 gothic novel by French author Victor Hugo, originally published under the title Notre-Dame de Paris. Set in 15th-century France, the novel concerns the intertwined stories of Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Archdeacon Claude Frollo. The story has been adapted many times for theater, television, and film, including an animated film by Disney released in 1996.This guide refers to the 2009 Oxford Classics edition of the novel, translated from French to... Read The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Summary


Publication year 1873

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Education, Philosophy, Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Education, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Elif Batuman is a contemporary Turkish-American author. She received her BA from Harvard University and PhD in Comparative Literature from Stanford University and spent several years in Turkey as a resident writer at Koç University. Her first novel, The Idiot (2017), as well as her collection of essays, The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them (2010), are auto-biographical in nature and focus on life within US academia. Both titles allude... Read The Idiot Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Education

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Christian literature, Philosophy, Philosophy

The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by Father James Martin was published in 2010. The book is an accessible introduction to Ignatian spirituality, a famous Catholic devotional practice developed in the 16th century by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. Father Martin, who left a career in corporate finance to become a Jesuit priest, is a prolific and popular writer on Catholic topics. He is an editor-at-large... Read The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Teams, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Realistic Fiction, Journalism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

The Landry News is a young adult novel by Andrew Clements, published in 1998. It centers on a school newspaper and the lives it touches, the lessons it teaches, and the power it gives people to stand up for their beliefs. The book received the William Allen White Children's Book Award in 2002 and has been translated into five languages. American author Andrew Clements (1949-2019) penned many books for young readers, including his most famous work, Frindle... Read The Landry News Summary


Publication year 1974

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Education

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure