Religion & Spirituality

In this collection we've gathered fiction and nonfiction texts that address humanity's age-old search for meaning and purpose within a higher power.

Publication year 1992

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family

Tags Christian literature, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Relationships, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Animals, Arts / Culture, Disability, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure

Boy of the Painted Cave is a 1996 middle-grade historical fiction novel by Justin Denzel set 18,000 years ago in prehistoric France. The novel is told in the limited third-person point of view and follows Tao, a 14-year-old boy with a disability, who longs to be a cave painter for his clan. Tao has difficulty walking with his right foot, and he compensates for this by using a spear as a crutch. The crutch allows... Read Boy of the Painted Cave Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment

Tags Science / Nature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality

Written in 2013, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants is a nonfiction book by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. The work examines modern botany and environmentalism through the lens of the traditions and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of North America. Through a series of personal reflections, the author explores the connection between living things and human efforts to cultivate a more sustainable... Read Braiding Sweetgrass Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Self Help, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality

Published in 2017, Brené Brown’s Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone presents insights and strategies for finding what Brown refers to as true belonging in a time of increasing cultural polarization in America. Based on Brown’s grounded theory research, true belonging is a practice that involves believing in and belonging to oneself so fully that one can share one’s innermost, authentic self with the rest of the... Read Braving the Wilderness Summary


Publication year 1925

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Jewish Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Bread Givers is a 1925 novel by Anzia Yezierska. As a Jewish-American who emigrated to America from Poland, Yezierska uses her life experience growing up in New York as a basis for the novel. The novel follows Sara Smolinsky, a Jewish-American girl, as she grows up in New York in the 1920s with her sisters. Sara pushes the bounds of her father Reb Smolinsky’s patriarchal belief system as she pursues an education and career. The... Read Bread Givers Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: New Age

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Travel Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: New Age

Tags Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Health / Medicine, Philosophy


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1984

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Great Depression, WWII / World War II, Poverty, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Education, Education, American Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Humor, Classic Fiction

Brighton Beach Memoirs is a semi-autobiographical play by American playwright Neil Simon. It is the first play in Simon’s Eugene Trilogy and follows its young protagonist as he grapples with adolescence and identity in the midst of the Great Depression. Its initial 1983 Broadway run enjoyed critical acclaim and won several awards. Most notably, actor Matthew Broderick won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for originating the role of Eugene. Despite its initial success... Read Brighton Beach Memoirs Summary


Publication year 1973

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism

Tags Christian literature, History: World, Biography, Religion / Spirituality

Bruchko is a 1978 memoir by American author Bruce Olson about his time working as a Christian missionary in Venezuela and Colombia with an Indigenous tribe, the Barí. Olson depicts his missionary work as based on a divine mission that followed a spiritual experience he had as a youth. At 19, he moved from the United States to South America, where he went to the jungles in the Colombian-Venezuelan border to convert the infamously violent... Read Bruchko Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman, first published in 2010, is a young adult novel. It explores the life of Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins, a high school student who has the ability to take pain away from those he cares about. Through his supernatural ability, the novel explores themes of Finding Emotional Balance, The Complications of Empathy, and The Dangers of Excessive Dependence on Others. Shusterman is the author of dozens of young adult novels, short stories, and works... Read Bruiser Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Self Help, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous

Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: U.S., Gender / Feminism, Colonial America, History: World, Religion / Spirituality

Caleb’s Crossing (2011) is a historical fiction novel based on the real life figure of Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, the first Native American to graduate from Harvard University in 1665. Born into the Wampanoag tribe on an island near Cape Cod, the historical Cheeshahteaumuck converted to Christianity and attended a preparatory school before enrolling in Harvard. In her novel, Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks tells a fictionalized version of Caleb’s story in the form of a... Read Caleb's Crossing Summary


Publication year 1940

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community

Tags Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Education, Animals, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1974

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Stephen King’s Carrie is a supernatural horror novel originally published in 1974—the fourth novel King wrote but the first he published. The work became a bestseller upon the release of its paperback edition, setting King’s career in motion, and continues to be highly regarded. In the 1990s schools frequently banned it for its violent content, depictions of sexuality, and portrayal of fundamentalist Christianity. Carrie has been adapted several times, most notably as a 1976 film... Read Carrie Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Environment

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Arts / Culture, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Religion / Spirituality, Class, Gender / Feminism, History: European, British Literature, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Children's Literature, History: World, Humor

American author Karen Cushman’s middle grade novel, Catherine, Called Birdy, explores the life of a young woman in 13th-century England. Published in 1994, the book won the Newbery Honor the following year. It is currently being adapted for the screen by actor, writer, and director Lena Dunham. This detailed work of historical fiction immerses the reader in the very different world of medieval England, with its emphasis on religion as the organizing force behind daily... Read Catherine, Called Birdy Summary


Publication year 1978

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Society: Community

Tags Theology, Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender

Tags LGBTQ, Fantasy, Grief / Death, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Diversity, Religion / Spirituality, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World, Religion / Spirituality