Sexual Harassment & Violence

We've carefully curated a Collection of titles that center the experiences and impacts of Sexual Harassment & Violence. Representing a broad range of voices and genres, these titles explore the personal and social effects of violation through violence and sexual harassment through literary forms that include memoirs, poetry, and fiction.

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Disability, Education, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

The Beginning of Everything is a young adult coming-of-age novel by the accomplished American author Robyn Schneider. First published in 2013, it is Schneider’s debut novel and has been nominated for numerous YA book awards. It is published in multiple countries, in the UK under the title Severed Heads, Broken Hearts.Schneider, who lives in Los Angeles, is the author of several other bestselling YA books: Extraordinary Means; Invisible Ghosts; You Don’t Live Here. Her newest... Read The Beginning of Everything Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Class, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1939

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Finance / Money / Wealth, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality

Published in 1939, The Big Sleep by novelist and screenwriter Raymond Chandler is a murder mystery widely regarded as one of the greatest hard-boiled detective stories of the 20th century. The work introduces Philip Marlowe, a fictional private eye with a jaundiced view of humanity but a strong sense of fairness, who appears in seven other novels by Chandler. Hired by a super-rich family to negotiate with a blackmailer, Marlowe encounters murder, mayhem, and a... Read The Big Sleep Summary


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: War, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: U.S., History: Asian, Military / War

The Black Echo (1992) is Michael Connelly’s first novel and the first book in the long-running series featuring Los Angeles police detective Harry Bosch. It won the 1993 Edgar Award for Best First Novel and is now a classic in the modern crime genre. Connelly, who worked as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times while starting his career as a novelist, has written over 37 novels, including 24 featuring Detective Bosch. His works... Read The Black Echo Summary


Publication year 1982

Genre Novella, Fiction

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

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Bullying, Relationships, American Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Romance, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Poverty, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, Psychology, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Disability

Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1982

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Lyric Poem, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Holocaust


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Self Discovery

Tags Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Indian Literature, Children's Literature, Poverty, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, Religion / Spirituality, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery

Tags Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Parenting, Natural Disaster, Science / Nature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Depression / Suicide, Incarceration

The Client is a legal thriller written by John Grisham. Published in 1993, it is Grisham’s fourth novel. An international best-selling author, Grisham was a lawyer himself for nine years and even served in the Mississippi House of Representatives for six years. His legal and political expertise lend especially well to The Client’s subject matter involving legal ethics, notions of justice, the power of government over its citizens, and political careerism. The Client was adapted... Read The Client Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1963

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Class, Natural World: Objects, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, British Literature, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Class, Love / Sexuality, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Collector is English author John Fowles’s debut novel, published in 1963. The story follows a 20-something lepidopterist, Frederick Clegg, who becomes obsessed with a beautiful art student named Miranda Grey. After winning a fortune, Frederick kidnaps Miranda and imprisons her in his cellar, keeping her like a rare butterfly. Fowles combines psychological thriller, romance, and dark comedy genres into a tale that satirizes romances such as Shakespeare’s The Tempest by exposing their psychological and... Read The Collector Summary


Publication year 1981

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Prose poetry, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Social Justice, Incarceration, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Action / Adventure, Immigration / Refugee, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Poverty, Military / War, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Gary Paulsen’s The Crossing is a young adult novel published in 1987. This realistic work of fiction highlights the hope and opportunity Manny, a Mexican teenager, envisions waiting for him in America, and the desperation that propels him to attempt the border crossing from Mexico into the United States.Paulsen (1939-2021) was a celebrated author of middle grade and young adult fiction, best known for writing the award-winning Hatchet series. His work often depicts wilderness settings... Read The Crossing Summary