Equality

The titles in this Collection examine the concept of social equality through a broad array of literary genres and forms. These curated selections represent a diversity of voices and perspectives that examine social disparities through the lenses of gender, race, socioeconomics, and other factors.

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture

Extra Credit is a 2009 young adult novel by American author Andrew Clements. This book follows two sixth-grade students from different countries and cultures whose lives intersect through a pen pal exchange. Abby Carson, an athletic girl from Illinois, needs to complete an extra credit project to ensure she passes the sixth grade. She begins to exchange letters with Sadeed Bayat, an academic overachiever from Bahar-Lan, Afghanistan. As the two share personal memories, pictures, and... Read Extra Credit Summary


Publication year 1992

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Sociology, Social Justice, Politics / Government, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Immigration

Tags WWII / World War II, History: World, Military / War, History: U.S., History: European, Grief / Death, Japanese Literature, Biography


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags History: World, Politics / Government, Philosophy


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Gender / Feminism, History: World


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Children's Literature


Publication year 1970

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: U.S.


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, African American Literature, American Civil War, History: World, Politics / Government


Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice


Publication year 1947

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Free verse, Race / Racism, History: U.S.


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government


Publication year 2012

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S.


Publication year 1954

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags History: World, Biography, Children's Literature, History: U.S., Historical Nonfiction, American Civil War


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Black Lives Matter, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Business / Economics, Diversity, Class, Education, Finance / Money / Wealth, Poverty, Politics / Government, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Sociology, History: World


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity

Tags Romance, Sports, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Class, Latin American Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Science / Nature, Animals, Crime / Legal, Humor, History: World


Publication year 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Post Modernism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Finance / Money / Wealth, Anthropology

Galapagos is a 1985 novel by American author Kurt Vonnegut. The novel’s narrator is the long-dead Leon Trout, a ghost who watched the evolution of humanity of the course of a million years. The story explores the themes Nature Versus Nurture, Pacifism, and Regret.This guide uses an eBook version of the 1985 Dial Press edition.Content Warning: This novel depicts explicit acts of violence and refers to death by suicide.Plot SummaryLeon Trout, the story’s narrator, is... Read Galapagos Summary


Publication year 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Gender

Tags History: U.S., LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Sociology, History: World


Publication year 1863

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags History: U.S., American Civil War


Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality