Should we heed our fears, or work to overcome them? Suppress and ignore them, or face them head-on? Do we fight—or should we flight? These books unpack the universal human emotion of fear.
Publication year 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Grief / Death, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Inventing Elliot, by British author Graham Gardner, is set in England in a fictional high school, Holminster High. First published in 2003, Inventing Elliot is Gardner’s debut novel. He was inspired by The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier, a realistic book about a boy going against the system in a private Catholic school, and George Orwell’s book 1984, a dystopian social science fiction novel that explores the horror of violence and totalitarianism. Garner was also... Read Inventing Elliot Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Matt de la Pena’s young adult novel I Will Save You (2010) follows the narrator, Kidd Ellison, after he runs away from a group home to live and work at a campground on the beach. Harboring memories of a traumatic past, he forges new relationships and fosters old ones that test his self-understanding. Through flashbacks, dreams, and journal entries mixed with the present day, the narrative explores themes such as The Impact of Trauma on... Read I Will Save You Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Economics
Tags Business / Economics, Finance / Money / Wealth, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management
Publication year 1961
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Magical Realism, Animals, Action / Adventure
James and the Giant Peach by British author Roald Dahl was first published in 1961. This critically acclaimed children’s novel was made into an award-winning film in 1996. It tells the story of a giant peach that magically grows in a young boy, James’s, back garden—big enough for him to enter the center of the peach and have adventures with the insects who live in there. Dahl is known as one of the 20th century’s greatest... Read James And The Giant Peach Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass (Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006) is a realistic middle grade novel that follows best friends Jeremy and Lizzy on their quest to find the meaning and purpose of their lives as they try to unlock a gift from Jeremy’s late father. The book was nominated for several major awards, including the Nutmeg Book Award in Connecticut (2010) and the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’... Read Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life Summary
Publication year 1949
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, African American Literature, Race / Racism, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice
Publication year 1992
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Jesus’ Son (1992) is a collection of short fiction by American writer Denis Johnson, published by Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux. It explores themes of The Slipperiness of Time, Substance Use Disorder, and Violence as Inevitability. In the form of a short story cycle, each of the 11 stories of Jesus’ Son is narrated by the same protagonist, who has a substance use disorder and is referred to in the narrative as “Fuckhead”. The book takes... Read Jesus' Son Summary
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Military / War, African Literature
July’s People, a 1981 dystopian novel by South African author Nadine Gordimer, imagines the aftermath of a bloody uprising that topples South Africa’s notorious, white-ruled apartheid regime. Her novel, which follows a white family’s desperate flight from Johannesburg, traces the complex interdependencies of white and Black South Africans, revealing the insidiousness of the regime’s racial disparities and mindsets, even among liberal, well-meaning white people. Through the lens of this hypothetical future, Gordimer’s novel explores racial... Read July's People Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 1978
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Animals, Love / Sexuality, LGBTQ, History: World, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature
Publication year 1819
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Gothic Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Food, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Politics / Government, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Business / Economics, Biography