The Popular Study Guides Collection brings together a selection of our most-visited Guides in one convenient place. Featuring titles ranging from classic literature with enduring appeal to popular book club picks, this Collection represents a diverse array of literature readers can't get enough of.
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2018
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Nation
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Russian Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Disability, Society: Community, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Class, African American Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism
Publication year 2008
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1981
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Relationships, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 1955
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Creative Nonfiction, Action / Adventure
Gabriel García Márquez’s The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor was first published in Spain in 1970 under the title Relato de un naufrago (“story of a castaway”). The nonfiction work relates Luis Alejandro Velasco’s 10-day survival adrift on a raft in the Caribbean after being thrown overboard from his Colombian destroyer in rough seas. While there had been a censored, government-backed version of Velasco’s story that was publicized, the uncensored story was first published in... Read The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Technology, American Literature, Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
The Strangers is a young adult mystery novel published in 2019 by the American author Margaret Peterson Haddix. It tells the story of the three Greystone children who seek to unravel a kidnapping mystery. It is Volume 1 in the Greystone Secrets series, which Haddix returned to in 2020 with Volume 2, The Deceivers. Haddix is the author of more than 40 books for kids and teens, including the Shadow Children series, the Missing series... Read The Strangers Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Community, Natural World: Place
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Flora/plants
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, American Civil War, African American Literature, Grief / Death, History: U.S., Love / Sexuality, Post-War Era, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Education, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Poverty, Diversity, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Arts / Culture
The Tequila Worm, published in 2005 by Random House, (first edition) is a middle grade novel about a young Mexican American girl, Sofia, who comes from a family of storytellers. The tales Sofia hears strengthen her ties to her family and their traditions in the Texas barrio where they live. Though poor, the family does not struggle, finding riches in the practice of making Easter cascarones, (colored eggs) celebrating Dia de los Muertos, (Day of... Read The Tequila Worm Summary
Publication year 1899
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class
Tags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Social Science, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Sociology, Philosophy, Politics / Government
The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions (1899), written by Norwegian-American sociologist and economist Thorstein Veblen, is a critique of consumerism and conspicuous culture promoted by the wealthy leisure class in America during the Industrial era. Veblen proposes that economics is not simply the study of markets and cash flow; it must include sociological analysis to accurately reflect a society’s consumption patterns and their cultural and economic repercussions. Though the book... Read The Theory of the Leisure Class Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology, LGBTQ
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Children's Literature, History: African , Black Lives Matter, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Race / Racism
“The Undefeated” (2019) is a free verse children’s poem by poet and novelist Kwame Alexander. The poem, published as a picture book, celebrates Black Americans, highlighting the struggles the Black community has endured and overcome throughout America’s history, with particular attention on great figures from history, including artists, athletes, and civil rights activists. While the poem’s target audience is children, Alexander and the book’s illustrator, Kadir Nelson, address serious topics like slavery and police brutality... Read The Undefeated Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Romance, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Animals
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Disability, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
The View From Saturday by American author Elaine Lobl Konigsburg was published in 1996 and won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children’s literature in 1997—Konigsburg’s second Newbery Medal. She is one of only six writers to win the award twice (her first was awarded for From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler in 1968). Prior to becoming a writer of children’s and young adult fiction and publishing over 20 works from... Read The View From Saturday Summary