Browse a Collection of texts frequently assigned in literature classrooms, including well-studied classics and contemporary literature. Representitive of the breadth of the literary tradition, the School Book List Titles Collection features texts for readers of all age levels, from children's literature to plays and novels centered on adult themes.
Publication year 1965
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Lyric Poem, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Education, Education, American Literature, Mental Illness, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1960
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Mythology, Ekphrastic, Free verse, Modernism, Grief / Death, Science / Nature
Publication year 1964
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Society: Community
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realism, Poverty, Psychological Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Last Exit to Brooklyn is a 1958 novel by Hubert Selby Jr. Set in the Brooklyn borough of New York City in the 1950s, the novel portrays the interconnected lives of the residents. The loosely connected stories involve crime, violence, and poverty, as well as drug-use, sex work, and sexual assault. The novel was criticized for its graphic portrayal of controversial themes, resulting in several court cases in the United States and the United Kingdom... Read Last Exit to Brooklyn Summary
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 1636
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Play: Tragedy, Play: Comedy / Satire, Arts / Culture, French Literature
Le Cid is a five-act tragicomic play by Pierre Corneille, first performed in 1636 at the Théâtre du Marais in Paris. The plot is based on the Spanish play Las mocedadas del Cid by Guillén de Castro, which itself is based on the legend of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (1043-1099), a Castilian knight and Spanish national hero whose title “El Cid” is derived from the Arabic word for lord, sayyid. Corneille (1606-1684) is considered one... Read Le Cid Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 1835
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature
Père Goriot is a novel by French author Honoré de Balzac that was published in serial form between 1834 and 1835. The novel tells the story of three intertwined characters, Goriot, Vautrin, and Rastignac. The book is part of Balzac’s novel sequence, La Comédie humaine, and is one of the author’s most celebrated works, exploring themes of Wealth and Social Class in Restoration France, The Corruption of Parent-Child Relationships, and The Hypocrisy of 19th-Century French... Read Le Père Goriot Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Latin American Literature, Jewish Literature, Race / Racism, Holocaust, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2017
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Joy
Tags Climate Change
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Lincoln’s Grave Robbers is a nonfiction book for young readers by Steve Sheinkin. It describes how a gang of counterfeiters attempted to steal the body of Abraham Lincoln from his tomb in Springfield, Illinois, in order to hold it for ransom. Sheinkin’s retelling features rich historical detail, a colorful cast of characters, and probing insights into the fractiousness of the 1870s, as well as some striking parallels to contemporary events. Set in the aftermath of... Read Lincoln's Grave Robbers Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, WWI / World War I, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Grandparents, Identity: Language, Self Discovery
Tags Realistic Fiction, Asian Literature, Grief / Death, Food, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture
Published in 2015, Listen, Slowly is the second novel from Thanhhà Lại, a Vietnamese American author who incorporates her experience as a refugee into her work. The novel was named a New York Times Book Review Notable Book, Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Book of the Year, and one of NPR’s Best Books of 2015. This middle-grade novel is the follow-up to her debut Inside Out and Back Again which won the National Book Award and Newbery... Read Listen, Slowly Summary
Publication year 1857
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Satire, Class, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Victorian Literature / Period
Charles Dickens’s novel Little Dorrit was originally published in serialized form between 1855 and 1857. In this novel, the author satirizes government and society at large, with a specific focus on debtors’ prisons that incarcerated those in debt. The prison in Little Dorrit is the Marshalsea, where at one time, Charles Dickens’s father was imprisoned for debt. Little Dorrit explores common Dickensian themes such as economic class, duty, and societal issues.Other works by this author... Read Little Dorrit Summary
Publication year 1886
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1900
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism
Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Modernism, History: World
Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim is an iconic story about the height—and folly—of the British imperial enterprise. Published as a serialized novel between October 1899 and November 1900, it details the adventures of a sailor turned trade agent who seeks his fortune and reputation on the outskirts of empire. After an incident with the Patna, one of the ships on which he sails, Jim flees to avoid the stain on his reputation. Eventually, he arrives in... Read Lord Jim Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Lyric Poem, Depression / Suicide
Publication year 1695
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Love / Sexuality, Restoration, British Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
William Congreve (1670-1729) briefly studied law before pursuing a career as a playwright. Love for Love, one of his comedies, was first produced in 1695, and was followed by a string of other works including The Way of the World (1700) until Congreve retired from writing for the stage in 1701. He spent the rest of his life occupying minor government posts and pursuing failed business ventures. He died in 1729 at the age of... Read Love for Love Summary
Publication year 1939
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Relationships
Publication year 1999
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Food
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Grandparents
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Humor