School Book List Titles

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