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 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Birth, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Economics

Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Poverty, Finance / Money / Wealth, Depression / Suicide, Class, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

A House for Mr. Biswas is a 1961 historical fiction novel by V. S. Naipaul. The story takes a postcolonial perspective of the life of a Hindu Indian man in British-owned and occupied Trinidad. Now regarded as one of Naipaul's most significant novels, A House for Mr. Biswas has won numerous awards and has been adapted as a musical, a radio drama, and a television show. Naipaul is also known for the works The Mimic... Read A House for Mr. Biswas Summary


Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Drama / Tragedy, Classical Period, Fantasy

Ajax is an ancient Athenian tragedy by Sophocles. Its production date, the festival at which it was first presented, and the other tragedies performed alongside it remain unknown, but it is believed to be among Sophocles’s earlier plays, possibly from the 440s BC. The narrative retells a story from Trojan war mythology concerning the suicide of the hero Ajax and its aftermath, exploring the hero’s excesses, reversals of fortune, and social bonds. Other famous works... Read Ajax Summary


Publication year 1909

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Animals

Tags Lyric Poem


Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Play: Tragedy, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1865

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Fantasy, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by British author Lewis Carroll (1832-1838) is a classic work of nonsense literature first published in 1865. Originally intended for children, the novel has become a perennial favorite of adults thanks to Carroll’s sophisticated wordplay and humor. Carroll’s work has influenced or inspired authors as diverse as James Joyce and Neil Gaiman, surrealist painters like Salvador Dalí, and the philosopher Gilles Deleuze. The novel has never been out of print and... Read Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World


Publication year 2002

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Lyric Poem


Publication year 2021

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals, Health / Medicine, Education, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1929

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Military / War, Historical Fiction, WWI / World War I, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

All Quiet on the Western Front is a 1929 novel by Erich Maria Remarque which details the experiences of German soldiers at the frontlines of World War I. At the heart of the novel are graphic portrayals of trench warfare and the psychological trauma inflicted on the soldiers as a result. The novel presents a realistic portrait of a horrific war and provides unflattering accounts of the elite classes responsible for such mass destruction. The... Read All Quiet on the Western Front Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: The Future

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Science / Nature


Publication year 1946

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Politics / Government

All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren is a fictional political novel originally published in 1946 by Harcourt Brace & Company. Robert Penn Warren was an acclaimed novelist and poet from the American South. Along with fellow Southerners Cleanth Brooks and John Crowe Ransom, he was a leading proponent of the literary critical approach known as New Criticism. His best-known novel, All the King’s Men follows the political rise and fall of Governor Willie... Read All the King's Men Summary


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Animals

Tags Historical Fiction, Western, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

All the Pretty Horses (1992) is a novel by Cormac McCarthy and a winner of the National Book Award. The book follows a young man, John Grady Cole, and his best friend Lacey Rawlins as they run away to Mexico in the late 1940s. A bestseller and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, All the Pretty Horses is the first novel in McCarthy’s Border Trilogy and helped increase the American novelist’s popularity and... Read All The Pretty Horses Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Action / Adventure, Sports, History: Asian, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Grandparents, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Great Depression, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Humor

Written by Richard Peck in 1998 and told as a series of related short stories, A Long Way From Chicago is a novel about two siblings and their adventures with their grandmother over the span of six summers from 1929 to 1935. The work was a Newbery Honor book in 1999, and its sequel, A Year Down Yonder, won the Newbery Medal for children’s literature in 2001. Richard Peck (1934-2018) was the award-winning American novelist... Read A Long Way from Chicago Summary


Publication year 1899

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Lyric Poem, Existentialism, Realism


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1998

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Immigration

Tags Immigration / Refugee


Publication year 1975

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship

Tags History: U.S., History: World, Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, American Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Drama / Tragedy

American Buffalo is a 1975 off-Broadway play written by American playwright David Mamet. It first premiered in Chicago’s Goodman Theater in 1975, reaching Broadway in 1977. Along with two other plays, The Duck Variations (1971) and Sexual Perversity in Chicago (1974), American Buffalo established Mamet as a reputable writer. The play explores friendship and greed among the working classes. The 1976 publication from Grove Press (New York) serves as the basis for this guide.The play... Read American Buffalo Summary