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 2017
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Black Lives Matter, African American Literature
Publication year 1927
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class
Tags Classic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Satire, Class
Publication year 1980
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Society: War, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, WWI / World War I, Arts / Culture, History: World, Classic Fiction
A Month in the Country is a fiction novel published in 1980 by the British author J.L. Carr, a retired schoolteacher and publisher. The novel tells the deceptively spare tale of Thomas Birkin, a veteran of World War One who, having just returned from overseas, accepts summer employment to restore a mural. Dating back nearly five centuries, the mural adorns the wall of an old country church in northern England. During the weeks he painstakingly... Read A Month in the Country Summary
Publication year 1925
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Published in 1925, Theodore Dreiser’s realist novel An American Tragedy is one of the author’s most critically acclaimed works. Set in the 1920s in Kansas City, Chicago, and small-town New York state, the historical fiction novel is the story of how Clyde Griffiths, the son of poor, itinerant preachers, kills Roberta Alden during a boat trip in the Adirondack Mountains.This guide is based on the Kindle edition published by Rosetta Books.Content Warning: This novel contains... Read An American Tragedy Summary
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Colonialism
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modernism, Classic Fiction
Published in 1939, And Then There Were None is a mystery novel by Agatha Christie, best-selling novelist of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. With over 100 million copies sold, And Then There Were None is the world’s best-selling crime novel as well as one of the best-selling books of all time. It has had more adaptations than any other work by Agatha Christie, including television programs, films, radio broadcasts, and most... Read And Then There Were None Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Book DetailAn Ember in the Ashes, published by Razorbill in 2015, is the first in Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series. The novel debuted at number two on the young adult New York Times best seller list and was also a USA Today and international bestselling book. In addition, TIME magazine named it one of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of all Time. It won the People’s Choice Award for favorite fantasy in... Read An Ember in the Ashes Summary
Publication year 1734
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Philosophy, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Neoclassical, Didacticism, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Animals, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2018
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation
Tags Social Justice, Race / Racism
Publication year 1993
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Play: Drama, LGBTQ, History: U.S.
Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by the American playwright Tony Kushner is an epic story that spans two plays – Millennium Approaches, first produced in 1991, and Perestroika, which debuted in 1992. The entire two-part work premiered on Broadway in 1993. Angels in America is Kushner’s most well-known work and is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most significant American plays of the 20th century. Angels in America... Read Angels in America Summary
Publication year 1879
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class
Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
Anna Karenina is Leo Tolstoy’s second novel, following War and Peace (1869). Serially published in 1877, Anna Karenina depicts the efforts of its titular character to escape an unhappy marriage to her older, civil servant husband and pursue a love affair with a young and dashing count, Alexei Vronsky. The novel is a sweeping family drama exploring Tolstoy’s interest in marriage, family, agrarian politics, and gender roles. The work is also a portrait of Russian... Read Anna Karenina Summary
Publication year 1908
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Anne of Green Gables is a world-renowned classic children’s novel first published in 1908 by Canadian author L. M. Montgomery. Set in the latter part of the 19th century in fictional Avonlea, a small town on Prince Edward Island, Canada, the story follows the accidental arrival of a precocious 11-year-old orphan girl, Anne Shirley, at Green Gables, the family homestead of middle-aged siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. Many mishaps, adventures, and ultimate successes follow Anne... Read Anne Of Green Gables Summary
Publication year 1890
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Civil War, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Military / War, American Literature, History: World
Ambrose Bierce, an American writer and Civil War veteran, wrote “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” in 1890. Bierce’s story was first published in The San Francisco Examiner and later became part of his collection Tales of Soldiers and Civilians published in 1891. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is considered one of Bierce’s best works for its use of the stream-of-consciousness narrative technique and the hero’s journey as well as its exploration of death... Read An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Animals, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Social Justice
Publication year 1938
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Self Discovery
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Philosophy, Education, Education, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Anthem is a short novella written by Ayn Rand and published in 1938. Rand is known for her polarizing fiction, which includes the well-known novels Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. She is also known as the founder of a controversial philosophy known as Objectivism. In 1987, Anthem won the Libertarian Futurist Society’s Hall of Fame Award. Since its publication, the novella has been met with mixed reviews due to the controversy around its Objectivist themes... Read Anthem Summary
Publication year 1924
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Race
Tags British Literature, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, History: World
E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India, published in 1924, tells a story of the power of colonialism, the tension between spirituality and morality, and the inescapability of evil. Forster wrote this historical fiction novel after traveling to India in 1912 and volunteering in Egypt during World War I. A film adaptation of the novel directed by David Lean premiered in 1984 and received multiple Academy Award nominations. This summary uses the 75th Anniversary edition... Read A Passage to India Summary
Publication year 1756
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Age of Enlightenment, Literary Criticism, Gothic Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Food, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Food, Children's Literature, Jewish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World