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 1885

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Community, Relationships: Family

Tags Classic Fiction, Gilded Age, American Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction

The Rise of Silas Lapham is an 1885 Realist novel by William Dean Howells. The novel tells the story of Silas Lapham, who rises from poverty but struggles to grasp the social etiquette of elite American society. Howells is credited with establishing Realism as a literary genre in America. Realist novels such as The Rise of Silas Lapham were a response to the time period’s Sentimental novels, which Howells opposed. The novel explores themes of... Read The Rise of Silas Lapham Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Race / Racism, Relationships, African American Literature, Music, Biography, Social Justice


Publication year 1100

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Lyric Poem, Philosophy, Middle Eastern Literature


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Education, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: Nation, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Class

In The Ruins of Gorlan, a Medieval adventure-fantasy novel for middle-grade readers, young Will learns the arts of the secretive Ranger tracker-warriors and defends his kingdom against an evil baron. Released in 2004 by author John Flanagan, The Ruins of Gorlan won multiple awards, spawned the bestselling Ranger Apprentice book series, and has been published in 18 countries. A television adaptation is in the works.Following a long career in advertising, author Flanagan shifted to book... Read The Ruins of Gorlan Summary


Publication year 60

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Satire, Classic Fiction, Love / Sexuality


Publication year 1960

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

First published in The Atlantic in 1960, James Hurst’s “The Scarlet Ibis” won the magazine’s “Atlantic First” award. Frequently included in literature anthologies, Hurst’s tragic short story explores themes of pride, shame, and death within the context of coming of age.This guide refers to the 1960 version that appeared in The Atlantic as well as the brief biographical information included in that original publication.Content Warning: The source text uses outdated, offensive terms to describe people... Read The Scarlet Ibis Summary


Publication year 1905

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Romance, Class, Mystery / Crime Fiction, French Literature, History: World

Published in 1905, The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Emma Orczy, is a historical romance adventure novel about a wealthy English baronet with a secret life as a hero who rescues the innocent from the French Reign of Terror. Told mainly from the viewpoint of his wife, the book—based on the successful London play of the same name—birthed a series of Scarlet Pimpernel novels, movies, and TV productions. It ushered in the secret-identity genre of adventure... Read The Scarlet Pimpernel Summary


Publication year 1777

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire

The School for Scandal is a comedy of manners written by Richard Sheridan. The play was initially performed at the Drury Lane Theater in 1777. Though the play premiered well into the 18th century, it is often included in collections of Restoration comedies (1660-1710), as it shares many common elements with the comedies of manners from that period and the period immediately following it. Like many comedies of manners, The School for Scandal relies on... Read The School for Scandal Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death

Andrew Clements’s The School Story is a 2001 middle grade fiction novel about two sixth-grade girls who set out to get a book published. The School Story is Andrew Clements’s fourth full-length novel. Prior to writing novels, Clements worked extensively on picture books, and his familiarity with the publishing industry allowed him to create a realistic yet fantastical story about two children trying to navigate it. The School Story explores themes of loss, honesty, and... Read The School Story Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Depression / Suicide, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Realistic Fiction


Publication year 1949

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Existentialism, Philosophy, Sociology


Publication year 1964

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future


Publication year 1907

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Satire, British Literature

The Secret Agent is a novel by British Polish writer Joseph Conrad, first published in 1907. Set in London in 1886, it portrays Adolf Verloc as the titular secret agent who works for a powerful but unnamed country, likely Russia. The novel has been adapted for film and television under various titles. This guide uses the 2008 Oxford World Classic’s edition of The Secret Agent. Content warning: This text discusses suicide, abuse, and ableism.Plot SummaryAdolf... Read The Secret Agent Summary


Publication year 1910

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Natural World: Environment

Tags Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Grief / Death, History: World, Fantasy

The Secret Garden is a middle-grade novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was first published as a serialized novel in The American Magazine between November 1910 and August 1911, and in 1911, it was republished in book form. Burnett had already written two extremely successful novels: Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886) and A Little Princess (1905). Over her lifetime, she wrote 36 books and plays and numerous short stories and was one of the most... Read The Secret Garden Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

The Selection is the first book in the titular romance trilogy by American author Kiera Cass. First published in 2012, The Selection was pitched as a dystopian interpretation of the hit television show The Bachelor, and as Publisher’s Weekly stated in their review, the Selection is “[a] cross between ‘The Hunger Games’ (minus the blood sport) and ‘The Bachelor’ (minus the blood sport).” In a future set in the land of Illéa (formerly the United... Read The Selection Summary


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Historical Fiction


Publication year 1949

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Historical Fiction, Post-War Era, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Psychological Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, American Literature, Travel Literature, Classic Fiction

An American writer and composer who lived in Morocco for most of his life, Paul Bowles was a peripheral member of the post-World War II counter-cultural group of writers known as the Beat generation. The Sheltering Sky (1949), his first novel, is his best-known work, although he wrote other novels, numerous short stories, and works of nonfiction, most notably travel narratives. He also translated several works by Moroccan writers. The Sheltering Sky was adapted into... Read The Sheltering Sky Summary