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 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Class, Society: Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, Latin American Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1898

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Space & The Universe

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Science / Nature, Victorian Period, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

The War of the Worlds is a landmark science fiction novel published in 1897 by English author H. G. Wells. Its nameless narrator provides a firsthand account of the arrival of Martians in the area surrounding London and their subsequent devastation of central England. Vastly outmatched by Martian technology, human civilization is brought entirely to its knees in a matter of days, although the Martians are totally eradicated by terrestrial bacteria before they can expand... Read The War of the Worlds Summary


Publication year 1931

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Aging

Tags British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

The Waves by Virginia Woolf was published in 1931. Widely considered to be Woolf’s most experimental work, The Waves is a proponent of themes and techniques of modernism, including stream-of-consciousness narration and the use of leitmotifs. Set in England in the first part of the 20th century, the novel explores the lives of six characters from childhood into adulthood, exploring their unique experiences and the relationships between them. Employing a rotational structure of the six... Read The Waves Summary


Publication year 1903

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Education, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, Music, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period


Publication year 1700

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, Restoration, British Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor

The Way of the World is a play by William Congreve, first performed in 1700 at Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The Way of the World is a Restoration comedy, meaning it is a comedy written and performed in the boom of theater following the restoration of the Stuart Dynasty after the Interregnum period in England. As with many Restoration comedies, Congreve focuses his satire on the upper classes, but The Way of the World is notable... Read The Way of the World Summary


Publication year 1926

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, African American Literature, American Literature, History: World, Music, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1612

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Play: Tragedy, Jacobean Era

First performed onstage in 1612, The White Devil is a revenge tragedy that is loosely based on the murder of Vittoria Accoramboni in Italy in 1585. The full title of the play is The White Divel; or, The Tragedy of Paulo Giordano Ursini, Duke of Bracciano. With The Life and Death of Vittoria Corombona the famous Venetian Curtizan). The play has been performed many times but has not been adapted for film. This guide refers... Read The White Devil Summary


Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

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

The White Mountains is a 1967 young adult dystopian novel by John Christopher. It is the first volume in a trilogy known as The Tripods. Set in a future where enormous mechanical tripods have subjugated humanity, the plot follows a young man’s struggle to reach a distant community of people who resist the tripods’ domination. Against this backdrop, Christopher explores themes related to freedom, human ingenuity, and overcoming obstacles through teamwork. The novel was adapted... Read The White Mountains Summary


Publication year 1901

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Philosophy, Psychology


Publication year 1860

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Victorian Literature / Period, History: World, Historical Fiction

The Woman in White is a sensation novel by Wilkie Collins, a prominent Victorian novelist known for helping to establish the modern mystery and detective genres. The Woman in White was published in serialized form in All the Year Round, a periodical run by Collins’s friend and mentor Charles Dickens, from November 26, 1859, to August 25, 1860. This was Collins’s fifth novel, set from 1849 to 1851, a decade before it was published. The... Read The Woman in White Summary


Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Relationships, African American Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction

First published in 1982, The Women of Brewster Place is Gloria Naylor’s debut novel and remains the African American author’s best-known work. The Women of Brewster Place was awarded the National Book Award for Best First Novel and was adapted into a miniseries in 1989 and a television show in 1990. Described as “a novel in seven stories,” the text consists of seven chapters that act as short stories, each one detailing the life of a Black woman living... Read The Women of Brewster Place Summary


Publication year 1900

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure

Published in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a beloved children’s classic by L. Frank Baum. It was adapted in 1939 into an iconic film starring Judy Garland. L. Frank Baum went on to write 13 further books set in the Land of Oz. This guide refers to the 2008 Puffin Books edition of The Wizard of Oz.Plot SummaryDorothy is a young girl living with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on a farm... Read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Summary


Publication year 1887

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, Class, Love / Sexuality, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period


Publication year 1807

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags Lyric Poem, Religion / Spirituality, Industrial Revolution, Romanticism / Romantic Period


Publication year 1816

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Identity: Indigenous

Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Mythology, American Literature


Publication year 1920

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Scandinavian Literature, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1934

Genre Poem, Fiction

Tags Lyric Poem, Modernism, Food, American Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Social Justice, Race / Racism, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, History: U.S., American Literature


Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery

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

Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story is a gothic middle grade novel written by Mary Downing Hahn and published in 1994. Hahn is known for incorporating elements of the thriller and gothic genres into stories for young readers. This novel follows 12-year-old Drew as he spends the summer with his Aunt Blythe and an irritable great-grandfather in their creaky, shadowy ancestral home. When a dying boy who looks strikingly similar to Drew mysteriously appears in... Read Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story Summary