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 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 1927

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Western, American Literature, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Classic Fiction

Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927) is a novel by American author Willa Cather. The story is loosely based on the experiences of Priests Jean-Baptiste Lamy and Joseph Projectus Machebeuf as they sought to establish a Catholic diocese (an ecclesiastical district under the control of one particular bishop) in the newly acquired territory of New Mexico.A major figure in American literature, Cather is best known for the novels O Pioneers! (1913), The Song of the... Read Death Comes for the Archbishop Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2001

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, American Literature


Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Community, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Prose poetry, Asian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Dictee (1982) is a hybrid form of prose poetry, autobiography, ethnography, criticism, and fictional experiments. Cha was a Korean American visual artist, poet, and filmmaker. She was tragically murdered only a week after the book was published. The book went out of print for several years before interest in Cha’s work was revived in the 1990s by feminist authors, such as Norma Alarcón. Cha’s work was honored with an exhibition including... Read Dictee Summary


Publication year 1993

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Education

Tags Lyric Poem, Education, Modernism


Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Relationships, Agriculture, Lyric Poem, Education, Education


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place

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


Publication year 2013

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Race / Racism


Publication year 1957

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Class, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Romance, Russian Literature, Military / War, History: World

Introduction Doctor Zhivago is a 1957 novel by Russian author Boris Pasternak. Set during the early 20th century, the story follows the titular Yuri Zhivago as he deals with revolution and social upheaval in his native country. As well as being widely praised following its publication, the novel has been adapted numerous times for the screen, most famously in a 1965 film—for which Pasternak cowrote the screenplay—directed by David Lean and starring Omar Sharif and Julie... Read Doctor Zhivago Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality

Doll Bones (2013) is a middle grade novel written by Holly Black and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler. It blends gothic, horror, and fantasy elements. The novel follows three friends, Zach, Poppy, and Alice, as their make-believe games take a turn for the supernatural, sending them on an eerie quest to return a haunted doll to a gravesite before it wreaks havoc on their lives. The novel explores the challenges of growing up and the strain... Read Doll Bones Summary


Publication year 1951

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Classic Fiction, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World

“Do not go gentle into that good night” is an iconic poem by 20th-century Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who occupied a special place in the public imagination for his magnetic readings and the revival of Romantic themes in his poetry. This poem, which appeared in his 1952 collection In Country Sleep, remains a favorite in anthologies and popular culture for its universal content and unforgettable dual refrain. “Do not go gentle into that good night” is... Read Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Summary


Publication year 1605

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Class, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Renaissance, Religion / Spirituality, Satire

Don Quixote is a novel in two parts by Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes published between 1605 and 1615. The novel portrays the life of a middle-aged Spanish man who decides to become a knight, just like the characters in the works of fiction he loves. Considered to be a foundational work of Western literature and one of the first modern novels, Don Quixote is one of the most translated books of all time. It... Read Don Quixote Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery

Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell (Simon & Schuster, 2009) is a young adult graphic novel told in diary entries about a 14-year-old girl’s journey through her first month at a new school. The book was both a New York Times and USA Today best seller. It also won the Children’s Choice Book of the Year Award for the fifth/sixth grade division (2010) and was nominated for Book of the... Read Dork Diaries Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Identity: Race

Tags Sports, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1975

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Asian Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Chinese Literature

Originally published in 1975, Dragonwings is a children’s historical novel by Chinese American author Laurence Yep. The story was inspired by the life of Fung Joe Guey (Feng Ru), a Chinese immigrant who came to the United States in the early 1900s and earned acclaim for his work as a pioneer airplane designer and aviator. The book is part of Yep’s Golden Mountain Chronicles, a series of 10 novels that explore the long history of... Read Dragonwings Summary


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Immigration

Tags Historical Fiction, Latin American Literature, Magical Realism, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Dreaming in Cuban is Cuban American author Cristina García’s first novel. It was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1992 and garnered positive reviews from readers and critics alike. A multi-generational family saga that shifts back and forth between the experiences and eras of multiple narrators, Dreaming in Cuban explores themes of immigration and exile, family dynamics, political ideology, religion, and the impact of the Cuban Revolution on Cubans and Cuban Americans. The... Read Dreaming in Cuban Summary


Publication year 1962

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Place

Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature, American Literature


Publication year 1994

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1923

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants

Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature