Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Small Steps was written by internationally acclaimed American author Louis Sachar. The novel was first published in 2006 by Delacorte Press (US) and Bloomsbury (UK). Louis Sachar is an award-winning young adult mystery and comedy writer, best known for his Wayside School series (1978-2020), and his novel Holes (1998), which won the John Newbery Medal and the National Book Award. Small Steps is a sequel to Holes and focuses on Theodore “Armpit” Johnson, a supporting... Read Small Steps Summary
Publication year 1942
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, WWII / World War II
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Education, Education, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Children's Literature, Inspirational, Disability, Relationships, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 1986
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Speaker for the Dead (1986) is the second book in the Ender sextet written by Orson Scott Card. Card is a renowned American science fiction author and has won numerous awards for his writing, including four for Speaker of the Dead—the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the Nebula Award for Best Novel, the Science Fiction Chronicle Reader Award for Best Novel, and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.Speaker for the Dead is set... Read Speaker for the Dead Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure
Sphere (1987) is a novel by best-selling author Michael Crichton, the sixth novel he released under his own name but his 16th novel overall. The novel follows protagonist Norman Johnson as he travels to the bottom of the ocean with a team of scientists to explore an unknown spacecraft. Inside the craft is a sphere that when entered enhances imagination and allows people to manifest reality from their unconscious mind. Sphere was made into a... Read Sphere Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Animals
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure
Stardust is a historical fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman. The novel was originally published in 1999, though an illustrated comic book miniseries preceded the prose text in 1997, along with a full-length illustrated edition in 1998. It won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature in 1999 and was nominated for the Locus Award. Stardust was adapted into a film in 2007 and a radio production in 2016. The novel uses traditional folkloric... Read Stardust Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Chinese Literature, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure
Lissa Price’s Starters is a young adult science fiction novel set in the near future after the Spore Wars, during which biological weapons were used against the United States and wiped out much of the unvaccinated middle-aged population. As a result, many teens were left without families, and the elderly feared for their place in society. Starters without grandparents were barred from essentially every type of work. This led to teens being rounded up to... Read Starters Summary
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Science / Nature, Technology, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Politics / Government
American author Michael Crichton’s thriller novel State of Fear (HarperCollins Publishers, 2004) dramatizes the debate surrounding global warming. Set in the contemporary world, the novel tells the story of a group of characters attempting to thwart eco-terrorist threats. The plot exudes intrigue and action—including shootouts, deadly crocodiles, deceptive agents, and the faked death of George Morton, the man who links the characters together. State of Fear is also a polemic casting doubt on the theory... Read State of Fear Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
The novel begins at the Vogel Medical Research Campus in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the news of Dr. Anders Eckman’s death. This news is delivered in the form of a cryptic Aerogram sent by Dr. Annick Swenson, the Vogel Corporations’ lead scientist on a research mission in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. Eckman’s colleagues, including fellow pharmacologist and former lab partner, Dr. Marina Singh, and her boss and covert lover, Vogel CEO Jim Fox, struggle to... Read State of Wonder Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure
Steelheart, a 2013 young adult sci-fi/fantasy novel by Brandon Sanderson, is the first installment of The Reckoners trilogy. The story takes place in dystopian Chicago, dubbed “Newcago,” which is overrun by evil superhumans called Epics and ruled by a functionally invulnerable tyrant named Steelheart. David Charleston, an 18-year-old boy whose father Steelheart killed 10 years before, joins a rebel group called the Reckoners hoping that they will help him take revenge on Steelheart. Borrowing elements... Read Steelheart Summary
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure