"We look at the world once, in childhood," writes poet Louise Glück. "The rest is memory." As adults, our childhood may lie in the past, but its influence never leaves us. This collection gathers texts that depict and examine the innocence and insights of childhood and youth.
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Relationships
Something Borrowed is a work of romantic fiction from author Emily Giffin, published in 2004. It was a critical and commercial success, earning rave reviews and landing a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. The novel was Giffin’s first, and she has published several more books in the same genre. Some of her other books include Love the One You’re With (2008), Heart of the Matter (2010), Where We Belong (2012), and Something... Read Something Borrowed Summary
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 1609
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Relationships
Publication year 1969
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, Classic Fiction, Southern Literature
Sounder is a 1969 book for young readers by American author William H. Armstrong. In the novel, a young boy grows up in a Black sharecropping family on a sprawling plantation in the 19th-century in the American South, where he lives with his parents, his siblings, and his faithful dog, Sounder. Bored and lonely, the boy dreams of returning to school and learning to read, and he copes with his life of obligation by hunting... Read Sounder Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Memoir / Autobiography
Publication year 2000
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration
Tags Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1991
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Inspirational
Publication year 1918
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Lyric Poem, History: World
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 2021
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Free verse, Bullying, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
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 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Food
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 1945
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Identity: Gender
Tags Historical Fiction, Agriculture, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1945
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Self Discovery
Tags Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Animals, Action / Adventure
Stuart Little (1945) is E. B. White’s first children’s book—the collected stories of Stuart, a mouse-boy born into a human family. White was a journalist and humorist who wrote for the United Press, the Seattle Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The New Yorker, and Harper’s Magazine. He received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Prize in 1970 for contributions to children’s literature for the much beloved Charlotte’s Web, and in 1973, The Trumpet of the Swan won the Sequoyah... Read Stuart Little Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 1952
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Education, Society: Class
Tags Edwardian Era
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Sports
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman