Fear

Should we heed our fears, or work to overcome them? Suppress and ignore them, or face them head-on? Do we fight—or should we flight? These books unpack the universal human emotion of fear.

Eggs

by Jerry Spinelli

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Fear, Grief, Memory, The Past, Friendship, Grandparents, Mothers, Social Class

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Coming of Age

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Ellen Foster

by Kaye Gibbons

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Memory, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Revenge, Love, Gratitude, Hope, Childhood & Youth, Death, The Past, Equality, Good & Evil, Literature, Art, Beauty, Trust & Doubt, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Power & Greed, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Family, Fathers, Grandparents, Mothers, Nature Versus Nurture, Appearance & Reality

Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction, Southern Literature, Life-Inspired Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Race & Racism

Ellen Foster is a work of adult fiction by US novelist Kaye Gibbons, first published by Algonquin Books in 1987. The novel was Gibbons’s debut, and it won the Sue Kaufman Prize for literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a notable citation from the Ernest Hemingway Foundation. Critics praised the novel for its unsentimental outlook and the wry, distinct voice of its protagonist. Ellen, a young girl living in the American... Read Ellen Foster Summary

Equus

by Peter Shaffer

Publication year 1973

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Fathers, Self Discovery, Religion & Spirituality

Tags British Literature, Psychology, Drama, Love & Sexuality, Mental Illness, Religion & Spirituality

Equus is a psychological drama that delves into the complex mind of Alan Strang, a 17-year-old boy who blinds six horses in a fit of passion. The play unfolds through the perspective of Dr. Martin Dysart, a psychiatrist who attempts to understand Alan’s actions, leading to a profound exploration of religion, sexuality, and the nature of mental and emotional wellness. It was inspired by a true story of religious mutilation of horses near Suffolk. It... Read Equus Summary

Escaping the Giant Wave

by Peg Kehret

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Fear, Environment, Safety & Danger

Tags Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction

Escaping the Giant Wave is a middle-grade disaster thriller by American author Peg Kehret. The story follows 13-year-old Kyle Davidson and his little sister, BeeBee Davidson, as they struggle to survive an earthquake, a fire, and a tsunami. Kyle battles to save BeeBee and himself, and he learns to overcome his own fears. Escaping the Giant Wave is one of six novels centered around natural disasters by Kehret and was published in 2003. Kehret has... Read Escaping the Giant Wave Summary

Eternal

by Lisa Scottoline

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Hate & Anger, Family, Friendship, War, Race, Loyalty & Betrayal, Fear, Food, Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, World War II, Military & War, Italian Literature, World History

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Everybody

by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Publication year 2018

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Fear, Love, Death, Religion & Spirituality, Order & Chaos, Good & Evil

Tags Drama, Symbolic Narrative, Grief & Death, Philosophy, Religion & Spirituality, American Literature, Dramatic Literature, Education, Education

Everybody, a one-act play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, premiered Off-Broadway in 2017 at the Signature Theatre and was first published in 2018. It is a modern retelling of Everyman, the most well-known and anthologized example of a medieval morality play, which was adapted from a Dutch play by an anonymous 15th century English writer. Morality plays first appeared in the 12th century, evolving from the Catholic Church’s cycle plays and liturgical dramas, which reenacted biblical scenes... Read Everybody Summary

Fablehaven

by Brandon Mull

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Place, Safety & Danger, Siblings, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Animals, Family, Environment, Fear, Music, Gender Identity, Appearance & Reality, Conflict, Grandparents

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Magical Realism

Fablehaven was written by Brandon Mull (also known for The Candy Shop War and its sequels) and first published in 2006. It is the first in a series about an ecological preserve for magical creatures. In the novel, middle-school-aged siblings Kendra and Seth take a trip to their grandparents’ land in rural Connecticut, which they soon realize is hiding magic of all types. The siblings explore the magical world they have discovered while learning how... Read Fablehaven Summary

Falling

by T. J. Newman

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Loyalty & Betrayal, Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Family

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

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Fall on your Knees

by Ann-Marie MacDonald

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Shame & Pride, Truth & Lies, Religion & Spirituality, Music, Good & Evil, Self Discovery, Fathers, Childhood & Youth, Sexual Identity, Race, Fear

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Magical Realism, Coming of Age, Trauma & Abuse, Love & Sexuality, Music, Religion & Spirituality, Race & Racism, World History, Canadian Literature

Fall on Your Knees (1996), first-time novelist Ann-Marie MacDonald’s ambitious multigenerational family saga set in the early decades of the 20th century, moves from the bleak coastal towns of Canada’s Cape Breton Island to the bustling New York City of the Jazz Era. Recalling both the psychological richness of William Faulkner’s family sagas set in Yoknapatawpha County and the dark passions in the Gothic tales of Flannery O’Connor, Fall on Your Knees follows three very... Read Fall on your Knees Summary

Farewell to Manzanar

by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston

Publication year 1973

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Race, Fear, Mental Health

Tags World History, Incarceration, World War II, Education, Education, Military & War, Classic Fiction, Biography

Farewell to Manzanar is a memoir published in 1973 by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. It is a nonfiction account that employs first-person narration. Centering on a young girl’s life in the Manzanar Japanese American concentration camp, Farewell to Manzanar is used in school curricula throughout the US and inspired a 1976 film of the same name. The version used for this guide is the 1995 edition from Laurel Leaf Books.Content Warning: This guide discusses the US... Read Farewell to Manzanar Summary

Far North

by Will Hobbs

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Animals, Environment, Fear, Death, Childhood & Youth, Perseverance, Grief, Food

Tags Action & Adventure, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature

Set in Canada, American author Will Hobbs’s young-adult novel Far North (1996) follows Gabe Rogers, who lives with his grandparents in Austin, Texas. When Gabe tells his father that he wants to live with him in Canada, his father tells him he may on two conditions. First, Gabe must travel up north to experience the severe cold of the Northwest Territories for one year. Second, he must attend boarding school. While flying through Canada with... Read Far North Summary

Fatherland

by Robert Harris

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Race, Midlife, Future, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Equality, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Science Fiction, Military & War, World War II

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