Popular Study Guides

The Popular Study Guides Collection brings together a selection of our most-visited Guides in one convenient place. Featuring titles ranging from classic literature with enduring appeal to popular book club picks, this Collection represents a diverse array of literature readers can't get enough of.

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, British Literature


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Children's Literature, Romance

The House of Hades is the fourth of five books in the Heroes of Olympus series, which follows seven Greek and Roman demigods on a quest to prevent the rise of the earth goddess Gaea, who is bent on destroying the world.The House of Hades was written by Rick Riordan, a New York Times bestselling author who explores Roman and Greek Mythology in these two series. Riordan is the publisher of an imprint with Disney... Read The House of Hades Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: U.S., Southern Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 1973

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Politics / Government, Education, Education, Anthropology, Social Science, History: World, Philosophy, Arts / Culture


Publication year 1896

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

The Island of Doctor Moreau is an 1896 science fiction novel written by the English novelist H.G. Wells. Wells’s experiences researching and teaching biology inform the novel, as do contemporary debates about the practice of vivisection (the practice of performing experiments on live animals). By describing frightening and fantastical events, Wells explores themes of power structures, violence, and what it means to be human. This guide references the 2005 Penguin Classics edition. Content Warning: The... Read The Island of Doctor Moreau Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Children's Literature


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Humor, Politics / Government, Satire, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Magical Realism

First published in 2005, Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark is a fantasy-adventure for middle-grade readers by Ridley Pearson. Young Finn Whitman and his fellow Disney Hosts each night turn into holograms who visit the Magic Kingdom, where they must defeat a cadre of evil Disney characters trying to break out of the park and take over the world. Winner of the Sunshine State Young Readers Award, the book is the first of more than a... Read The Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Social Justice, Diversity, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1827

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Romanticism / Romantic Period, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism


Publication year 1927

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Lyric Poem, Philosophy


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: World, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 1934

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Objects

Tags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

The Long Way Home (2014) is the 10th novel in the Inspector Gamache series written by the Canadian author Louise Penny. Like the other books in the series, the novel revolves around the village of Three Pines, Quebec, although it also encompasses events in other places. In addition to a central mystery focused on a wife’s attempt to find her estranged husband, the novel explores themes of art, creativity, ambition, and loss. This guide references... Read The Long Way Home Summary


Publication year 1987

Genre Poem, Fiction

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Poverty, American Literature