Safety & Danger

This collection, spanning books like Nadine Gordimer's Jump and Other Stories and Lois Lowry's Number the Stars, gathers fiction and nonfiction examining how our human craving for safety is compromised, questioned, and challenged by an unpredictable and sometimes dangerous world.

Extreme Ownership

by Jocko Willink, Leif Babin

Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Teamwork, Safety & Danger, Perseverance, Conflict

Tags Military & War, Business & Economics, Self-Improvement, Iraq War, Leadership, Psychology, Psychology

In the 2015 military and business book Extreme Ownership: How US Navy SEALs Lead and Win, two of the most highly decorated US Navy SEALs of the Iraq War describe the lessons of leadership learned during combat and how those lessons apply to companies and organizations. Authors Jocko Willink and Leif Babin explain that the single most important element of a team is its leader and that the team succeeds in its mission only if... Read Extreme Ownership 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

Fake ID

by Lamar Giles

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Race, Coming of Age, Family, Social Class, Community

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Coming of Age, Bullying, Trauma & Abuse, Grief & Death, Race & Racism, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Action & Adventure

Originally published in 2014, Fake ID is a mystery/thriller novel written by Lamar Giles and intended for young adults. The narrator and main character is Nick Pearson, a 15-year-old who has just moved to Stepton, Virginia, becoming a Black student in a predominantly white setting. Nick and his family are in the Federal Witness Protection Program (WITSEC). Unintentionally, he finds himself involved in a love triangle and a mysterious murder.As a Black author, Giles is... Read Fake ID Summary

Fallen Gods

by Rachel Van Dyken

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Revenge, Race, Sexual Identity, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Fathers, Siblings, Self Discovery, War, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Mythology

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Falling Man

by Don DeLillo

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Place, Fate, Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, American Literature, 9/11, US History, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

Falling Man is a 2007 novel by American author Don DeLillo. The novel explores the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. This guide uses an eBook version of the 2011 Picador edition of Falling Man.Plot SummaryOn September 11, 2001, a group of 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacks commercial passenger planes and attempt to crash them into American landmarks. In addition to one plane that crashed... Read Falling Man Summary

Fantastic Mr Fox

by Roald Dahl

Publication year 1970

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Community, Safety & Danger, Animals, Shame & Pride, Power & Greed

Tags Animals, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Humor, Classic Fiction

Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970) is a children’s novel by British author Roald Dahl. One of Dahl’s most acclaimed and enduring titles, the novel follows an anthropomorphic fox—the titular Mr. Fox—and his animal friends, who live near three cruel farmers. Although the farmers continually attempt to kill the animals, Mr. Fox and his friends are able to outsmart them and steal all the food they want. Fantastic Mr. Fox, like many of Dahl’s works, is a... Read Fantastic Mr Fox 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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Fear And Trembling

by Søren Kierkegaard

Publication year 1843

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Love, Fear, Perseverance, Conflict, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil

Tags Existentialism, Philosophy, Religion & Spirituality, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Fear and Trembling is an 1843 Christian philosophical tract written by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and published under the pseudonym Johannes de Silentio (John of the Silence). The title refers to a passage from the Bible, which demands that “salvation” be worked out “with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Most of Fear and Trembling focuses on the biblical story of Abraham, whom God told to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham’s actions (despite his fear... Read Fear And Trembling Summary

Final Girls

by Riley Sager

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Fear, Revenge, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Death, Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

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

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Fire and Ice

by Robert Frost

Publication year 1920

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Conflict, Order & Chaos, Teamwork, Safety & Danger

Tags Lyric Poem, Natural Disaster, Relationships, Climate Change, American Literature, Classic Fiction

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Fire and Ice

by Erin Hunter

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Love, Memory, Nostalgia, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Food, Nature Versus Nurture, Family, Friendship, Mothers, Siblings, Teamwork, Community, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Animals

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Firestarter

by Stephen King

Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Power & Greed, Love, Family, Fathers

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Trauma & Abuse, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Relationships, Religion & Spirituality

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Fire Weather

by John Vaillant

Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Environment, Climate, Plants, Economics, Globalization, Politics & Government, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags Science & Nature, Climate Change, Natural Disaster, Politics & Government, World History

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Flesh and Blood So Cheap

by Albert Marrin

Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Femininity, Language, Race, Teamwork, Social Class, Community, Economics, Immigration, Politics & Government, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Place

Tags US History, Immigration & Refugeeism, Social Justice

Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy (2011) is a historical nonfiction book intended for an audience of young readers. It was written by Albert Marrin, a former history professor and author of dozens of historical nonfiction books.Marrin, whose academic focus was on liberty under the law, wrote often about times of suffering and movements for liberation, including The War for Independence: The Story of the American Revolution (1988), Years of... Read Flesh and Blood So Cheap Summary

Float

by Laura Martin

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Loneliness, Disability, Friendship, Self Discovery, Safety & Danger

Tags Science Fiction, Children`s Literature, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Humor

... Read Float Summary