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.

The Hunting Party

by Lucy Foley

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Fear, Conflict, Forgiveness, Loneliness, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Friendship

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

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The Infinite Sea

by Rick Yancey

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Grief, Hope, Love, Coming of Age, Space, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, War, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Survival Fiction

The Infinite Sea (2014) by Rick Yancey is a young adult science fiction romance novel. It is the second book in The 5th Wave Trilogy, following The 5th Wave (2013) and preceding The Last Star (2016). The trilogy follows protagonist Cassie Sullivan, a 16-year-old girl who survives an invasion by extraterrestrials known as the Others. In the first novel, she meets Evan Walker, a Silencer (a human whose body has been colonized by the consciousness... Read The Infinite Sea Summary

The Institute

by Stephen King

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Community, Safety & Danger, Family, Future, Truth & Lies, Power & Greed, Perseverance

Tags Horror & Suspense, Science Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

Critically acclaimed, The Institute (2019) is the 60th entry in Stephen King’s body of more than 100 works. While best known as a horror writer (and one of the most popular writers since the 1970s in general), King dabbles in many genres, including fantasy, mystery, and science fiction—often blurring the boundaries between them. The Institute is more sci-fi thriller than horror, sharing story beats and themes with King’s earlier novels Firestarter and It: It follows... Read The Institute Summary

The Island of Missing Trees

by Elif Shafak

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Love, Memory, Race, Nation, The Past, Animals, Family, Plants, Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Food, Trauma & Abuse, European History, World History, Immigration & Refugeeism, LGBTQ+, Love & Sexuality, Military & War, Politics & Government, Science & Nature, Race & Racism, Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction

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The Island on Bird Street

by Uri Orlev

Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Hope, Loneliness, Coming of Age, War, Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Holocaust

Uri Orlev’s The Island on Bird Street (1981) is a middle-grade historical novel about Alex, an 11-year-old Jewish boy living alone in a Polish ghetto during World War II. Semi-autobiographical in nature, Orlev’s story shows Alex’s steady determination and strength as he comes of age during the dangers of Nazi occupation. The Island on Bird Street received the 1982 IBBY Honor List Book for Israel and the 1981 Mordechai Bernstein Award. Additionally, the author received... Read The Island on Bird Street Summary

The Lake

by Natasha Preston

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Nostalgia, Mental Health, Death, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma & Abuse

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The Lamb

by Lucy Rose

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mothers, Coming of Age, Daughters & Sons, Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Femininity, Appearance & Reality, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger

Tags Horror & Suspense, Gothic Literature, LGBTQ+

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The Last Graduate

by Naomi Novik

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Coming of Age, Death, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense

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The Last Word

by Taylor Adams

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Literature, Grief, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Mental Health, Death, Safety & Danger

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

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The Lies of Locke Lamora

by Scott Lynch

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Guilt, Memory, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Religion & Spirituality, Death, Childhood & Youth, The Past, Coming of Age, Language, Family, Teamwork, Social Class, Community, Politics & Government, Nation

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Crime Fiction

The Lies of Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch and published in 2006, is the first entry in the Gentleman Bastards series. These novels mix caper stories and fantasy stories and include adventure, violence, dark humor, and intimate friendships. The Lies of Locke Lamora is an international best seller and was nominated for multiple awards. The other entries in the series are Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves, and The Thorn of... Read The Lies of Locke Lamora Summary

The Lock Artist

by Steve Hamilton

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger

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

The Lock Artist, published in 2010, is a standalone, young adult crime novel by Steve Hamilton, a prolific crime author known for the Alex McKnight series. The Lock Artist won the 2011 Edgar Award for best novel.Plot SummaryThe Lock Artist is narrated in the first person by Mike (or Michael), a young man who possesses an extraordinary talent for picking locks and cracking safes. He has not spoken a word since a trauma he survived... Read The Lock Artist Summary

The Long Walk

by Stephen King

Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Coming of Age, Politics & Government, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Social Class

Tags Horror & Suspense, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Survival Fiction, Social Justice, Politics & Government, Social Class, Love & Sexuality

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The Lost City of the Monkey God

by Douglas Preston

Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Safety & Danger

Tags US History, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science & Nature, World History, Travel Literature, Action & Adventure

The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story is a New York Times best-selling nonfiction book written by journalist and novelist Douglas Preston and published by Grand Central Publishing in 2017. Preston’s book follows the history of various expeditions in search of the legendary Lost City of the Monkey God in the La Mosquitia region of Honduras. Most of the book covers an aerial lidar survey and a ground expedition organized and led... Read The Lost City of the Monkey God Summary