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.

Publication year 1992

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Psychology, Gender / Feminism, Health, Science, Politics / Government


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ

Tricks is a 2009 young adult novel by Ellen Hopkins. Hopkins is the best-selling author of novels such as Crank, Impulse, and Traffick, the sequel to Tricks. Like many of Hopkins’s novels, the novel is written in free verse and has been banned in several states because of its graphic content and subject matter. The novel follows the lives of five different teenage narrators—Eden, Seth, Whitney, Ginger, and Cody—as they experience the traumas of the... Read Tricks Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, African American Literature, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World


Publication year 1977

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Technology


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, New Adult, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Indigenous, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community

Tags Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Natural Disaster, Climate Change, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1846

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, American Literature, History: World


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Biography, Crime / Legal, History: U.S.


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags History: World, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature


Publication year 2000

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Psychology, Science / Nature, Natural Disaster


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2015

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor


Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Technology, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure

Marie Lu’s young adult science fiction Warcross (2017) is the first book in the Warcross series. Set in the future, bounty hunter Emika Chen takes part in an international online game to track down her mark. Lu writes primarily dystopian and science fiction for young adults and is well known for her bestselling trilogy, Legend. Kirkus Reviews included Warcross on its Best Teen Science Fiction books of 2017. This guide references the 2017 Random House... Read Warcross Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Friendship

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


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Post-War Era

Warlight (2018) is a historical fiction novel by Sri Lankan-born Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje. Ondaatje is best known for his Booker Prize winning novel, The English Patient (1992). Part spy thriller and coming-of-age story, Warlight follows 14-year-old Nathaniel Williams and his older sister, Rachel, in post-World War II London. When their parents depart for a year-long work assignment in Singapore, the siblings are left in the care of an enigmatic guardian named The Moth. Nathaniel... Read Warlight Summary