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 Unknown

by Riley Sager

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Regret, Revenge, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Place, Teamwork, Art, Equality, Fame, Justice, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Horror & Suspense

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The Upstairs Room

by Johanna Reiss

Publication year 1972

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Mental Health, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Friendship, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, War, Beauty, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger

Tags Life-Inspired Fiction, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, World War II, Holocaust, Children`s Literature, Jewish Literature, Military & War, World History

The Upstairs Room (1972) is a novel based on the experiences of author Johanna Reiss as a Jewish girl during World War II. The novel follows protagonist Annie de Leeuw and her sister Sini as they hide from the Nazis during the German occupation of Holland. Annie’s story, which is told from her first-person perspective, celebrates human resilience and compassion while exploring themes concerning the loss of childhood innocence, the sacrifices people make during wartime... Read The Upstairs Room Summary

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

by Sangu Mandanna

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Perseverance, Truth & Lies, Conflict, Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Loyalty & Betrayal, Community

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Education, Love & Sexuality, Relationships, Parenting, Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

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The Viscount Who Loved Me

by Julia Quinn

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Aging, Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Social Class, Friendship, Fate, Siblings, Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Forgiveness, Memory, Daughters & Sons, Childhood & Youth, Love, Literature, Mothers, The Past, Family, Future, Appearance & Reality, Equality, Beauty, Self Discovery, Hate & Anger, Marriage, Loneliness, Conflict, Masculinity, Trust & Doubt, Grief, Femininity, Fathers, Nostalgia, Truth & Lies, Shame & Pride

Tags World History, Regency Era, Romance, Historical Fiction

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The Wall

by Marlen Haushofer

Publication year 1963

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Femininity, Environment, Self Discovery, Safety & Danger

Tags Science Fiction

The Wall (1963) is a novel by Marlen Haushofer. The novel features an eco-dystopia, with an unnamed protagonist trapped behind a clear wall while the world outside is frozen. As she strives to survive, the protagonist adopts various animals, making a family of sorts. The Wall uses the premise of ecological disaster to examine The Weight of Survival and Nature as a Dominant Force. The protagonist achieves Liberation Through Isolation by connecting with nature and... Read The Wall Summary

The Watchers

by A. M. Shine

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Art, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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The Wave

by Todd Strasser

Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Education, Community, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Psychology, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Psychology, Classic Fiction

The Wave is a 1981 young adult novel by Todd Strasser (originally written under the pseudonym Morton Rhue). A novelization of a teleplay by Johnny Dawkins for the 1981 made-for-TV movie of the same name, the story is a fictionalized account of a 1967 social experiment called “The Third Wave,” which took place at a high school in Palo Alto, California. In the novel, the experiment unfolds at the fictional Gordon High School. The story... Read The Wave Summary

The Weight of Ink

by Rachel Kadish

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Love, Femininity, Safety & Danger, Perseverance, Regret

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Love & Sexuality, Philosophy, Jewish Literature, British Literature, World History, Religion & Spirituality

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The White House

by Claude McKay

Publication year 1919

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Justice, Equality, Truth & Lies, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Fear, Perseverance, Conflict, Hope

Tags Lyric Poem, Race & Racism, Social Justice

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The White Mountains

by John Christopher

Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Coming of Age, Friendship, Safety & Danger

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

The White Mountains is a 1967 young adult dystopian novel by John Christopher. It is the first volume in a trilogy known as The Tripods. Set in a future where enormous mechanical tripods have subjugated humanity, the plot follows a young man’s struggle to reach a distant community of people who resist the tripods’ domination. Against this backdrop, Christopher explores themes related to freedom, human ingenuity, and overcoming obstacles through teamwork. The novel was adapted... Read The White Mountains Summary

The Wicked King

by Holly Black

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Siblings, Hate & Anger, Daughters & Sons, Family, Revenge, Fear, Trust & Doubt, Politics & Government, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Shame & Pride, Conflict, Fathers, Perseverance, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction

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The Wind Knows My Name

by Isabel Allende

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Apathy, Shame & Pride, Family, Justice, Equality, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Politics & Government, Immigration

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, World War II, Holocaust, Social Class, World History, History of the Americas, US History, Immigration & Refugeeism, Military & War, Politics & Government, Social Justice, Music, Trauma & Abuse, Race & Racism

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The Wishing Game

by Meg Shaffer

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Daughters & Sons, Mothers, Fathers, Literature, Art, Perseverance, Hope, Love, Safety & Danger

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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The Witch Collector

by Charissa Weaks

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hope, Love, Memory, Revenge, Disability, Language, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Place, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy

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