Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Memory, Coming of Age, Mothers
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, Race & Racism, Gender & Feminism
School Book List Titles
Browse a Collection of texts frequently assigned in literature classrooms, including well-studied classics and contemporary literature. Representitive of the breadth of the literary tradition, the School Book List Titles Collection features texts for readers of all age levels, from children's literature to plays and novels centered on adult themes.
Legendborn
Leonard (My Life as a Cat)
Le Père Goriot
Letters from Cuba
Letter to Someone Living Fifty Years From Now
Lincoln's Grave Robbers
Lines of Courage
Listen, Slowly
Little Dorrit
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Lord Jim
Loud Music
Love for Love
[love is more thicker than forget]
Love Poem With Toast
Love, Ruby Lavender
Mahabharata
Maniac Magee
Manifestoes of Surrealism
Mansfield Park
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Memory, Coming of Age, Mothers
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, Race & Racism, Gender & Feminism
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Loneliness, Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Science Fiction, Animals, Humor, Children`s Literature
Publication year 1835
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Fathers, Loyalty & Betrayal, Daughters & Sons, Social Class, Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature
Père Goriot is a novel by French author Honoré de Balzac that was published in serial form between 1834 and 1835. The novel tells the story of three intertwined characters, Goriot, Vautrin, and Rastignac. The book is part of Balzac’s novel sequence, La Comédie humaine, and is one of the author’s most celebrated works, exploring themes of Wealth and Social Class in Restoration France, The Corruption of Parent-Child Relationships, and The Hypocrisy of 19th-Century French... Read Le Père Goriot Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Perseverance, Race, Self Discovery, Immigration, Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Latin American Literature, Jewish Literature, Race & Racism, Holocaust, Children`s Literature, Military & War, World History
Publication year 2017
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Environment, Power & Greed, Nation, Conflict, Guilt, Joy
Tags Climate Change
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Perseverance, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger
Lincoln’s Grave Robbers is a nonfiction book for young readers by Steve Sheinkin. It describes how a gang of counterfeiters attempted to steal the body of Abraham Lincoln from his tomb in Springfield, Illinois, in order to hold it for ransom. Sheinkin’s retelling features rich historical detail, a colorful cast of characters, and probing insights into the fractiousness of the 1870s, as well as some striking parallels to contemporary events. Set in the aftermath of... Read Lincoln's Grave Robbers Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Coming of Age, Friendship, War, Justice
Tags Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure, Military & War, World War I, Children`s Literature, World History
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Coming of Age, Grandparents, Language, Self Discovery
Tags Realistic Fiction, Asian Literature, Grief & Death, Food, Immigration & Refugeeism, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Arts & Culture
Published in 2015, Listen, Slowly is the second novel from Thanhhà Lại, a Vietnamese American author who incorporates her experience as a refugee into her work. The novel was named a New York Times Book Review Notable Book, Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Book of the Year, and one of NPR’s Best Books of 2015. This middle-grade novel is the follow-up to her debut Inside Out and Back Again which won the National Book Award and Newbery... Read Listen, Slowly Summary
Publication year 1857
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Shame & Pride, Social Class, Politics & Government
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Satirical Literature, Social Class, British Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Romance, Victorian Era
Charles Dickens’s novel Little Dorrit was originally published in serialized form between 1855 and 1857. In this novel, the author satirizes government and society at large, with a specific focus on debtors’ prisons that incarcerated those in debt. The prison in Little Dorrit is the Marshalsea, where at one time, Charles Dickens’s father was imprisoned for debt. Little Dorrit explores common Dickensian themes such as economic class, duty, and societal issues.Other works by this author... Read Little Dorrit Summary
Publication year 1886
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Mothers, Social Class, Childhood & Youth, Family, Nature Versus Nurture
Tags Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Victorian Period, British Literature, World History, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1900
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Shame & Pride, Regret, Race, Colonialism
Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Action & Adventure, Historical Fiction, Modernism, World History
Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim is an iconic story about the height—and folly—of the British imperial enterprise. Published as a serialized novel between October 1899 and November 1900, it details the adventures of a sailor turned trade agent who seeks his fortune and reputation on the outskirts of empire. After an incident with the Patna, one of the ships on which he sails, Jim flees to avoid the stain on his reputation. Eventually, he arrives in... Read Lord Jim Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Fear
Tags Lyric Poem, Depression & Suicide
Publication year 1695
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Marriage, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity
Tags Comedy & Satire, Love & Sexuality, Restoration, British Literature, World History, Dramatic Literature, Classic Fiction
William Congreve (1670-1729) briefly studied law before pursuing a career as a playwright. Love for Love, one of his comedies, was first produced in 1695, and was followed by a string of other works including The Way of the World (1700) until Congreve retired from writing for the stage in 1701. He spent the rest of his life occupying minor government posts and pursuing failed business ventures. He died in 1729 at the age of... Read Love for Love Summary
Publication year 1939
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Love, Perseverance, Wins & Losses
Tags Lyric Poem, Love & Sexuality, Relationships
Publication year 1999
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Love, Politics & Government, Conflict
Tags Romance, Love & Sexuality, American Literature, Food
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Family, Friendship, Grief, Guilt, Grandparents
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Humor
Publication year -1
Genre Scripture, Nonfiction
Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Place, Family, War, Justice, Religion & Spirituality, Wins & Losses
Tags Narrative Poem, Indian Literature, Mythology, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy
David R. Slavitt’s 2015 translation of the Mahabharata is an abridged, modern English rendition of the ancient Indian epic. Slavitt, an American poet, novelist, and translator, is experienced in translating classical texts for contemporary audiences. His translation seeks to make this foundational work of South Asian literature accessible to modern readers.The Mahabharata is traditionally attributed to the sage Vyasa and was composed between approximately 400 BCE and 400 CE. As one of the longest epic... Read Mahabharata Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Social Class, Race, Family, Coming of Age, Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Published in 1990, Maniac Magee is a Newbery award–winning middle grade novel by renowned children’s author Jerry Spinelli. After his parents die, 11-year-old Jeffrey Lionel Magee runs away from his guardians and a year later ends up in the racially divided Pennsylvania town of Two Mills. Jeffrey, a white boy, finds a home with a Black family, but racial tension and threats send him back on the run. By accepting a host of challenges with... Read Maniac Magee Summary
Publication year 1924
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Art, Literature, Beauty, War, Power & Greed
Tags Philosophy, French Literature, Philosophy, Arts & Culture, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1814
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Femininity, Gender Identity, Love, Conflict
Tags Classic Fiction, World History, Regency Era, Romance, Historical Fiction, British Literature
Mansfield Park (1814) is the third novel by English novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817). Set in Regency-era England, Mansfield Park is a bildungsroman, charting the life of Fanny Price from childhood to adulthood. At the age of 10, Fanny is sent from her poverty-stricken home to live with her wealthy uncle and aunt, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram. The narrative follows the protagonist’s struggles adjusting to life at Mansfield Park, her moral challenges, and her secret... Read Mansfield Park Summary