Teams & Gangs

Anyone who has played a team sport knows the rush that comes from feeling like an integral piece of a well-oiled machine. Yet exhilaration and cooperation are only one aspect of team dynamics. This collection explores all facets of the team relationship, both positive and negative.

Publication year 1987

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Race / Racism, African American Literature, Black Arts Movement


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Poverty, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, Psychology, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams

Tags History: U.S., History: European, Sports, WWII / World War II, History: World, Biography

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics is a work of narrative nonfiction written by Daniel James Brown and published in 2013. Brown is known for his nonfiction works, including The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride (2009) and Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II (2021). The Boys in the Boat... Read The Boys in the Boat Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose


Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Self Help, Philosophy, Animals


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy

The Boy Who Saved Baseball is a highly acclaimed middle grade novel by Southern California author John Ritter. Among other recognitions, the book received the 2004 Paterson Prize for Children’s Literature, the Child Magazine Best Book of the Year Award, and the New York Library Best Book for the Teen Age Award. Of his half-dozen middle grade sports novels, this story most closely mirrors Ritter’s upbringing. It is set in a small California town near... Read The Boy Who Saved Baseball Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Romance, Sports, Relationships


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Disability, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Nation, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Sports, Realistic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Sports, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management


Publication year 2018

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Contemporary Literature


Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics

Tags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery

Tags Sports, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Language

Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Science / Nature, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology


Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Language

Tags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology