A community can come together for the common good or be torn apart by disagreement and strife. This collection explores what makes a community and how individuals struggle or succeed in finding their place within it.
Publication year 1951
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Sociology
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature
Miracle’s Boys (2000) is a young adult novel by Jaqueline Woodson. The novel tells the story of three brothers, ages 21, 15, and 12, coping with the sudden death of their mother a year before. The middle brother, Charlie, recently returned home from a juvenile detention facility, where he was serving a two-year sentence for attempting to rob a candy store at gun point. Set in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in New York City, Miracle’s... Read Miracle's Boys Summary
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Animals
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help
Publication year 1851
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Community, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Action / Adventure, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Historical Fiction
Published in 1851, Moby Dick was based in part on author Herman Melville’s own experiences on a whaleship. The novel tells the story of Ahab, the captain of a whaling vessel called The Pequod, who has a three-year mission to collect and sell the valuable oil of whales at the behest of the ship’s owners. Instead, the furious Ahab takes the ship on his own personal journey through hell, seeking revenge against the eponymous white... Read Moby Dick Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Southern Literature, History: World
Publication year 2006
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Anthropology, Action / Adventure
Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali is a work of narrative nonfiction written by Kris Holloway and published in 2006. Told through Holloway’s perspective, the book recounts the incredible life and death of a young Malian woman named Monique Dembele and her unlikely friendship with Holloway, who came to Mali as a young American woman serving in the Peace Corps in 1989.The book follows Monique, a midwife who strives... Read Monique and the Mango Rains Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Diversity, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Canadian author Eden Robinson’s novel Monkey Beach (2000) is set in the village of Kitamaat in British Columbia, Canada. Kitamaat is the primary community of the Haisla nation, one of the Indigenous Canadian groups known as the First Nations. Monkey Beach tells the story of teenager Lisa Hill, whose brother Jimmy has mysteriously disappeared. In the aftermath of his disappearance, Lisa reflects on memories of her youth. The novel combines elements of mystery and the... Read Monkey Beach Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Monster, a YA novel about a Black New York teenager accused of murder, quickly became one of Walter Dean Myers's most acclaimed works when it was published in 1999, winning the Coretta Scott King Award, receiving the Prime Excellence Award of the American Library Association, named a National Book Award Finalist. The completion and release of the novel occurred during the arc of the conviction and eventual exoneration of the Central Park 5, Black teenagers... Read Monster Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery
Tags Realistic Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature
... Read Moo Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Moon Over Manifest is a 2010 novel by author Claire Vanderpool. It relates the story of 12-year-old Abilene Tucker, a drifting girl in search of her father, a home, and a sense of belonging. When the novel starts, her father, Gideon Tucker, has just sent Abilene to the Kansas town of Manifest, claiming that he can’t take her to Iowa, where he is allegedly taking a railroad job. It is 1936, and the Great Depression... Read Moon Over Manifest Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Society: Class
Tags Sociology, Black Lives Matter, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Urban Development, Social Justice, Poverty, Politics / Government
More Than Just Race: Being Black and Poor in the Inner City is a 2009 nonfiction book by William Julius Wilson, a Harvard University professor of sociology. In his book, Wilson examines the structural and, more controversially, the cultural contributors to the poverty, high incarceration rate, and social problems faced by inner-city African American males today. Wilson’s central contention is that African Americans have suffered disproportionately from the impacts of nonracial political and global economic... Read More Than Just Race Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Nation, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Historical Fiction, Middle Eastern Literature, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Politics / Government
Mornings in Jenin is a historical novel that spans the years between 1941 and 2003 and is focused on the Israeli invasion and occupation of Palestine. The author, Susan Abulhawa, is the child of Palestinian refugees and was brought up in several countries, including the United States. She writes the novel from the points of view of several members of a Palestinian family who lose their land, home, and loved ones. The novel relates the... Read Mornings in Jenin Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Technology, Class
Publication year 1988
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Humor, Magical Realism, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Fantasy, Realistic Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Community
Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Race / Racism, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1971
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Technology, Grief / Death, Agriculture, Parenting, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Sociology
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a children’s science fiction novel written in 1971 by Robert C. O’Brien. It tells the story of a field mouse whose son becomes ill as moving day approaches, so she enlists the help of a group of highly intelligent experimental rats for help. Robert C. O’Brien was inspired to write the Rats of NIMH after a visit to the National Institute of Mental Health’s experimental rat compound... Read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice