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 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Romance, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
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 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Love / Sexuality, History: European, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, Romance
Publication year 1436
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Travel Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction, Biography
The Book of Margery Kempe is a 15th-century autobiography of an English mystic, wife, and mother who devoted much of her life to Christian spirituality. Kempe (b. ca. 1373) was a semi-literate member of the upper-middle class from King’s Lynn, a mercantile town in Norfolk, a county in eastern England. She gave birth over a dozen times before she convinced her husband to embrace a chaste marriage. Kempe claimed to have divine revelations in which... Read The Book of Margery Kempe Summary
Publication year 1952
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Class, Relationships: Family
Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, British Literature
Introduction Written by British author Mary Norton in 1952, The Borrowers is the first in a five-part series along with The Borrowers Afield (1955), The Borrowers Afloat (1959), The Borrowers Aloft (1961), and The Borrowers Avenged (1982). The book follows the story of the Clock family, a trio of tiny people who live beneath the kitchen floorboards in a large house in the British countryside. Norton was born in London in 1903 and grew up... Read The Borrowers Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Breakdown (2017) is a psychological thriller and B. A. Paris’s follow-up to her internationally bestselling debut, Behind Closed Doors. The Breakdown was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Mystery and Thriller in 2017. It has been adapted into a film titled Blackwater Lane, released in 2024 and starring Minka Kelly, Maggie Grace, and Dermot Mulroney. The novel portrays Cass Anderson’s battle with guilt and fear after a woman is murdered near her home... Read The Breakdown Summary
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 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Urban Development, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2024
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 1928
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gothic Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Race / Racism
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery
Tags Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Parenting, Natural Disaster, Science / Nature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1953
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence