The Education Collection focuses on titles that explore teaching, learning, and knowledge through fiction and nonfiction genres. Offering perspectives from educators and students alike, these selections examine the formal and informal ways people gain and share knowledge and the social institutions that define education and schooling.
Publication year 1895
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Social Justice, African American Literature
Publication year 1866
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Education, Self Discovery
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Society: Community
Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Poverty, Social Justice, Class, Education, Russian Literature, Business / Economics, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
The Report Card is a 2004 middle grade novel by prolific children’s author Andrew Clements that tells the story of a young genius who has kept her intelligence a secret for her entire life. Nora Rowley has never worried about report cards, but by fifth grade, she realizes the negative impact of grades and test scores on her classmates—especially her best friend, Stephen Curtis—and decides to do something about it. The story explores themes about... Read The Report Card Summary
Publication year 1965
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags African Literature, Historical Fiction, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, African American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
The River Between is Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s second novel and was published in 1965 after his debut title, Weep Not, Child. While The River Between is widely interpreted as an anticolonial work, its denouncement of colonial institutions is subtler than that of Ngugi’s later, more critical works on colonialism. His later novels were originally written in the Gikuyu language rather than in English; discourse surrounding the modern-day role of African literature is ongoing... Read The River Between Summary
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Education, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: Nation, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Class
In The Ruins of Gorlan, a Medieval adventure-fantasy novel for middle-grade readers, young Will learns the arts of the secretive Ranger tracker-warriors and defends his kingdom against an evil baron. Released in 2004 by author John Flanagan, The Ruins of Gorlan won multiple awards, spawned the bestselling Ranger Apprentice book series, and has been published in 18 countries. A television adaptation is in the works.Following a long career in advertising, author Flanagan shifted to book... Read The Ruins of Gorlan Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Bullying
Publication year 2024
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Biography
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Education, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Race / Racism, Politics / Government, Sociology, Social Justice, Poverty, Education, Education, History: World
Publication year 2014
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Education
Tags Race / Racism, Crime / Legal, Sociology
The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace (2014) by Jeff Hobbs is a biography that chronicles the life of Rob Peace, a brilliant young Black man. Raised in East Orange, a crime-ridden suburb of Newark, New Jersey, Rob overcame numerous barriers to study biochemistry and molecular biophysics at Yale University. Despite academic success and a seemingly bright future, his life was tragically cut short when he was killed in a drug-related shooting at the... Read The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 1883
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags African American Literature, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1927
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Indian Literature, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government, History: Asian, History: World, Health / Medicine, Poverty, Military / War, Race / Racism, Relationships, Social Justice
The Story of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more widely known as Mahatma Gandhi. A key political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement, Gandhi penned this work to narrate his quest for truth and the principles that underpinned his life’s journey. Originally published in 1927, this memoir provides a meticulous account of Gandhi’s spiritual, moral, and political evolution. The literary era in which this was... Read The Story of My Experiments with Truth Summary
Publication year 1914
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, British Literature, Humor, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1903
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Education, Identity: Race
Tags History: World, History: U.S., Race / Racism
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Education, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Psychology, Parenting, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine
The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults (2014) is by American neurologist Frances E. Jensen with journalist Amy Ellis Nutt. A New York Times bestseller, the book was nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Prize for Literary Science Writing. The Teenage Brain is a guide to the workings of the adolescent brain aimed at parents. Using scientific research data combined with real-life stories and anecdotes, the author explains the changes... Read The Teenage Brain Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Education, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Poverty, Diversity, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Arts / Culture
The Tequila Worm, published in 2005 by Random House, (first edition) is a middle grade novel about a young Mexican American girl, Sofia, who comes from a family of storytellers. The tales Sofia hears strengthen her ties to her family and their traditions in the Texas barrio where they live. Though poor, the family does not struggle, finding riches in the practice of making Easter cascarones, (colored eggs) celebrating Dia de los Muertos, (Day of... Read The Tequila Worm Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Education
Tags Action / Adventure, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education
Publication year 1977
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags History: World