Education

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 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Self Discovery, Society: Education

Tags Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Psychology, Psychology

Originally published in 1982, The Day They Came to Arrest the Book is Nat Hentoff’s only novel for youth. Hentoff was a multi-talented scholar and entertainer, known for his years as a columnist at the legendary Village Voice, an alternative newspaper in New York City. He was also a music critic and professor. Hentoff was regarded as an eloquent, tireless advocate for freedom of speech; he made his arguments in essay form for adults in... Read The Day They Came to Arrest the Book Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Finance / Money / Wealth


Publication year 1996

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Science / Nature, Education, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Education

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class, Education, Technology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer is a 1995 science-fiction coming-of-age novel by Neal Stephenson. Stephenson’s body of work has proven influential in contemporary discussions about technology and power. The novel is an important example of cyberpunk (work that imagines a dystopian future created by technology), while Stephenson’s allusions to Victorian literature and culture also make it an example of steampunk, despite the future setting. This guide is based on the 1995... Read The Diamond Age Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Biography, History: World, Gender / Feminism, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World


Publication year 1976

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Grandparents, Natural World: Environment, Society: Education

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, American Literature, Classic Fiction

Published in 1976, The Education of Little Tree is a memoir-styled work of fiction written by Forrest Carter, the pseudonym for Asa Earl Carter. The novel received some critical acclaim in the 1980s and was perceived to be the actual memoir of a child growing up in the wilds of Tennessee with his Cherokee grandparents. This premise resonated with the desire of the time to become more attuned to nature. However, the book has since... Read The Education of Little Tree Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Language, Society: Community, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy, Class, Arts / Culture, Depression / Suicide, Relationships, French Literature

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was published in 2006 and translated by Alison Anderson into English for publication in 2008. The novel has been translated into more than 40 languages and was a major bestseller in France. The novel was adapted into a film called The Hedgehog (Le Hérisson) in 2009 to critical acclaim. The Elegance of the Hedgehog follows the narrative point of view of two erudite narrators: Renée, a concierge... Read The Elegance of the Hedgehog Summary


Publication year 1963

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Society: Education, Society: Economics

Tags Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., History: World, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Betty Friedan’s 1963 The Feminine Mystique is considered a classic text of feminist non-fiction. It was enormously influential in kick-starting the second wave of feminism, a movement that began in the 1960s advocating increased rights and new social roles for women. By voicing the despair that many women felt, The Feminine Mystique galvanized readers across the US to join the feminist movement and prompted others to at least to take its criticisms of mid-century American... Read The Feminine Mystique Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, History: World


Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Identity: Language

Tags Education, Education, Inspirational, Biography

The Freedom Writers Diary is a nonfiction book that collects the stories of English teacher Erin Gruwell and her students at Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, as they move from their freshman to senior years from 1994-1998. The book is divided into eight major sections, one for the fall and spring of each year, as well as a forward and epilogue. Each major section begins with an introductory entry from Ms. Gruwell, followed... Read The Freedom Writers Diary Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1951

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Health / Medicine, British Literature


Publication year 1996

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Education

Tags Lyric Poem, Education, American Literature


Publication year 2008

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Education, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, African Literature, Arts / Culture, Education, Education, African American Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1991

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Education, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Satire, Narrative / Epic Poem, Modernism, Humor


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Education, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Science / Nature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education