Safety & Danger

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 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, American Literature, September 11 Attacks, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Falling Man is a 2007 novel by American author Don DeLillo. The novel explores the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. This guide uses an eBook version of the 2011 Picador edition of Falling Man.Plot SummaryOn September 11, 2001, a group of 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacks commercial passenger planes and attempt to crash them into American landmarks. In addition to one plane that crashed... Read Falling Man Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

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


Publication year 1970

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Animals, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Humor, Classic Fiction

Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970) is a children’s novel by British author Roald Dahl. One of Dahl’s most acclaimed and enduring titles, the novel follows an anthropomorphic fox—the titular Mr. Fox—and his animal friends, who live near three cruel farmers. Although the farmers continually attempt to kill the animals, Mr. Fox and his friends are able to outsmart them and steal all the food they want. Fantastic Mr. Fox, like many of Dahl’s works, is a... Read Fantastic Mr Fox Summary


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Food

Tags Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature

Set in Canada, American author Will Hobbs’s young-adult novel Far North (1996) follows Gabe Rogers, who lives with his grandparents in Austin, Texas. When Gabe tells his father that he wants to live with him in Canada, his father tells him he may on two conditions. First, Gabe must travel up north to experience the severe cold of the Northwest Territories for one year. Second, he must attend boarding school. While flying through Canada with... Read Far North Summary


Publication year 1843

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Existentialism, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Fear and Trembling is an 1843 Christian philosophical tract written by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and published under the pseudonym Johannes de Silentio (John of the Silence). The title refers to a passage from the Bible, which demands that “salvation” be worked out “with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Most of Fear and Trembling focuses on the biblical story of Abraham, whom God told to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham’s actions (despite his fear... Read Fear And Trembling Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Magical Realism, Asian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Fantasy


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 1920

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Lyric Poem, Natural Disaster, Relationships, Climate Change, American Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Flora/plants, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science / Nature, Climate Change, Natural Disaster, Politics / Government, History: World


Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Place

Tags History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice

Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy (2011) is a historical nonfiction book intended for an audience of young readers. It was written by Albert Marrin, a former history professor and author of dozens of historical nonfiction books.Marrin, whose academic focus was on liberty under the law, wrote often about times of suffering and movements for liberation, including The War for Independence: The Story of the American Revolution (1988), Years of... Read Flesh and Blood So Cheap Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Humor


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, History: Asian, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World


Publication year 1996

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust

Four Perfect Pebbles is a Holocaust memoir written by Marion Blumenthal Lazan and co-authored by Lila Perl. It was originally published in 1996, 51 years after Marion and her family were liberated from the death train by Russian troops in Nazi Germany. Marion was five years old when she and her family moved to a refugee camp in Holland, which was later converted into a transit camp for Auschwitz. The Blumenthals also lived at the... Read Four Perfect Pebbles Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor


Publication year 1818

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Classic Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Fantasy

First published in 1818, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel by Mary Shelley. It is written in the tradition of Romanticism, a late 18th-century and early 19th-century movement that responded to the Enlightenment. Rejecting rationalism, Romantic literature often celebrated the power of nature and of the individual. Frankenstein is also considered a Gothic novel because of its emphasis on darkness, the sensational, and the wildness of nature.Shelley was the daughter of political philosopher... Read Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus Summary


Publication year 1947

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Free verse, Race / Racism, History: U.S.


Publication year 2012

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S.


Publication year 1954

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags History: World, Biography, Children's Literature, History: U.S., Historical Nonfiction, American Civil War