Truth & Lies

Whether exploring the consequences of concealing the truth or excavating the mysterious nature of truth itself, the titles in this collection discuss the intersections among honesty, factualness, legitimacy, deception, falsehood, and lies.

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Leadership/Organization/Management, Politics / Government, Science / Nature

Little Brother, a dystopian young adult novel written by Cory Doctorow, was published by Tor Teen books in 2008. The book debuted at number nine on The New York Times Bestseller list and was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2009. Little Brother also won the 2009 White Pine Award, Prometheus Award, and John W. Campbell Memorial Award. The story takes place in the near future and chronicles the efforts of... Read Little Brother Summary


Publication year 1871

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Education, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

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


Publication year 1807

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Lyric Poem


Publication year 2005

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science / Nature, Education, History: World, Travel Literature, Biography

Dava Sobel’s best-selling book Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time tells the story of the 18th-century contest to find a precise way to locate a ship at sea, the clockmaker who built the first timepiece that could do so, and his battle with the astronomers whose alternate method competed for the winning prize. Replete with sea disasters, brilliant scientists, and scheming politicians, Longitude won... Read Longitude Summary


Publication year 1887

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure

Written by American author Christina Henry, Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook is a 2017 dark fantasy retelling of J. M. Barrie’s original play, Peter Pan. Henry has written several dark retellings of fairy tales to date, including Alice, which is based on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; The Girl in Red, which adapts the story of Little Red Riding Hood; and The Mermaid, which based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The... Read Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags History: U.S., Colonial America, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Biography

Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and The Start of a New Nation (2003) is a narrative history of the English’s founding of Jamestown in 1606 written by David A. Price. Price is a journalist for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other American publications. In his retelling of the story, Price seeks to puncture some of the romantic mythology surrounding the relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas, while placing their... Read Love and Hate in Jamestown Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags New Adult, Romance, Holidays & Occasions


Publication year 1598

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, British Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Humor

Love’s Labour’s Lost is an early Shakespearean comedy, produced in the burgeoning theatrical culture of Elizabethan London. It tells the story of four Lords, led by the King of Navarre, who swear to dedicate three years to study and avoid women. However, they immediately fall in love with four ladies, led by the Princess of France. The play follows their attempts to woo the ladies, while a host of comedic characters in the subplot squabble... Read Love's Labour's Lost Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Romance, Education, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags History: World, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family

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


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Humor, Southern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Bullying, Depression / Suicide, Parenting, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Diversity, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1995

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation

Tags Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, History: U.S., Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Education, Technology, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Published in 1998, Rodman Philbrick’s Max the Mighty is a novel for middle grade and young adult readers. The sequel to the award-winning book Freak the Mighty, it continues the story of Max Kane, a giant of a 14-year-old who rescues book-loving schoolmate Rachel from her abusive stepfather, after which she and Max go on the run from the authorities.Max the Mighty won a place on the National Council of Teachers of English annual annotated... Read Max the Mighty Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy