A story about religion, struggle for survival and the relativity of truth. Yann Martel’s Life of Pi follows a young man who survives a shipwreck in a lifeboat with a large Bengal tiger – resisting hunger, thirst, fear and loneliness for 227 days. Growing up in India as a son of a zookeeper, “Pi” Patel studies […]
A tragedy on the American Dream – exploring themes of human interaction, dependence and isolation. The narrator follows George and Lennie, two very opposite friends, who dream of owning their own piece of land during the Great Depression. Before their dream comes true, Lennie accidentally commits a murder and their vision becomes even more impossible… […]
A poem calling for justice, respect and equality. Zephaniah reflects on the diverse backgrounds of the people currently living in the United Kingdom, all mixed up in the shape of a recipe.
This young adult fiction is the debut novel from the magical realist Harry Potter series. Harry is an orphan, living with his aunt and uncle and their son Dudley. He finds out that he is no ordinary boy at all, when on his 11th birthday he receives an invitation to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft […]
A young adult novel on corruption of power, violence and history repeating itself. After a documentary fails to make his students understand how fascism works, Ben Ross, a high school teacher, decides to conduct a social teaching experiment. Applying concepts of fascism to his group of students works more effectively than expected – Ben notices […]
Lit4School is a non-profit database of literature and media for the classroom. This OER is developed by the English group and edited by the ZLS's English and German groups at Leipzig University.
This animated short film will tug at your heart strings, no dialogue needed. When a Chinese-Canadian mother’s son leaves the nest, she is heartbroken and lonely. Her heartache is only soothed when she finds an adorable little steamed bun has come alive on her plate. Having something to take care of gives her a new […]
This documentary is a wonderful way to introduce discussions around multiculturalism and intercultural contact to the EFL classroom. Set in post-industrial Ohio, the camera team follows the opening of a Chinese factory. Due to the employment of 2000 American workers, conflicts arise as high-tech China clashes with working-class America.
This book can give children a wonderful insight into the lives of other children across the globe. The daily lives and activities of seven different children are highlighted, from countries like Japan, Peru, and Uganda. Getting a glimpse into the lives of others can help us understand differences but also, that at the end of […]
This heartwarming story shows the beauty of non-traditional families and can help introduce this topic to young readers. The Central Park Zoo houses all kinds of animals, the penguins being among the ones that love living in pairs. Roy and Silo, two male penguins, are in love and desperately want a little penguin of their […]
This novella addresses present-day themes and issues wrapped up in a far from realistic scenario. When Esther and her friends are approached by a billionaire, the challenge they were confronted with was not one they expected. In return for a thousand dollars each, they have to give up their smartphones for six weeks. But what […]