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The perilous journey of the Donner Party
By Marian Calabro. 1999
1846. Letters and diary entries describe twelve-year-old Virginia Reed and her family's journey by wagon train to California with the…
Donner clan. The group is stranded in deep snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and some desperate travelers resort to cannibalism. Traces the survivors' remaining years. Grades 5-8 and older readers. 1999.What makes me feel this way?: Growing up with human emotions
By Eda J LeShan. 1972
The author uses specific situations involving such emotions as love, hate, fear, anger and jealousy to illustrate the conflicts and…
confusion children experience, and to help them understand and accept their feelings. Grades 4-7. 1972.My Story Starts Here: Voices of Young Offenders
By Deborah Ellis. 2019
Jamar found refuge in a gang after leaving an abusive home where his mother stole from him. Fred was arrested…
for assault with a weapon, public intoxication and attacking his mother while on drugs. Jeremy first went to court at age fourteen (“Court gives you the feeling that you can never make up for what you did, that you’re just bad forever”) but now wears a Native Rights hat to remind him of his strong Métis heritage. Kate, charged with petty theft and assault, finally found a counselor who treated her like a person for the first time.Many readers will recognize themselves, or someone they know, somewhere in these stories. Being lucky or unlucky after an incident of shoplifting, or the drug search at school, or hanging out with the wrong kids at the wrong time. The encounter with a mean cop, or a good one, that can change the trajectory of a kid’s life. Couch-surfing, or being shunted from one foster home to another. The effect of youth crime on families (the book includes the points of view of family members as well as “voices of experience” — adults looking back at their own experiences as young offenders).The kids in this book represent a range of socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations and ethnicities. Every story is different, but there are common threads — loss of parenting, dislocation, poverty, truancy, addiction, discrimination.Most of all, this book leaves readers asking the most pressing questions of all. Does it make sense to put kids in jail? Can’t we do better? Have we forgotten that we were once teens ourselves, feeling powerless to change our lives, confused about who we were and what we wanted, and quick to make a dumb move without a thought for the consequences?Guts (Smile:)
By Raina Telgemeier. 2019
A true story from Raina Telgemeier, the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning author of Smile, Sisters, Drama,…
and Ghosts! Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it's probably just a bug. Raina eventually returns to school, where she's dealing with the usual highs and lows: friends, not-friends, and classmates who think the school year is just one long gross-out session. It soon becomes clear that Raina's tummy trouble isn't going away... and it coincides with her worries about food, school, and changing friendships. What's going on? Raina Telgemeier once again brings us a thoughtful, charming, and funny true story about growing up and gathering the courage to face -- and conquer -- her fears.My family divided: one girl's journey of home, loss, and hope
By Erica Moroz, Diane Guerrero. 2018
Actress from Orange Is the New Black reflects back on her parents' deportation to Colombia and what it was like…
growing up in Boston without them. Guerrero discusses the struggles of undocumented immigrants and suggests ways to help. For grades 6-9. 2018Hello, crochet friends!: making art, being mindful, giving back : do what makes you happy
By Jennifer Larson, Jonah Larson, Erin Harris. 2019
Young, gifted artist Jonah Larson discusses his adoption from Ethiopia and his challenges in a Wisconsin school. He and his…
mom recount how crocheting came into his life, calmed his hyper mind, and became a source of joy and fame for him. For grades 2-4. 2019Biddy Mason speaks up (Fighting for justice #2)
By Laura Freeman, Laura Atkins, Arisa White. 2019
Tells the story--in verse, with supplemental historical material--of Bridget "Biddy" Mason, who was born a slave, sued for her family's…
freedom after being taken to California, became a midwife and a nurse, and started many philanthropic projects with profits from her real estate investments. For grades 4-7. 2019Identical twins Ernesto and Raúl Flores, seventeen, fled El Salvador, and made a harrowing journey across the Rio Grande and…
the Texas desert. They faced capture by immigration authorities and still struggle to navigate life in America. Some violence and some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 2019Famous friends: best buds, rocky relationships, and awesomely odd couples from past to present
By Jennifer Castle, Bill Spring. 2017
Profiles some of the most famous celebrity friends, from statesmen John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to literary genius Arthur Conan…
Doyle and magician Harry Houdini. Modern celebrity friendships include the bromance of X-Men stars Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart and Taylor Swift and her squad. For grades 4-7. 2017Dating and sex: a guide for the 21st century teen boy
By Andrew P. Smiler. 2016
Provides information and advice for teen males on dating, relationships, sex, physical changes, and sexual orientation. Also discusses the topic…
of consent and covers the basics for solo and partnered sexual activities. Explicit descriptions of sex. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2016Provides advice on school, self-confidence, and the changing relationships with peers, teachers, and parents that emerge during middle school. Uses…
activities to encourage students to put their experiences in perspective and to feel comfortable with who they are. For grades 5-8. 2016Reproductive rights: who decides?
By Vicki Oransky Wittenstein. 2016
Overview of the history of disputes over human reproduction practices, including contraception, sex education, and abortion. Highlights notable individuals such…
as Margaret Sanger and Mary Ware Dennett, who were demonized for their advocacy of women's rights to have access to birth control. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2016A beginner's guide to immortality: from alchemy to avatars
By Maria Birmingham, Josh Holinaty. 2015
Chronicles humanity's attempts to cheat death through elixirs or other magical substances. Highlights key individuals who were believed to be…
immortal and the mysteries surrounding their actual age, including fourteenth-century French scholar Nicolas Flamel, who is said to have created the mythical philosopher's stone. For grades 3-6. 2015Drama, rumors & secrets: staying true to yourself in changing times (Smart girl's guide)
By Nancy Holyoke. 2015
Annie Oakley
By Rachel A Koestler-Grack. 2010
Biography of the renowned sharpshooter (1860-1926), who toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. Discusses Annie's difficult childhood on the…
Ohio frontier, her love of hunting, and the exhibition skills that made her the most famous woman in the country--and even impressed Chief Sitting Bull. For grades 6-9. 2010Davy Crockett
By Judy L Hasday. 2010
Biography of American hunter, militiaman, frontiersman, and politician Davy Crockett (1786-1836). Relates his adventures in Tennessee and his decision to…
join Texas's fight for independence from Mexico, which led to Crockett's death at the Alamo. For grades 6-9. 2010Crazy Horse (Legends of the Wild West Ser.)
By Jon Sterngass. 2010
Portrait of the Lakota Sioux warrior (ca. 1842-1877), about whom little is known. Describes his resistance to efforts to force…
his people onto reservations, his role in famous battles at Rosebud Creek and the Little Bighorn, and the importance of horses to the Plains Indians. For grades 6-9. 2010Geronimo
By Jon Sterngass. 2010
Biography of the Chiricahua Apache war leader and shaman (1829-1909), who was a hero to his people but was vilified…
by white settlers. Discusses Geronimo's capture and long imprisonment by the U.S. government and his hatred of Mexicans for the massacre of his family. For grades 6-9. 2010Will puberty last my whole life?: real answers to real questions from preteens about body changes, sex, and other growing-up stuff
By Julie Metzger, Robert Lehman, Julie Giesy Metzger. 2011
Guide for girls and boys about changes to their bodies during puberty. Authors explain physical and hormonal changes and discuss…
sex, STDs, relationships, dating, pregnancy prevention, and more. For grades 5-8. 2012Sitting Bull
By Ronald A Reis. 2010
Biography of Sioux Indian chief Sitting Bull (1831-1890), who witnessed the settling of the West by white pioneers who displaced…
his people. Highlights Sitting Bull's 1876 victory over General George Custer's cavalry at the Little Big Horn. For grades 6-9. 2010