Journeys: Young Readers Letters to Authors Who Changed Their Lives

Journeys: Young Readers Letters to Authors Who Changed Their Lives           Candlewick Press      2017   226p   9.99    978-0-7636-9578-1            ms/hs             VG       

Letters from readers to authors reveal the impact of literature on young lives.           

Letters About Literature is an annual program hosted by the Center of the Book in the Library of Congress that solicits letters from students in grades four through twelve to authors that have impacted them in some way. The book is a collection of those letters arranged by age and “stages of a journey: destination, realization, and the return home” (p. xiv). The letters are very personal making connections between novels and poems to daily life, family history, bullying, escaping reality, career inspiration, race, etc. The young authors write inspiring and heart wrenching messages to the authors of the works they relate to, confessing deep feelings, fears, concerns, and connections to characters. The collection could be used in lessons for similar projects within a classroom or to encourage participation in the national program.                           Pennucci(3), Stephanie        biography, language arts

McCann, Michelle Roehm More Girls Who Rocked the World

McCann, Michelle Roehm     More Girls Who Rocked the World  Simon & Schuster/ Aladdin 2017   307p   21.99  978-1-5244-0329-1            ms/hs             E-BN   

A collection of biographies of international women of all ages and professions including pirates, authors, scientists, artists, politicians, athletes, activists, and conservationists.         

  This sequel to Girls Who Rocked the World contains 45 biographies of women from all walks of life who did or are making an impact in their community and/or field, including pirates, authors, scientists, artists, politicians, athletes, activists, and conservationists. The biographies range from 5-7 pages and feature women who all had significant achievements before turning twenty years old. Historical women like Esther, Cleopatra, and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley are featured alongside contemporary figures politician Fawzia Koofi, ballet dancer Misty Copeland, conservationist Bindi Irwin, and actress Emma Watson. This inspirational collection should be in every young adult collection. The short chapters provide highlights in the lives of the women and the contemporary biographies provide information on women, particualry nonwhite international women, that can be difficult for students working on projects to locate. A bibliography and notes are included.                                Pennucci, Stephanie        women-biography

Albert Pujols.

Young, Jeff C.  Albert Pujols.  Enslow  2014  48p  $17.95  ISBN 978-0-7660-4228-5  elem/ms  series: Sports Stars Who Care  Sports biography  VG-BN

Albert Pujols is known as a record setter during his time with the St. Louis Cardinals.  This book provides a statistical chart at the back of the book, a glossary, an index and an address where readers can write letters to him.  A colorfully illustrated book showing Pujols at work both on and off the field, this book will satisfy report writers as well as baseball fans.  His family life as well as professional life indicate a person who aspires to do his best on and off the field.  Since his trade to the Los Angeles Angels, Pujols’s statistics have fallen somewhat, but his philanthropic efforts have remained strong.  There is one comment that might prove puzzling to readers; some question his age, and since the book does not say why that is important, readers may wonder why it matters.      

Sports Stars Who Care features athletes whose prowess on the field is matched by their philanthropic efforts.  Colorful photos of the athletes on and off the field, biographical information and statistics provide all that is needed for reports. Gr. 3-8.   

Summary: One of his league’s best hitters and an outstanding first baseman, Pujols is shown to be a philanthropic athlete as well as a steady performer on the field.  This book chronicles his early life in the Dominican Republic through his World Series performances. Gr 3-8. 

Baseball biography                                          --Lois McNicol

Winter, Jonah. Wild Women of the Wild West.

Winter, Jonah.  Wild Women of the Wild West.    Holiday House, 2011.  40p.  $16.95 ISBN 978-0--8234-1601-1  elm/ms (Grades 3-7).  E-BNe           

     This book includes the biographies of fifteen women who shaped the frontier during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Each woman's background and impact on her community and on American history is accompanied by a full-page color portrait.  The concise yet informative biographies provide a look at the place of women on the American frontier when it was just becoming settled. The women include Calamity Jane, Belle Starr, Annie Oakley, Carry Nation and other lesser-known but equally important women who shaped the West. Through all the biographies run the threads of strength, self-assurance, and a desire for freedom to live their lives as they wished. This book is an excellent addition to feminist collections as well as pioneer-history collections.             

Subject:  Women of the Frontier - Biography    

Lois McNicol

Mayor, Mireya. Pink Boots and a Machete.

Mayor, Mireya.  Pink Boots and a Machete.  National Geographic,  2011.  301p. $26.00  ISBN 978-1-4262-0721-1      hs/adult      E-BN       

     The author has written this autobiography, which chronicles her life from early childhood to NFL cheerleader to National Geographic employee who travels the globe scouring for new species of fauna and flora, following her instincts as a modern-day explorer.    From start to finish this book keeps the reader enthralled with the daring feats and science done by explorer/scientist Mireya Mayor. Writing in everyday language with much humor and introspection, this woman describes her exploratory experiences from the depths of the oceans to the tops of mountains, cataloging and developing plans to protect these animals and their environment. Mireya should serve as a role model to young women to follow their personal dreams and passions in life.                  

Subject: Explorers -- United States -- Biography

Lynn Fisher

 

Good Behavior: a memoir

Henry, Nathan L. Good Behavior: a memoir
Bloomsbury see St. Martins 2010 262p 17.99
978-1-59990-471-9 hs/adult VG
Henry started killing animals and gutting them when he was quite young. He dabbled in Satanism, loved guns, terrorized fellow classmates, was charged with arson, and landed in county jail after an armed robbery all before age 17. Gritty reading. Grades 9+.
Nathan Henry is now married and working in a medical office. That is a far cry from his past life. He grew up in a small midwest town yet shows the hardened personality often associated with life of an inner city youth. Henry chronicles his life, remembering himself killing animals, his father’s pessimism and tendency toward abuse, his father’s treasure trove of guns and porn and conversely his parents abiding love. At an early age, he and a friend kill and gut animals and terrorize fellow classmates. As they grow older, they perfect their gun skills and lock breaking abilities, embrace Satanism and commit petty theft. At school, Henry is the rebel, constantly breaking rules and defying teachers, even setting a fire in the detention room. Arrested and placed in a juvenile detention facility, he is released to continue his lawless life, setting out on a road trip that culminates with an armed robbery and time in the county jail. Henry relates all this, complete with coarse language, in alternating chapters that mesh his past experiences with time spent in the county jail. The reader meets his family and friends, his girlfriends and lovers, his cellmates and jailers. A rough, raw, no holds barred look at a juvenile delinquent’s life. Yet, Henry is intelligent and by the end of the book, there is hope that he will become a contributing member of society. Grades 9+.
Recommended where gritty, no holds barred biographies of teenage criminals are needed and will be accepted. The coarse language must be considered before purchase. Suitable for high schools that can take the realism found in this book. McNicol,Lois
Juvenile Delinquents

Thompson, Paul B. Liberty’s Son: A Spy Story of the American Revolution.

Thompson, Paul B. Liberty’s Son: A Spy Story of the American Revolution.
Enslow 2009 160p 27.93 978-0-7660-3309-2 ms/jr
Historical American Biographies
Oliver Carter was a teenager who lived in Boston during 1773. He worked for the famous Dr. Benjamin Church. Both were members of the Sons of Liberty, but one of them was a traitor. The author has created an insightful story that will appeal to young readers as well as providing them with an clear understanding of the working conditions at the time. It was also evident that Oliver had to stand by his own beliefs and morals as he became more involved with the tea conspiracy.
As I read the book (which flew by the way), I was impressed with the characterization and attendance to details. The inclusion of : The Real History Behind the Story” is a terrific resource for both teachers and students. Supplementing it with further readings and internet resources will also be appreciated by schools. One of the most important aspects of this series is the support .pdf for educators. In today’s busy schools it is so hard to fit everything into the schedule. Teachers will be most appreciative of the tools and support provided for them.
I am teaching a course in historical fiction to teachers. I can certainly say that I will be highlighting this Historical Fiction Adventures series because of the above mentioned positives. Linda McNeil