Book Review - Night

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Night

by Elie Wiesel 

Reviewed by High School for Community Leadership 12th Grader Lorymar M.

Night is a memoir of a young Jewish boy and what he experienced during the Holocaust. The book first stated out in a small town that Wiesel lived with his family. Later on his family and other Jews in town are picked up by Nazi officers without knowing what was coming to them.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Holocaust and who wants to learn more on the topic. Having this book be written by someone who experienced such tragic things makes you feel some type of way. Personally it made me want to read more and educate myself on this topic.

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Book Review - When They Call You a Terrorist

  📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖

When They Call You a Terrorist

by Patrisse Khan-Cullors

One of the Black Lives Matter movement founders shares her personal story and experience as a member of the Black community in the United States. Patrice shares what the Black men in her life experienced, how BLM came to be, and how members of the Black Community are and have been viewed in this country.

When They Call You a Terrorist is an essential and informative memoir, readers will likely get something from it. Originally written for an older audience, this is the adaptation geared towards younger readers. The topics covered in this book can be sensitive for some readers. Please beware if you are triggered by certain topics such as death, police violence, and severe mental illness. Throughout the story are black and white photos of Patrice and her family and friends. This addition adds some faces to the story even though the photographs aren’t captioned.

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E-books

• Becoming Kareem by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
• Courage to Soar by Simone Biles
• Also available on Hoopla
• Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton
• Knots in My Yo-Yo String by Jerry Spinelli
• I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Book Theme Graphic - Literary Selfies

Book Review - We Are Displaced

📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖

We Are Displaced

by Malala Yousafzai

            *Refugee (n): a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution.

            Malala Yousafzai is an advocate for girl’s education and Nobel Peace Prize winner. She is also a refugee, forced to leave her home in Pakistan with her parents and brothers. In this book, she shares not only her story but brings together the stories of other girls who are refugees. The road to safety for these girls was not an easy one. Some were separated from their family by who was granted asylum and who wasn’t, while some had family who died along the way. Some may break your heart, while some may also inspire. What all these girls have in common is that for their safety, leaving their home was their only option, and Malala choice to help share their stories.

            The topic of refugees is a big one today, making this an important read. It is an odd feeling knowing the stories these girls share happened in recent history. As the narrative is broken down into individual stories, this makes it easy to stop and process each story before going on to the next one. Malala also prefaces each section with how she came to know these girls and decided to share their story.

*Definition taken directly from Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online

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Book Review - Shout

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Shout

by Laurie Halse Anderson

            Laurie Halse Anderson is an award winning author who is now sharing her personal story. Maybe you are familiar with her books (Fever 1793, Ashes, Twisted, Wintergirls, Prom, and Speak), maybe you are not. Anderson’s story in Shout is similar to Melinda’s in Speak. She is a survivor who no longer wishes to remain silent and is now calling for others to also speak up and take action. Most importantly, allowing others to know that they are not alone. 

            This is a beautifully written novel in verse. Anderson shares her experience, the downward spiral her life took after it, and pulling herself together again. With the subject matter being on the tougher side, this read may be difficult for some at the present moment or overall. For those who can handle the topic addressed, this is highly recommended.

            Read the review for the graphic novel version of Speak here.

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Book Review - Fierce

📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

Fierce

by Aly Raisman

            Two time Olympian Aly Raisman shares journey to becoming an elite gymnast, her time at the 2012 Olympics including her thoughts on her All-Around time, her journey to the 2016 Rio Olympics, and the time in between. In addition to the positives in her life, Raisman talks about dealing with the haters, the mental pressure she opposes upon herself, and also touches upon the scandal with the former team doctor.

            Fans of Aly Raisman and gymnastics should NOT miss her wonderful memoir. Raisman is a positive role model and her story can help young women and men even if gymnastics is not their sport. 

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Book Review - Hey, Kiddo

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Hey, Kiddo

by Jarret Krosoczka

Author and illustrator Jarret Krosoczka (Lunch Lady series) shares the story of his unconventional childhood in graphic novel format. Krosoczka was raised by a single mother until her heroin addiction caused his grandparents to take him in. Despite his mother coming and going from his life, not knowing who his father was, and his strict grandparents who were well past their child-rearing days, Krosoczka was still supported by an extended family and friends.

Krosoczka’s story is an intriguing one filled with wonderful illustrations. This story is raw and portrays some material that readers may be sensitive to. Readers don’t need to be familiar with his fictional work to appreciate his memoir. 

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