Best Teen & Young Adult Cultural Heritage Biography eBooks

Resilience shines throughout Michael Gruenbaum’s “riveting memoir” ( Publishers Weekly , starred review) about his time in the Terezin concentration camp during the Holocaust, in this National Jewish Book award finalist and Parents Choice Gold Medal Award–winning title, an ideal companion to the bestselling Boy on the Wooden Box . Michael “Misha” Gruenbaum enjoyed a carefree childhood playing games and taking walks through Prague with his beloved father. Written in first-person present-tense narration, this riveting memoir traces the increasingly appalling events that took place from 1939–1945 in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, as seen through the eyes of Gruenbaum. There, Misha joins a group of 40 boys who live, work, and play under the stern but loving care of Franta, a young man who calls them the “Nesharim,” and demands high moral character: “We will let nothing separate us from our humanity.” The ingenuity, love, and defiant courage displayed by Misha, his parents, Franta, and others counteract incessant degradation and terror, creating an inspiring testament to human resilience. (Publishers Weekly, *STARRED REVIEW May 25, 2015). "Young Misha’s narration sets this Holocaust memoir apart from others. With this book, Michael Gruenbaum has offered the current generation of young readers a very special book that will trigger both emotion and reflection; it is an extremely valuable tool for all of us who are trying to teach teenagers about the Holocaust . ".

During World War II a community called Manzanar was hastily created in the high mountain desert country of California, east of the Sierras. First published in 1973, this new edition of the classic memoir of a devastating Japanese American experience includes an inspiring afterword by the authors. Jeanne Wakatsuki was seven years old in 1942 when her family was uprooted from their home and sent to live at Manzanar internment camp--with 10,000 other Japanese Americans. Farewell To Manzanar is the true story of one spirited Japanese American family's attempt to survive the indignities of forced detention .

Based on extensive interviews with Claudette Colvin and many others, Phillip Hoose presents the first in-depth account of an important yet largely unknown civil rights figure, skillfully weaving her dramatic story into the fabric of the historic Montgomery bus boycott and court case that would change the course of American history. The text is supplemented with black-and-white photos, reproductions of period newspapers and documents, and sidebars. While virtually all students know Rosa Parks's story, this well-written and engaging book will introduce them to a teen who also fought for racial justice and give them a new perspective on the era, making it an outstanding choice for most collections.— Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. On each attractively designed spread, text boxes and archival images, including photos and reproduced documents, extend the gripping story. Young People in U.S. History (2001), this inspiring title shows the incredible difference that a single young person can make, even as it demonstrates the multitude of interconnected lives that create and sustain a political movement.

New York Times Bestseller. A breakout teen author explores the true meaning of popularity and how to survive middle school in this hysterically funny, touchingly honest contemporary memoir. Gr 7 Up—The bright and perceptive Van Wagenen wanted to boost her popularity in middle school. Her modus operandi was intriguing: she used a 1950s teen etiquette book that her father found at a thrift store as a guide to climb the social ladder. The clash of eras and cultures is funny—the author wears a girdle, hat, and pearls to class; learns how to apply makeup; improves her posture and poise; and tries a diet. But the best lessons she learns from Fifties teen model Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide are about how to talk to and understand the people around her. Bravely visiting all the various cliques in the lunchroom and making conversation with her secret Sunday school crush, she becomes even more sensitive and aware—and yes, more popular. Van Wagenen's school, in Brownsville, TX, near the Mexican border, commonly experiences lockdown drills and warnings against gangs, and she casually mentions that smoke from a drug war in Matamoros, Mexico, is visible from her house. With a DreamWorks movie option in the works, this entertaining title should be in demand.—Liz French, Library Journal "I was inspired by her journey and made a point of saving a copy of 'Popular' for my sister, who starts middle school this fall. --Maude Apatow for the "New York Times Book Review". ""Popular "taps into a feeling shared by Bradbury and Bieber enthusiasts alike -- the need to fit in during middle school." --Gretchen Rubin, #1 bestselling author of" The Happiness Project" "Geeky and dorky, but never wimpy, Maya Van Wagenen is as powerful and honest as she.

Manny Steinberg (1925-2015) spent his teens in Nazi concentration camps in Germany, miraculously surviving while millions perished. Outcry - Holocaust Memoirs is the candid account of a teenager who survived four Nazi camps: Dachau, Auschwitz, Vaihingen an der Enz, and Neckagerach. Manny Steinberg relates how he was served human flesh and was forced to shave the heads of female corpses and pull out their teeth. Cherishing a picture of his beloved mother in his wooden shoe, he miraculously survived the terror of the German concentration camps together with his father and brother. When the Americans arrived in April 1945, Manny was little more than a living skeleton, with several broken ribs and suffering from a serious lung condition, wearing only a dirty, ragged blanket. Outcry has become a classic of holocaust literature and human survival, and is recommended reading for college students and the younger generation in general. I would highly recommend this to any history class that deals with this time period and to any book club that wants to touch on a reality we can hardly fathom. Although Manny spent his early years in German Camps and never attended school past the 7th grade, he managed to always support his family while providing a foundation of strength and love. "Outcry - Holocaust Memoirs", Manny's life story, has captured the miracle of one man's determined will to survive.The autobiography was written to fulfil a promise the author made to himself during the first days of freedom. "Not a day goes by that I do not think of my childhood or family, but as long as I'm allowed to be here on earth, I will wake up everyday feeling fortunate and blessed."

As her mother spirals out of control, Ashley is left clinging to an unpredictable, dissolving relationship, all the while getting pulled deeper and deeper into the foster care system. --Michael Cart "Quiet scenes cut deepest: the author's description of her only after-school visit to a friend's home lingers heartbreakingly in one's mind. This gifted young writer's moving and eye-opening story will especially appeal to fans of Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle and David Pelzer's autobiographical books."

The amazing story of the thirteen-year-old surfer girl who lost her arm in a shark attack but never lost her faith -- and of her triumphant return to competitive surfing. Soul Surfer is a moving account of Bethany's life as a young surfer, her recovery in the wake of the shark attack, the adjustments she's made to her unique surfing style, her unprecedented bid for a top showing in the World Surfing Championships, and, most fundamentally, her belief in God. Readers may not recall the name Bethany Hamilton, but after a glance at the cover photo, they'll recognize her as the girl who lost her arm to a shark while surfing. She then goes back to discuss the events leading up to the attack and to describe what her life was like before the tragedy--home-schooling in a strong Christian household and lots of competitive surfing. All rights reserved "Surfer Bethany Hamilton, of Kauai, revisits her first book—about her life before and after losing her left arm to a shark in 2003, when she was 13.

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From YouTube sensations Dan Howell (danisnotonfire) and Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) comes a laugh-out-loud look into the world created by two awkward guys who share their lives on the Internet. Now they invite you on a behind-the-scenes journey, filled with absolutely essential advice, tons of humor, lots of awkwardness, and TMI honesty that they will probably regret. Here's just a small sample of the fun surprises readers can look forward to: • The inside story of that time they met One Direction. Their quirky comedy videos about their lives and observations on the world have earned them a following of over 11 million subscribers across their channels and a show on BBC Radio 1.