Category Archives: Non-fiction

Greta’s Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet by Valentina Camerini

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This is an unofficial biography of Greta Thunberg who went on a school strike to save the planet.  Very concerned about climate change, Greta is determined to make a difference.  Every Friday, she skips school to strike in front of her country’s parliament building in Stockholm, Sweden.  What began as a solo movement turned into a world movement with the help of social media.  Fridays for Future or  School Strike 4 Climate have millions of followers and members. Greta spoke at the United Nations and was recently named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year.

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix

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Hendrix’s biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer is visually stunning.  Hendrix mixes his artistic talents with the narrative of Bonhoeffer’s life and the timeline of events in Germany as Hitler gains power.  Bonhoeffer was a religious young German who studied theology and believed that we are judged on how we treat “others”. During Hitler’s rise to power, Bonhoeffer struggles with the love for his country and the evil deeds of the Nazis. Bonhoeffer seeks many ways to help the Jews and his country escape the grip of the Nazis but he is faced with many obstacles.  Finally, he becomes a Nazi spy for the Abwehr Circle.  The Abwehr Circle has a different agenda than spying on the enemy allied powers. This group of men plans to assassinate Adolf Hitler, but to do so they must stay one step ahead of the SS and Hilter’s paranoia.

El Deafo by Cece Bell

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Cece Bell’s graphic novel/autobiography tells of her experience of learning to function in the hearing world after meningitis leaves her hearing impaired.  She shares her challenges and disappointments as well as her victories.  Cece creates an alter ego “El Deafo.”  El Deafo is a superhero, and as El Deafo Cece imagines herself conquering some of the obstacles that are presented to her.  El Deafo is humorous and inspiring.

Calling All Minds: How to Think and Create Like an Inventor by Temple Grandin

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Temple Grandin is a world-renowned scientist, inventor, and expert on visual thinking. Temple has autism. In her book Calling All Minds,  she shares creative projects with directions on how to complete them, information on inventors, the history of inventions and patents, and lots of other interesting information. Most of all, Temple Grandin encourages and inspires her readers to create, to invent, and to learn from their mistakes.

What Would She Do? 25 True Stories of Trailblazing Rebel Women by Kay Woodward

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What Would She Do? is filled with biographies of trailblazing women from a variety of cultures and countries. Read about the Trung sisters, Michelle Obama, and Marta Vieira da Silva among others. The illustrations and graphics in this book are vibrant. Each separate biography ends with ideas on how our “shero” would handle a current day situation.

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

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Two high school students cross paths on the 57 bus in Oakland, California. Their lives will never be the same.  Richard is fooling around on the 57 bus with his friends when they dare him to touch a lighter to Sacha’s skirt while Sacha is asleep on the back seat of the bus.  Richard foolishly thinks that the flame will go out or that Sacha will awaken and put out the flame.  But that’s not what happens.  Sacha’s skirt erupts in flames. Sacha is severely burned, and Richard is later arrested and charged with two hate crimes. The district attorney decides to try Richard as an adult.  He is facing life in prison for this impetuous act. Meanwhile, Sacha is recovering from third-degree burns on over twenty-two percent of their body.  The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives explores topics of gender, race, juvenile crime, and forgiveness.

March Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

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This graphic novel portrays the beginnings of Congressman John Lewis’s involvement in the civil rights movement.  Congressman Lewis becomes a key figure in organizing and leading peaceful demonstrations from the desegregation of schools to lunch counter sit-ins, March Book One shares his story.  (This is the first book of a trilogy.)

The Playbook: 52Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life by Kwame Alexander

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“There is no magic to achievement.  It’s really about hard work, choices, and persistence.”–Michelle Obama

Kwame Alexander provides inspiration for life through quotes from notable sports figures and other important figures combined with great graphics and photographs.  Alexander shares personal stories of triumph and disappointment focusing on the learning experiences from mistakes and defeat to grow and prepare for what comes next.  He also shares stories of athletes who overcame great obstacles to rise to the top of their sport.

“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” –Oprah Winfrey

Shipwrecked! by Rhoda Blumberg

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Shipwrecked! shares the adventures of Manjiro Nakahama who in 1841, as a fourteen-year-old fisherman, was shipwrecked along with four other fishermen on the desolate island of Torishima. After five months of surviving on the island, they were rescued by the American whaling ship, the John Howland. Because of Japan’s strict laws that isolated its people from the rest of the world, the Americans could not return Manjiro home. The highly-intelligent Manjiro spent his teens and young adult life learning about the customs and culture of the United States and the other countries he visited while working on whaling ships. Manjiro always hoped to return home to his family and share what he learned with the government of Japan, but Japanese’s laws condemned travelers from overseas to death. Manjiro lived an amazing life. Shipwrecked! contains maps, illustrations, and photographs of Manjiro’s travels.