I Want To Live: The Diary of a Young Girl in Stalin's Russia

I Want To Live: The Diary of a Young Girl in Stalin's Russia

Written by: Nina Lugovskaya

"Recently unearthed in the archives of Stalin’s secret police, the NKVD, Nina Lugovskaya’s diary offers rare insight into the life of a teenage girl in Stalin’s Russia—when fear of arrest was a fact of daily life. Like Anne Frank, thirteen-year-old Nina is conscious of the extraordinary dangers around her and her family, yet she is preoccupied by ordinary teenage concerns: boys, parties, her appearance, who she wants to be when she grows up. As Nina records her most personal emotions and observations, her reflections shape a diary that is as much a portrait of her intense inner world as it is the Soviet outer one."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://womenineuropeanhistory.org/index.php?title=Critical_Biography

Ralph Bunche: Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize

Ralph Bunche: Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize

Written by: Anne Schraff

"This title begins with an account of the dramatic assassination in 1948 of Count Folke Bernadotte, the appointed U.N. mediator for Palestine. This event propelled Bunche into the world spotlight as a negotiator. For his work in achieving an armistice between Israel and its Arab neighbors, the statesman won the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first African American to receive this prestigious honor. The book covers his childhood, his student years at UCLA and Harvard, his professorship at Howard University, his later government service and diplomatic life, and his death in 1971."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.ralphbunche.com/
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1950/bunche-bio.html

Ice Story: Shackleton's Lost Expedition

Ice Story: Shackleton's Lost Expedition

Written by: Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

"A recounting of the amazing story of Sir Ernest Shackleton, the ploar explorer, and his ill-fated Antartic expedition on the ship Endurance. With a crew of twenty-seven men, Shackelton set out to cross Antarctica in 1914. A month and a half into the trip, the ship was crushed by pack ice. The men survived living on the ice, moving from ice floe to ice floe, and eventually setting sail across the treacherous Weddell Sea in lifeboats. They were finally saved when Shackleton and five others made it to an inhabited island in one of the lifeboats. They surrived the impossible time after time, due almost entirely to Shakleton's heroic and wise leadership."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.time.com/time/2003/adventures/ashackleton.html

Afgan Dreams: Young Voices of Afghanistan

Afgan Dreams: Young Voices of Afghanistan

Written by: Tony O'Brien and Mike Sullivan
Photographs by: Tony O'Brien

Upper Elementary, Junior High and High School Grades

"This handsome photo-essay features contemporary Afghan children ranging in age from 8 to 18 years. They were asked about their families, lives, and hopes for the future. The young people's straightforward statements tell much about the devastating effects of decades of war. Some of them are still able to attend school; others wish they could. Even the youngest children work part of the day, often at street markets or in their family businesses, such as rug making. Two 10-year-olds pick pockets to survive. The matter-of-fact way they describe losing parents, siblings, and homes to war is jarring. Overall, the book provides a sensitive, poignant, and respectful look at the lives of these young people. It avoids sentimentality and politicizing. While the book will need an introduction, it offers Western children insight into a country and society often featured in the news. This is a timely, relevant, and well-executed offering."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.vervegallery.com/?p=artist_gallery&a=TO&g=1&r=1&photographer=Tony%20O%27Brien

Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past

Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past

Written by: James M. Deem

"There are books about melting glaciers and books about frozen bodies, but this attractive offering combines the topics in a way that will intrigue readers. It begins with a chance discovery by walkers in northern Italy who find a thawing corpse originally thought to be from the 1800s. Scientists later realized the body was more than 5,000 years old. As glaciers melt throughout the world, more frozen bodies are appearing, adding greatly to the knowledge researchers have about history and culture.

Individual chapters cover types of glaciers and why they are fertile territory for housing bodies; the Chamonix glacier, which saw women climbers in the early 1800s; and the mystery of George Mallory, who died trying to climb Mt. Everest. Perhaps most fascinating to kids will be the chapter on recently discovered Incan children sacrificed to the gods. Heavily illustrated with historical memorabilia as well as photos of bodies, scenery, artifacts, and rather simplistic maps, this offers a lot to look at and learn about."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.jamesmdeem.com/page.glacier.htm

Me, Frida

Me, Frida

Written by: Amy Novesky
Illustrated by: David Diaz

**2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book**

"This picture book focuses on the year that Mexican painter Frida Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera, spent in San Francisco while he worked on murals for the Pacific Stock Exchange. It was 1930 and Frida was young, newly married, and just beginning her own career as a painter. She had never been out of Mexico and everything about this trip was new and overwhelming. Novesky adeptly tells how Kahlo began to gain her confidence and find her place in the world, using the city and its surroundings as inspiration for her own work. The writing is succinct and careful, and a portrait of Frida as a strong, feisty woman comes through clearly. Diaz's acrylic and charcoal paintings echo Kahlo's own folkloric style, brimming with color and detail, but are unique as well, providing a rich complement to the text."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.pbs.org/weta/fridakahlo/life/index.html

90 Miles to Havana

90 Miles to Havana

Written by: Enrique Flores-Galbis

**2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book**

"Drawing on his own experience as a child refugee from Cuba, Flores-Galbis offers a gripping historical novel about children who were evacuated from Cuba to the U.S. during Operation Pedro Pan in 1961. Julian, a young Cuban boy, experiences the violent revolution and watches mobs throw out his family’s furniture and move into their home. For his safety, his parents send him to a refugee camp in Miami, but life there is no sweet haven. He tries to avoid the powerful camp bullies (“the big eat the small”) while he waits in anguish for his parents, and in a wrenching parting, his two older brothers are sent away to a harsh orphanage in Denver. The messages get heavy at times about the meaning of democracy, at odds with the political and the camp power games. But this is a seldom-told refugee story that will move readers with the first-person, present-tense rescue narrative, filled with betrayal, kindness, and waiting for what may never come."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.efgportraits.com/pages/bio.htm

A Long Walk to Water

A Long Walk to Water

Written by: Linda Sue Park

"A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about a girl in Sudan in 2008 and a boy in Sudan in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way."

**Jennie's note ... to build background knowledge for this book teachers could use Brothers in Hope written by Mary Williams prior to reading. There are additional stories about "The Lost Boys of Sudan" in the online resources section below.


Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.lindasuepark.com/books/longwalk/longwalk.html
http://www.lostboysfilm.com/

The Color of My Words

The Color of My Words

Written by: Lynn Joseph

Upper Elementary, Junior High Grades

"Sometimes you have no control over what will happen next, as I discovered the year I was twelve years old. . .

Ana Rosa is a blossoming young writer growing up in a poor seaside village in the Dominican Republic. At twelve, she finds herself faced with turning points that will make up who she is--watching her brother's search for a future, learning to dance and to love, and finding out what it means to be a part of a community.

But in a country where words are feared, Ana Rosa must struggle to find her own voice and the means for it to be heard. Gradually she learns that her words have the power to transform the world around her-celebrating what is most beautiful on her island and transcending even the most unthinkable of tragedies.

This debut novel from poet Lynn Joseph is a lush and lyrical journey into the landscape and culture of the Dominican Republic. The Color of My Words explores the pain and the poetry behind what it means to be part of a family, what it takes to find your place in the world-and what it feels like to write it all down."

Online Resources:
http://www.learner.org/libraries/engagingliterature/voices/lessonplan.html

Who Was First? Discovering America

Who Was First? Discovering America

Written by: Russell Freedman

"Many generations of American school children were taught that Columbus discovered America, and a holiday reminds us every October. But historical investigation in recent years has shown us otherwise. There is evidence that adventurers, explorers, traders, and nomads from various parts of the globe set foot on American soil long before 1492. And expeditions that landed in the Americas reported people already living there—indicating that America had been “discovered” before.

Russell Freedman brings his legendary skills as researcher and storyteller to this fresh and intriguing look at the American past. Colorful legends and first-person accounts are woven into the riveting narrative, which also illuminates the way historians and mapmakers have gathered, evaluated, and recorded information throughout the ages."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://www.dcfaward.org/Activities/2008-09%20Reviews%20and%20Discussion%20Questions.htm#WHO_WAS_FIRST_

Obama: A Promise of Change

Obama: A Promise of Change

Written by: David Mendell

"This adaptation of Mendell's adult book Obama: From Promise to Power (Harper Collins, 2007) summarizes the life of Obama through March 2008, describing his upbringing, changing family, education, and political work. The text is accurate and well researched, with endnotes providing citations for each chapter. Captioned black-and-white photographs appear in a centerfold. Though the lack of an index makes this title more appropriate for reading from cover to cover than for research projects, the table of contents does allow youngsters to locate specific times in Obama's life by topic. Brief chapters and accessible vocabulary are appropriate for the intended audience, although adult assistance might be needed for total comprehension of the discussions of how politicians operate in party politics, run campaigns, and hire image-builders. These ideas may be unfamiliar to younger kids, and may need some explanation."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.ontheissues.org/Promise_to_Power.htm

Great Peacemakers: True Stories from Around the World

Great Peacemakers: True Stories from Around the World

Written by: Ken Beller and Heather Chase

"Twenty peacemakers are highlighted with brief biographies that include photos and quota- tions. This insightful collection is organized into five paths to peace: Choosing Nonviolence, Living Peace, Honoring Diversity, Valuing All Life, and Caring for the Planet. Conclusion includes discus- sion questions. Bibliography, Index, Photo Cred- its, Help Share the Message. Free study guides are available on the book’s website."

www.socialstudies.org/notable

Online Resources:
http://www.greatpeacemakers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=52

Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told

Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told

Written by: Walter Dean Myers
Illustrated by: Bonnie Christensen

Easy Readability

"Ida B. Wells was an extraordinary woman. Long before boycotts, sit-ins, and freedom rides, Ida B. Wells was hard at work to better the lives of African Americans.

An activist, educator, writer, journalist, suffragette, and pioneering voice against the horror of lynching, she used fierce determination and the power of the pen to educate the world about the unequal treatment of blacks in the United States. Award-winning author Walter Dean Myers tells the story of this legendary figure, which blends harmoniously with the historically detailed watercolor paintings of illustrator Bonnie Christensen."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit17/lesson4.html
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/calendar-activities/african-american-journalist-wells-20660.html#websites

The Groundbreaking, Chance-Taking Life of George Washington Carver and Science and Invention in America

The Groundbreaking, Chance-Taking Life of George Washington Carver and Science and Invention in America

Written and Illustrated by: Cheryl Harness

"Harness presents Carver as a man who, regardless of constant hardship and racial prejudice, persevered to become a beloved teacher and devoted scientist. From the beginning, she puts his life in historical context by looking at the effects of racism on his career choices and by talking about the achievements and beliefs of his contemporaries, many of whom he knew. The author raises challenging questions throughout, especially when she discusses debates over whether Carver was truly a great scientist or more a public thinker who promoted science to help better understand the world. The lively prose style conveys his sense of passion and adventure about the man and his intellectual pursuits, and the simple black-and-white drawings add a further sense of drama. This is not just a good choice for biography assignments; it's also a strong recommendation for a nonfiction read-aloud and as a way to interest fiction readers in biography."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://people.pppst.com/george-washington-carver.html

Presidential Races: The Battle for Power in the United States

Presidential Races: The Battle for Power in the United States

Written by: Arlene Morris-Lipsman

"Using lively text, political cartoons, photographs, and campaign memorabilia, Morris-Lipsman presents more then 200 years of presidential races - from simple campaigns to stumping, polls, television ads, fundraising, conventions, and controversies. Table of Election Results, Source Notes, Selected Biography, Further Reading and Websites, Index."

Notable Children's Trade Book Review

Online Resources:
http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/gettingthevotes.html
http://www.presidentsusa.net/campaignslogans.html
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/americavotes/

Ziba Came on a Boat

Ziba Came on a Boat

Written by: Liz Lofthouse
Illustrated by: Robert Ingpen

"Ziba came on a boat. A soggy old fishing boat that creaked and moaned as it rose and fell, rose and fell, across an endless sea... Sitting in the crowded hull, with her mother's arms around her, Ziba remembers all that she has left behind. They hope to find peace and safety in a new land, but where will their journey end, and what will they find when they arrive?

Based on real events, Ziba Came On a Boat is the moving story of a little girl whose family has lost almost everything. This beautiful picture book takes us on her brave journey to make a new life, far from home. Full of love, warm memories and hope for the future even in a time of fear, this lyrical story is accompanied by stunning watercolor illustrations by the acclaimed Robert Ingpen."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.saffrontree.org/2008/01/ziba-came-on-boat.html

Mao's Last Dancer

Mao's Last Dancer

Written by: Li Cunxin

"At the age of eleven, Li Cunxin was one of the privileged few selected to serve in Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution by studying at the Beijing Dance Academy. Having known bitter poverty in his rural China home, ballet would be his family’s best chance for a better future. From one hardship to another, Cunxin demonstrated perseverance and an appetite for success that led him to be chosen as one of the first two people to leave Mao’s China and go to American to dance on a special cultural exchange. But life in the U.S. was nothing like his communist indoctrination had led him to believe. Ultimately, he defected to the west in a dramatic media storm, and went on to dance with the Houston Ballet for sixteen years.

This inspiring story of passion, resilience, and a family’s love captures the harsh reality of life in Mao’s communist China and the exciting world of professional dance. This compelling memoir includes photos documenting Li’s extraordinary life."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.licunxin.com/

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story From Iraq

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story From Iraq

Written and Illustrated by: Jeanette Winter

Easy Readability

"When war seemed imminent, Alia Muhammad Baker, chief librarian of Basra's Central Library, was determined to protect the library's holdings. In spite of the government's refusal to help, she moved the books into a nearby restaurant only nine days before the library burned to the ground. When the fighting moved on, this courageous woman transferred the 30,000 volumes to her and her friends' homes to await peace and the rebuilding of a new library. In telling this story, first reported in the New York Timeson July 27, 2003, by Shaila K. Dewan, Winter artfully achieves a fine balance between honestly describing the casualties of war and not making the story too frightening for young children. Although the invading country is never mentioned, this is an important story that puts a human face on the victims of war and demonstrates that a love of books and learning is a value that unites people everywhere."

School Library Journal Review

http://www.teachablemoment.org/elementary/iraqstudyguides.html

Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq

Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq

Written and Illustrated by: Mark Alan Stamaty

"The story of Iraqi librarian Alia Muhammed Baker, who, fearing looting and bombs, hid more than 30,000 books prior to the invasion of Iraq, is so compelling that two author-illustrators have retold it: Jeanette Winter, in her parable-like picture book The Librarian of Basra, and Stamaty, in this graphic novel. Sequential panels concisely depict complex sequences of actions and emotions, allowing Stamaty to pack more detail into 32 pages than is possible in a traditional picture book."

Booklist Review

http://www.teachablemoment.org/elementary/iraqstudyguides.html

Habibi

Habibi

Written by: Naomi Shaihab Nye

Junior High and High School Grades

"When fourteen-year-old Liyanne Abboud, her younger brother, and her parents move from St. Louis to a new home between Jerusalem and the Palestinian village where her father was born, they face many changes and must deal with the tensions between Jews and Palestinians."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://litplans.com/authors/Naomi_Shihab_Nye.html