Nonfiction List for Young Adults

 

Young Adult Nonfiction

I have selected forty of the most esteemed contemporary and classic nonfiction texts. Many of these books have won numerous awards and are deemed suitable for young adults. After the short author/title list you will find further information on each book, such as plot summaries and short reviews, which have been gathered from various sites (Amazon, Wikipedia, Publishers’ websites, etc.). 

Feel free to share this document. Enjoy reading! 

(You can download an illustrated pdf version here)

 

The List

 

1.      Anderson, Laurie H. Shout.

2.      Aronson, Marc, and Marina Budhos. Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science.

3.      Bascomb, Neal. The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World's Most Notorious Nazi.

4.      Brittain, Vera. Testament Of Youth: An Autobiographical Study of the Years 1900-1925.

5.      Dawson, June. Mind Your Head.

6.      DePrince, Michaela, and Elaine DePrince. Hope in a Ballet Shoe: Orphaned by war, saved by ballet: an extraordinary true story.

7.      Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

8.      Engle, Margarita. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir.

9.      Frank, Anne. The Diary of a Young Girl.

10.  Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.

11.  Gonzales, Andrea, and Sophie Houser. Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting It Done.

12.  Hackett, Liam. Fearless! How to be your true, confident self.

13.  Hendrix, John. The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler.

14.  Heos, Bridget. Blood, Bullets, and Bones: The Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes.

15.  Heyerdahl, Thor. The Kon-Tiki Expedition.

16.  Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump: One boy’s voice from the silence of autism.

17.  Hoose, Phillip. The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club.

18.  Jiang, Ji Li. Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution.

19.  Joseph, Frederick. The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person.

20.  Judge, Lita. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein.

21.  Kamara, Mariatu, and Susan McClelland. The Bite of Mango.

22.  Klein, Naomi. No Logo.

23.  Kolbert, Elizabeth. The Sixth Extinction.

24.  Lee, Sungju, and Susan Elizabeth McClelland. Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea.

25.  Muhammad, Ibtihaj. Proud: Living My American Dream.

26.  Ogle, Rex. Free Lunch.

27.  Olusoga, David. Black and British: A short, essential history.

28.  Orwell, George. The Road to Wigan Pier.

29.  Prager, Sarah. Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World.

30.  Reed, John. Ten Days That Shook the World.

31.  Reynolds, Jason, and Ibram Kendi. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You.

32.  Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of an Iranian Childhood.

33.  Seacole, Mary. The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands.

34.  Slater, Dashka. The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives.

35.  Sotomayor, Sonia. The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor.

36.  Caren, Stelson. Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story.

37.  Stone, Tanya Lee. Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time.

38.  Thompson, Tanya. Assuming Names: A Con Artist's Masquerade.

39.  Uwiringiyimana, Sandra. How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child.

40.  Yousafzai, Malala. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban.

 

Anderson, Laurie H. Shout.

Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. Now, inspired by her fans and enraged by how little in our culture has changed since her groundbreaking novel Speak was first published twenty years ago, she has written a poetry memoir that is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories from her life that she's never written about before. Described as powerful, captivating, and essential in the nine starred reviews it's received, this must-read memoir is being hailed as one of 2019's best books for teens and adults.

A denouncement of our society's failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #MeToo and #TimesUp, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts, SHOUT speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice-- and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore. A New York Times bestseller and one of 2019's best-reviewed books, a poetic memoir and call to action from the award-winning author of Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson!

Aronson, Marc, and Marina Budhos. Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science.

When this award-winning husband-and-wife team discovered that they each had sugar in their family history, they were inspired to trace the globe-spanning story of the sweet substance and to seek out the voices of those who led bitter sugar lives. The trail ran like a bright band from religious ceremonies in India to Europe's Middle Ages, then on to Columbus, who brought the first cane cuttings to the Americas. Sugar was the substance that drove the bloody slave trade and caused the loss of countless lives but it also planted the seeds of revolution that led to freedom in the American colonies, Haiti, and France. With songs, oral histories, maps, and over 80 archival illustrations, here is the story of how one product allows us to see the grand currents of world history in new ways. Includes a Time line, source notes, bibliography, index.

Bascomb, Neal. The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World's Most Notorious Nazi.

A thrilling spy mission, a moving Holocaust story, and a first-class work of narrative nonfiction.

In 1945, at the end of World War II, Adolf Eichmann, the head of operations for the Nazis' Final Solution, walked into the mountains of Germany and vanished from view. Sixteen years later, an elite team of spies captured him at a bus stop in Argentina and smuggled him to Israel, resulting in one of the century's most important trials -- one that cemented the Holocaust in the public imagination. This is the thrilling and fascinating story of what happened between these two events.

This Sydney Taylor Book Award- and YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award-winning story of Eichmann's capture is now a major motion picture starring Oscar Isaac and Ben Kingsley, Operation Finale! Illustrated with powerful photos throughout, impeccably researched, and told with powerful precision.

Brittain, Vera. Testament Of Youth: An Autobiographical Study of the Years 1900-1925.

In 1914 Vera Brittain was eighteen and, as war was declared, she was preparing to study at Oxford. Four years later her life - and the life of her whole generation - had changed in a way that was unimaginable in the tranquil pre-war era.

Testament Of Youth, one of the most famous autobiographies of the First World War, is Brittain's account of how she survived the period; how she lost the man she loved; how she nursed the wounded and how she emerged into an altered world. A passionate record of a lost generation, it made Vera Brittain one of the best-loved writers of her time.

Dawson, June. Mind Your Head.

We all have a mind, so we all need to take care of our mental health as much as we need to take care of our physical health. And the first step is being able to talk about our mental health. Juno Dawson leads the way with this frank, factual and funny book, with added information and support from clinical psychologist Dr Olivia Hewitt. Covering topics from anxiety and depression to addiction, self-harm and personality disorders, Juno and Olivia talk clearly and supportively about a range of issues facing young people's mental health - whether fleeting or long-term - and how to manage them. With real-life stories from young people and witty illustrations from Gemma Correll.

DePrince, Michaela, and Elaine DePrince. Hope in a Ballet Shoe: Orphaned by war, saved by ballet: an extraordinary true story.

Hope in a Ballet Shoe tells the story of Michaela DePrince. Growing up in war-torn Sierra Leone, she witnessed atrocities that no child ever should. Her father was killed by rebels and her mother died of famine. Sent to an orphanage, Michaela was mistreated and saw the brutal murder of her favourite teacher.

Then Michaela and her best friend are adopted by an American couple, and Michaela begins to take dance lessons. But life in the States isn't without difficulties. Unfortunately, tragedy can find its way to Michaela in America, too, and her past can feel like it's haunting her. The world of ballet is a racist one, and Michaela has to fight for a place amongst the ballet elite, hearing the words 'America's not ready for a black girl ballerina.'

And yet . . . Today, Michaela DePrince is an international ballet star, dancing for The Dutch National Ballet at the age of nineteen. This is a heart-breaking, inspiring autobiography by a teenager who shows us that, beyond everything, there is always hope for a better future.

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an 1845 memoir and treatise on abolition written by famous orator and former slave Frederick Douglass during his time in Lynn, Massachusetts. It is generally held to be the most famous of a number of narratives written by former slaves during the same period.

In factual detail, the text describes the events of his life and is considered to be one of the most influential pieces of literature to fuel the abolitionist movement of the early 19th century in the United States.

"This vivid memoir was influential in the abolition of slavery, and its author would become one of the most significant African Americans of the 19th century" --- The Guardian.

Engle, Margarita. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir.

Margarita is a girl from two worlds. Her heart lies in Cuba, her mother's tropical island country, a place so lush with vibrant life that it seems like a fairy tale kingdom. But most of the time she lives in Los Angeles, lonely in the noisy city and dreaming of the summers when she can take a plane through the enchanted air to her beloved island. Words and images are her constant companions, friendly and comforting when the children at school are not.

Then a revolution breaks out in Cuba. Margarita fears for her far-away family. When the hostility between Cuba and the United States erupts at the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Margarita's worlds collide in the worst way possible.

How can the two countries she loves hate each other so much? And will she ever get to visit her beautiful island again?

Frank, Anne. The Diary of a Young Girl.

A deeply moving and unforgettable portrait of an ordinary and yet an extraordinary teenage girl. First published over sixty years ago, Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl has reached millions of young people throughout the world.

In July 1942, thirteen-year-old Anne Frank and her family, fleeing the occupation, went into hiding in an Amsterdam warehouse. Over the next two years Anne vividly describes in her diary the frustrations of living in such close quarters, and her thoughts, feelings and longings as she grows up. Her diary ends abruptly when, in August 1944, they were all betrayed.

Since its publication in 1947, The Diary of a Young Girl has been read by tens of millions of people, now reissued with a fresh new cover to mark what would have been Anne Frank's 90th birthday in June 2019. 'One of the greatest books of the [last] century' --- Guardian

Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.

An art expert instantly spots a fake. A cop decides whether to shoot. A psychologist accurately predicts a couple's future in minutes. This book is about those moments when we 'know' something without knowing why. It shows that honing your instincts could change the way you think about thinking forever.

'Trust my snap judgement, buy this book: you'll be delighted' David Brooks, The New York Times.

'Fiendishly clever' --- Evening Standard. 'Provocative, fascinating, radical' Fergal Byrne, Financial Times.

Gonzales, Andrea, and Sophie Houser. Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting It Done.

Perfect for aspiring coders everywhere, Girl Code is the story of two teenage tech phenoms who met at Girls Who Code summer camp, teamed up to create a viral video game, and ended up becoming world famous. The book also includes bonus content to help you start coding!

Fans of funny and inspiring books like Maya Van Wagenen’s Popular and Caroline Paul’s Gutsy Girl will love hearing about Andrea “Andy” Gonzales and Sophie Houser’s journey from average teens to powerhouses.

Through the success of their video game, Andy and Sophie got unprecedented access to some of the biggest start-ups and tech companies, and now they’re sharing what they’ve seen. Their video game and their commitment to inspiring young women have been covered by the Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, CNN, Teen Vogue, Jezebel, the Today show, and many more.

Get ready for an inside look at the tech industry, the true power of coding, and some of the amazing women who are shaping the world. Andy and Sophie reveal not only what they’ve learned about opportunities in science and technology but also the true value of discovering your own voice and creativity.

Hackett, Liam. Fearless! How to be your true, confident self.

Fearless helps you find the confidence to be your true self. With vibrant colour illustrations throughout, Fearless shows that by breaking free from labels and stereotypes, together we can build a generation who are healthy, happy and can truly realize their full potential. Fearless explores how stereotypes influence everything – from how you feel about your body, to your interests and career aspirations. Includes: interviews with and quotes from inspirational people who defy stereotypes, such as female politicians and male dancers; games and activities to get you thinking outside the box. Written by Liam Hackett – founder of global anti-bullying charity, Ditch the Label.

 

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

Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party is gaining strength and becoming more menacing every day. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor upset by the complacency of the German church toward the suffering around it, forms a breakaway church to speak out against the established political and religious authorities.

When the Nazis outlaw the church, he escapes as a fugitive. Struggling to reconcile his faith and the teachings of the Bible with the Nazi Party’s evil agenda, Bonhoeffer decides that Hitler must be stopped by any means possible!

In his signature style of interwoven handwritten text and art, John Hendrix tells the true story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor who makes the ultimate sacrifice in order to free the German people from oppression during World War II.

Heos, Bridget. Blood, Bullets, and Bones: The Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes.

Since the introduction of DNA testing, forensic science has been in the forefront of the public’s imagination, thanks especially to popular television shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. But forensic analysis has been practiced for thousands of years. Ancient Chinese detectives studied dead bodies for signs of foul play, and in Victorian England, officials used crime scene photography and criminal profiling to investigate the Jack the Ripper murders. In the intervening decades, forensic science has evolved to use the most cutting-edge, innovative techniques and technologies.

Blood, Bullets, and Bones provides young readers with a fresh and fascinating look at the ever-evolving science of forensics.  In this book, acclaimed author Bridget Heos uses real-life cases to tell the history of modern forensic science, from the first test for arsenic poisoning to fingerprinting, firearm and blood spatter analysis, DNA evidence, and all the important milestones in between. By turns captivating and shocking, Blood, Bullets, and Bones demonstrates the essential role forensic science has played in our criminal justice system.

Heyerdahl, Thor. The Kon-Tiki Expedition.

This is the story of how Thor Heyderdahl and five other men crossed the Pacific Ocean on a balsa-wood raft in an extraordinary bid to prove Heyderdahl's theory that the Polynesians undertook the same feat on such a craft over 1000 years ago.

Heyerdahl believed that people from South America could have reached Polynesia during pre-Columbian times. His aim in mounting the Kon-Tiki expedition was to show, by using only the materials and technologies available to those people at the time, that there were no technical reasons to prevent them from having done so. Although the expedition carried some modern equipment, such as a radio, watches, charts, sextant, and metal knives, Heyerdahl argued they were incidental to the purpose of proving that the raft itself could make the journey.

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump: One boy’s voice from the silence of autism.

Written by Naoki Higashida when he was only thirteen, this remarkable book provides a rare insight into the often baffling behaviour of autistic children. Using a question and answer format, Naoki explains things like why he talks loudly or repeats the same questions, what causes him to have panic attacks, and why he likes to jump. He also shows the way he thinks and feels about his world - other people, nature, time and beauty, and himself. Abundantly proving that people with autism do possess imagination, humour and empathy, he also makes clear how badly they need our compassion, patience and understanding.

David Mitchell and his wife have translated Naoki's book so that it might help others dealing with autism and generally illuminate a little-understood condition. It gives us an exceptional chance to enter the mind of another and see the world from a strange and fascinating perspective. The book also features eleven original illustrations, inspired by Naoki's words, by the artistic duo Kai and Sunny. The No. 1 Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller: 'It will stretch your vision of what it is to be human' Andrew Solomon, The Times.

Hoose, Phillip. The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club.

At the outset of World War II, Denmark did not resist German occupation. Deeply ashamed of his nation's leaders, fifteen-year-old Knud Pedersen resolved with his brother and a handful of schoolmates to take action against the Nazis if the adults would not.

Naming their secret club after the fiery British leader, the young patriots in the Churchill Club committed countless acts of sabotage, infuriating the Germans, who eventually had the boys tracked down and arrested. But their efforts were not in vain: the boys' exploits and eventual imprisonment helped spark a full-blown Danish resistance. Interweaving his own narrative with the recollections of Knud himself, here is Phillip Hoose's inspiring story of these young war heroes.

"These teenagers risked all-and lost much . . . This energetic work of nonfiction . . . will cheer the hearts of readers whatever their age." ---- The Wall Street Journal.

Jiang, Ji Li. Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution.

In the tradition of The Diary of Anne Frank and I Am Malala, this is the incredible true story of one girl's courage and determination during one of the most terrifying eras of the twentieth century. This edition includes a detailed glossary, pronunciation guide, discussion questions, and a Q&A with the author.

It's 1966, and twelve-year-old Ji-li Jiang has everything a girl could want: brains, popularity, and a bright future in Communist China. But it's also the year that China's leader, Mao Ze-dong, launches the Cultural Revolution--and Ji-li's world begins to fall apart.

Over the next few years, people who were once her friends and neighbors turn on her and her family, forcing them to live in constant terror of arrest. And when Ji-li's father is finally imprisoned, she faces the most difficult dilemma of her life. Written in an accessible and engaging style, this page-turning, honest, and deeply personal autobiography will appeal to readers of all ages.

Joseph, Frederick. The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person.

Speaking directly to the reader, Frederick Joseph offers powerful reflections on his own experiences with racism. As a former "token Black kid", he now presents himself as the friend many readers need, touching on topics including cultural appropriation, "reverse racism" and white privilege. Featuring interviews with figures such as writer Angie Thomas, content creator Toni Tone, and April Reign, founder of the #OscarsSoWhite movement, this book serves as conversation starter and tool kit, creating a timely and essential read for committed anti-racists and newcomers to the cause of racial justice alike. "The Black Friend is THE book everyone needs to read right now... Read it, absorb it, and be changed because of it.” ―Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give.

Judge, Lita. Mary's Monster: Love, Madness and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein.

Creative genius...? Inventor of science fiction...? Pregnant teenage runaway...? Who was the real Mary Shelley?

Part biography and part graphic novel, Mary's Monster is an engrossing take on one remarkable young woman and her monster.

Mary's Monster is the compelling and beautifully illustrated story of Frankenstein's author Mary Shelley - the original rebel girl and an inspiration for everyone from teenage readers to adult. Aged 16 and pregnant, Mary runs away to Switzerland with the married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Few people would have guessed that that fateful act would lead to a gothic novel still celebrated 200 years later. But cast out by her family and isolated by society, Mary Shelley created Frankenstein and his monster, forged in the fire of her troubled and tragic life.

Kamara, Mariatu, and Susan McClelland. The Bite of Mango.

As a child in a small rural village in Sierra Leone, Mariatu Kamara lived peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Rumors of rebel attacks were no more than a distant worry. But when 12-year-old Mariatu set out for a neighboring village, she never arrived. Heavily armed rebel soldiers, many no older than children themselves, attacked and tortured Mariatu. During this brutal act of senseless violence they cut off both her hands. Stumbling through the countryside, Mariatu miraculously survived. The sweet taste of a mango, her first food after the attack, reaffirmed her desire to live, but the challenge of clutching the fruit in her bloodied arms reinforced the grim new reality that stood before her.

With no parents or living adult to support her and living in a refugee camp, she turned to begging in the streets of Freetown. As told to her by Mariatu, journalist Susan McClelland has written the heartbreaking true story of the brutal attack, its aftermath and Mariatu's eventual arrival in Toronto where she began to pull together the pieces of her broken life with courage, astonishing resilience and hope.

Klein, Naomi. No Logo.

‘No Logo’ was a book that defined a generation when it was first published in 1999. For its 10th anniversay Naomi Klein has updated this iconic book. By the time you’re twenty-one, you’ll have seen or heard a million advertisements. But you won’t be happier for it.

This is a book about that much-maligned, much-misunderstood generation coming up behind the slackers, who are being intelligent and active about the world in which they find themselves. It is a world in which all that is ‘alternative’ is sold, where any innovation or subversion is immediately adopted by un-radical, faceless corporations. But, gradually, tentatively, a new generation is beginning to fight consumerism with its own best weapons; and it is the first skirmishes in this war that this abrasively intelligent book documents brilliantly.

Kolbert, Elizabeth. The Sixth Extinction.

Over the last half a billion years, there have been five mass extinctions of life on earth.

Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the sixth, predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Elizabeth Kolbert combines brilliant field reporting, the history of ideas and the work of geologists, botanists and marine biologists to tell the gripping stories of a dozen species – including the Panamanian golden frog and the Sumatran rhino – some already gone, others at the point of vanishing.

The sixth extinction is likely to be mankind's most lasting legacy and Elizabeth Kolbert's book urgently compels us to rethink the fundamental question of what it means to be human.

Lee, Sungju, and Susan Elizabeth McClelland. Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea.

Every Falling Star, the first book to portray contemporary North Korea to a young audience, is the intense memoir of a North Korean boy named Sungju who was forced at age twelve to live on the streets and fend for himself. To survive, Sungju creates a gang and lives by thieving, fighting, begging, and stealing rides on cargo trains.

Sungju richly recreates his scabrous story, depicting what it was like for a boy alone to create a new family with his gang, “his brothers,” to daily be hungry and to fear arrest, imprisonment, and even execution. This riveting memoir allows young readers to learn about other cultures where freedoms they take for granted do not exist.

Muhammad, Ibtihaj. Proud: Living My American Dream.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Ibtihaj Muhammad smashed barriers as the first American to compete wearing hijab and made history as the first Muslim-American woman to medal. But it wasn't an easy road--in a sport most popular among wealthy white people, Ibtihaj often felt out of place. Ibtihaj was fast, hardworking and devoted to her faith but rivals and teammates (as well as coaches and officials) pointed out her differences, insisting she would never succeed.

Yet Ibtihaj powered on. Her inspiring journey from a young outsider to an Olympic hero is a relatable, memorable and uniquely American tale of hard work, determination and self-reliance. The inspiring all-American story of faith, family, hard work, and perseverance by Olympic fencer, activist, and Time’s "100 Most Influential People" honoree Ibtihaj Muhammad.

Ogle, Rex. Free Lunch.

Rex Ogle's story of starting middle school on the free lunch programme is timely, heart-breaking and true. Free Lunch is the story of Rex Ogle's first term at High School. Rex and his baby brother often went hungry, wore second-hand clothes and were short of school supplies, and Ogle was on his school's free lunch programme. Grounded in the immediacy of physical hunger and the humiliation of having to announce it every day in the school lunch line, Ogle's is a compelling story of a more profound hunger that of a child for his parents' love and care. Compulsively readable, beautifully crafted and authentically told with the voice and point of view of an eleven-year-old child, Free Lunch is a remarkable debut by a gifted storyteller.

Olusoga, David. Black and British: A short, essential history.

A short, essential introduction to Black British history for readers of 12+ by award-winning historian and broadcaster David Olusoga. When did Africans first come to Britain? Who are the well-dressed black children in Georgian paintings? Why did the American Civil War disrupt the Industrial Revolution? These and many other questions are answered in this essential introduction to 1800 years of the Black British history: from the Roman Africans who guarded Hadrian’s Wall right up to the present day.

This children's version of the bestseller Black and British: A Forgotten History is illustrated with maps, photos and portraits. Winner of the Book of the Year, Children's Illustrated and Non-Fiction at The British Book Awards, 2021. Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2020

Orwell, George. The Road to Wigan Pier.

George Orwell's searing account of working-class life in the bleak industrial heartlands of Yorkshire and Lancashire in the 1930s, The Road to Wigan Pier is a brilliant and bitter polemic that has lost none of its political impact over time

Orwell's graphically unforgettable descriptions of social injustice, cramped slum housing, dangerous mining conditions, squalor, hunger and growing unemployment are written with unblinking honesty, fury and great humanity. It crystallized the ideas that would be found in his later works and novels, and remains a powerful portrait of poverty, injustice and class divisions in Britain.

Includes illustrations, explanatory footnotes, and an introduction by Richard Hoggart

Prager, Sarah. Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World.

World history has been made by countless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—and you’ve never heard of many of them. Queer author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 23 people who fought, created, and loved on their own terms.

From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing gender-ambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn’t make it into your history books, these astonishing true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every era.

By turns hilarious and inspiring, the beautifully illustrated Queer, There, and Everywhere is for anyone who wants the real story of the queer rights movement.

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2017. A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book for Teens 2017. This first-ever LGBTQ history book of its kind for young adults will appeal to fans of fun, empowering pop-culture books like Rad American Women A-Z and Notorious RBG.

Reed, John. Ten Days That Shook the World.

Ten Days That Shook the World is John Reed’s eyewitness account of the Russian Revolution. A contemporary journalist writing in the first flush of revolutionary enthusiasm, he gives a gripping record of the events in Petrograd in November 1917, when Lenin and the Bolsheviks finally seized power.

Containing verbatim reports both of speeches by leaders and the chance comments of bystanders, set against an idealized backcloth of the proletariat, soldiers, sailors, and peasants uniting to throw off oppression, Reed’s account is the product of passionate involvement and remains an unsurpassed classic of reporting.

Reynolds, Jason, and Ibram Kendi. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You.

In this important and compelling young readers adaptation of his National Book Award-winning title, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, writing with award-winning author Jason Reynolds, chronicles the story of anti-black, racist ideas over the course of American history.

Racist ideas in our country did not arise from ignorance or hatred. Instead, they were developed by some of the most brilliant minds in history to justify and rationalise the nation's deeply entrenched discriminatory policies. But while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited. In shedding light on the history of racist ideas in America, this adaptation offers young readers the tools they need to combat these ideas - and, in the process, gives society a reason to hope.

Through a gripping and fast-paced narrative that speaks to young readers on their level, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas - and on ways anti-racists can be empowered to combat racism in their daily lives.

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of an Iranian Childhood.

Wise, often funny, sometimes heartbreaking, Persepolis tells the story of Marjane Satrapi's life in Tehran from the ages of six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution and the devastating effects of war with Iraq.

The intelligent and outspoken child of radical Marxists, and the great-grandaughter of Iran's last emperor, Satrapi bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country. Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life.

Amidst the tragedy, Marjane's child's eye view adds immediacy and humour, and her story of a childhood at once outrageous and ordinary, beset by the unthinkable and yet buffered by an extraordinary and loving family, is immensely moving. It is also very beautiful; Satrapi's drawings have the power of the very best woodcuts.

'The magic of Marjane Satrapi's work is that it can condense a whole country's tragedy into one poignant, funny scene after another' Independent on Sunday. One of the Guardian's 100 best books of the 21st century.

 

Seacole, Mary. The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands.

Mary Seacole left her native Jamaica to travel through the Caribbean, The Bahamas, Central America and to England. Keen to offer her services to English troops in the Crimea War, she was at first refused official support. Undaunted she went anyway and set up her famous hotel catering for British soldiers. She supplied food, drink and welcome respite from the front line.

She also tended to wounded soldiers and dispensed medicine in the teeth of battle. Despite her invaluable contribution, she returned to England penniless and in ill health. Thankfully her astonishing achievements were acknowledged and she became the toast of London society.

Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands is a wonderfully entertaining autobiography by Mary Seacole - nurse, entrepreneur and intrepid traveller. Soon to be a major motion picture.

 

Slater, Dashka. The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives.

One teenager in a skirt. One teenager with a lighter. One moment that changes both their lives forever. Two teenagers growing up in Oakland, California. One, Sasha, was born male but identifies as agender, wears skirts and attends a private school. The other, Richard, is an African American from a poor part of Oakland who attends a rough public school.

They have no reason to meet, except for eight minutes every day, they catch the same bus home. And one day, messing about, Richard spies Sasha napping. He flicks the flame of his lighter to Sasha's skirt, and Sasha wakes up in a ball of flame.

What happens next, as the victim, the perpetrator and the community struggle to come to terms with their sadness and shock, is a story of recovery, reconciliation, forgiveness and, above all, hope. It's about the power of being true to yourself, bravery and the good and bad in all of us. And, remarkably, it's all true. Winner of the Stonewall Young Adult Literature Award.

Sotomayor, Sonia. The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor.

Discover the inspiring life of Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina and third woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court, in this middle-grade adaptation of her bestselling adult memoir, My Beloved World. Sonia Sotomayor was just a girl when she dared to dream big. Her dream? To become a lawyer and a judge even though she'd never met one of either, and none lived in her neighborhood. Sonia did not let the hardships of her background--which included growing up in the rough housing projects of New York City's South Bronx, dealing with juvenile diabetes, coping with parents who argued and fought personal demons, and worrying about money--stand in her way. Always, she believed in herself.

Her determination, along with guidance from generous mentors and the unwavering love of her extended Puerto Rican family, propelled her ever forward. Eventually, all of Sonia's hard work led to her appointment as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court in 2009, a role that she has held ever since. Learn about Justice Sotomayor's rise and her amazing work as well as about the Supreme Court in this fascinating memoir that shows that no matter the obstacles, dreams can come true. "[Doesn't shy] away from the hard truths of Sotomayor's childhood . . .[and] discusses real-world issues like racism, privilege, and affirmative action." --- The Washington Post.

Stelson, Caren. Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story.

This striking work of narrative nonfiction tells the true story of six-year-old Sachiko Yasui's survival of the Nagasaki atomic bomb on August 9, 1945, and the heartbreaking and lifelong aftermath.

Having conducted extensive interviews with Sachiko Yasui, Caren Stelson chronicles Sachiko's trauma and loss as well as her long journey to find peace.

This book offers readers a remarkable new perspective on the final moments of World War II and their aftermath.

Stone, Tanya Lee. Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time.

Worldwide, over 130 million girls are not in school. But one girl with courage is a revolution.

Girl Rising, a global campaign for girls' education, created a film that chronicled the stories of nine girls in the developing world, allowing viewers the opportunity to witness how education can break the cycle of poverty.

Award-winning author Tanya Lee Stone deftly uses new research to illuminate the dramatic facts behind the film, focusing both on the girls captured on camera and many others. She examines barriers to education in depth--early child marriage and childbearing, slavery, sexual trafficking, gender discrimination, and poverty--and shows how removing these barriers means not only a better life for girls, but safer, healthier, and more prosperous communities.

With full-color photos from the film, infographics, and a compelling narrative, Girl Rising will inspire readers of all ages to join together in a growing movement to help change the world.

Thompson, Tanya. Assuming Names: A Con Artist's Masquerade.

When it was over, there were a lot of questions. The detectives were embarrassed but they still wanted answered, "How did a 15-year-old runaway successfully pose as a world traveled countess?" The newspapers turned it back on them, practically sneering, "How did she do it while under investigation by the FBI, DEA, and Interpol?" The Mafia had been demanding the same thing for six months, "What is your real name?" And the psychologists asked the question they always ask, "Why?" It’s the why of it that will keep a girl in trouble. Assuming Names is the true story of a young con artist. It’s the tale of a runaway that assumed the title of countess and then went on to fool the FBI, DEA, and Interpol—as well as a number of other celebrities and institutions—with an elaborate tale of world intrigue.

Uwiringiyimana, Sandra. How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child.

This profoundly moving memoir is the remarkable and inspiring true story of Sandra Uwiringiyimana, a girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who tells the tale of how she survived a massacre, immigrated to America, and overcame her trauma through art and activism.

Sandra was just ten years old when she found herself with a gun pointed at her head. She had watched as rebels gunned down her mother and six-year-old sister in a refugee camp. Remarkably, the rebel didn't pull the trigger, and Sandra escaped. Thus began a new life for her and her surviving family members. With no home and no money, they struggled to stay alive. Eventually, through a United Nations refugee program, they moved to America, only to face yet another ethnic disconnect. Sandra may have crossed an ocean, but there was now a much wider divide she had to overcome. And it started with middle school in New York.

In this memoir, Sandra tells the story of her survival, of finding her place in a new country, of her hope for the future, and how she found a way to give voice to her people.

"This gut-wrenching, poetic memoir reminds us that no life story can be reduced to the word 'refugee.' --- New York Times Book Review. "A critical piece of literature, contributing to the larger refugee narrative in a way that is complex and nuanced." -- School Library Journal.

 

Yousafzai, Malala. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban.

'Malala is an inspiration to girls and women all over the world' --- J. K. Rowling.

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday, 9 October 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price when she was shot in the head at point-blank range.

Malala Yousafzai's extraordinary journey has taken her from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations. She has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and is the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. I Am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.

'Moving and illuminating' --- Observer.  'Her story is astonishing' --- Spectator.