Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi
Shows the fascination side of boredom. Investigates cutting-edge research as well as compelling (and often funny) real-life examples to demonstrate that boredom is actually a crucial tool for making our lives happier, more productive, and more creative. What’s more, the book is crammed with practical exercises for anyone who wants to reclaim the power of spacing out.
Bullied Kids Speak Out by by Jodee Blanco (click on title to preview the book)
True stories from New York Times bestselling author Jodee Blanco’s tours Have you ever felt alone, as if no one understands what you’re going through, and that no matter how hard you try, you’re scared things may never get better? Do you wish your classmates would give you a break? I felt that way often in school. I was bullied and excluded for the same reason maybe you or someone you know has been—simply for being different. There were days when all I wanted was to stay in my room. Back then, I would have given almost anything to meet the kids you’re going to meet here. Autumn dreaded recess. Joshua was afraid to trust anyone at home or at school. Taylor had lots of friends until her BFF turned them all against her. Gabe’s online gaming world was turned upside down when other players started humiliating him. A teacher was bullying Brianna. Eric’s Asperger’s made him the butt of cruel jokes. The cool crowd beat up Tiffany and videotaped it for YouTube. Zach got punched and stomped on because of his weight. Trinity felt invisible. Aamina was harassed because of her family’s religious beliefs. Riley had to live with the soul-crushing weight of mental illness as well as the other students who jeered at her plight. These are some of the brave teens who will be talking to you in this book. They—and others they inspired—found the courage to stand up to their bullies and reclaim their lives, and you’ll hear exactly how they did it. You’re not alone anymore.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald (click on title to preview the book)
Recently the basis for a major motion picture starring Hollywood golden boy Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” was written in 1922 by the golden boy of early twentieth-century American fiction, F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of such era-defining masterworks as The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night. The tale follows the travails and triumphs of the title character, who is born in the body of an elderly man and becomes progressively younger over the course of his life.
Booked by Kwame Alexander (Click on the title to preview the book)
Twelve-year-old Nick loves soccer and hates books, but soon learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams.
Guiness World Records 2018 (click title to preview the book)
Chronicles the evolution of record breaking while incorporating thousands of new entries, hundreds of new photographs, and highlights of classic records.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman (click title to read a sample)
Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology.A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own. Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award–winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.
How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana; with Abigail Pesta (click the title to sample the book)
Sandra Uwiringiyimana was just ten years old when she found herself with a gun pointed at her head. The rebels had come at night — wielding weapons, torches, machetes. She watched as her mother and six-year-old sister were gunned down in a refugee camp, far from their home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The rebels were killing people who weren’t from the same community, the same tribe. In other words, they were killing people simply for looking different. “Goodbye, life,” she said to the man ready to shoot her. Remarkably, the rebel didn’t pull the trigger, and Sandra escaped into the night. 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, and of her hope for the future.
