Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall
Author: Montrew Dunham
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 196
Release: 2012-12-18
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1439113343

Get to know the first African American Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall in this middle grade nonfiction biography of his early years! The childhood of civil rights hero and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall comes to life in this engaging biography. Whenever Thurgood Marshall got into trouble at school, the principal would make him sit in the basement and read the US Constitution. By the time he was twelve, he had most of it memorized, and his interest in law had begun to take seed. In 1967, he was appointed to the US Supreme Court—the first African American to serve in that position. This book is laced with numerous illustrations, and the back of the book includes a timeline, questions, activities, and a glossary, making it the perfect addition to a classroom or home school setting. Perfect for emerging readers, the Childhood of Famous Americans series illustrates the incredible true stories of great Americans.

Call Me American (Adapted for Young Adults)

Call Me American (Adapted for Young Adults)
Author: Abdi Nor Iftin
Publisher: Ember
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2021-08-10
Genre: Young Adult Nonfiction
ISBN: 1984897136

Adapted from the adult memoir, this gripping and acclaimed story follows one boy's journey into young adulthood, against the backdrop of civil war and his ultimate immigration to America in search of a better life. Abdi Nor Iftin grew up amidst a blend of cultures, far from the United States. At home in Somalia, his mother entertained him with vivid folktales and bold stories detailing her rural, nomadic upbrinding. As he grew older, he spent his days following his father, a basketball player, through the bustling streets of the capital city of Mogadishu. But when the threat of civil war reached Abdi's doorstep, his family was forced to flee to safety. Through the turbulent years of war, young Abdi found solace in popular American music and films. Nicknamed Abdi the American, he developed a proficiency for English that connected him--and his story--with news outlets and radio shows, and eventually gave him a shot at winning the annual U.S. visa lottery. Abdi shares every part of his journey, and his courageous account reminds readers that everyone deserves the chance to build a brighter future for themselves. FOUR STARRED REVIEWS!

One Hundred Young Americans

One Hundred Young Americans
Author: Michael Franzini
Publisher: HarperDes
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2007-11-06
Genre: Photography
ISBN: 9780061192005

One Hundred Young Americans is the first book to paint the full picture of youth culture in America today. Gorgeously photographed and meticulously researched, this year-long project represents photographer Michael Franzini's 30,000-mile journey in search of what it truly means to be a teenager in this hyper-connected, media-driven society. The book is packed with first-hand accounts of youth culture in America from 100 teenagers in 50 states. More than two hundred stunning images show every kind of teenager from every part of our nation, mirroring census data for gender, race, religion and sexual orientation and to strike a balance between urban, rural, suburban and small-town locations. Unlike previous generations, these young people have all grown up with unprecedented access to media and information, and their private lives are more public than ever before. You will read stories that will inspire, move, excite, and even anger you. Along this journey, you will meet people who share your experiences, who remind you of others, and who are unlike anyone you have ever met. You will meet every kind of teenager. The cheerleaders, football jocks, student body presidents, prom queens and other popular kids. The nerds, band geeks, gamers and other not-so-popular kids. Also the skaters, stoners, goths, punks, druggies and a lot of kids whose uniqueness defies labels. What they ultimately have in common is that they are struggling to find their identity and become independent. They are growing up. Prepare yourself. This is what it really means to be young in America today.

Joe DiMaggio

Joe DiMaggio
Author: Herb Dunn
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 180
Release: 1999-09
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0689831862

A biography emphasizing the childhood of the baseball legend.

Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure

Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure
Author: Matthew Algeo
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2011
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1569767076

From Missouri to New York and back again, this work chronicles the amazing road trip of a former president and his wife and their amusing, failed attempts to keep a low profile.

My (Underground) American Dream

My (Underground) American Dream
Author: Julissa Arce
Publisher: Center Street
Total Pages: 286
Release: 2016-09-13
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1455540250

A National Bestseller! What does an undocumented immigrant look like? What kind of family must she come from? How could she get into this country? What is the true price she must pay to remain in the United States? JULISSA ARCE knows firsthand that the most common, preconceived answers to those questions are sometimes far too simple-and often just plain wrong. On the surface, Arce's story reads like a how-to manual for achieving the American dream: growing up in an apartment on the outskirts of San Antonio, she worked tirelessly, achieved academic excellence, and landed a coveted job on Wall Street, complete with a six-figure salary. The level of professional and financial success that she achieved was the very definition of the American dream. But in this brave new memoir, Arce digs deep to reveal the physical, financial, and emotional costs of the stunning secret that she, like many other high-achieving, successful individuals in the United States, had been forced to keep not only from her bosses, but even from her closest friends. From the time she was brought to this country by her hardworking parents as a child, Arce-the scholarship winner, the honors college graduate, the young woman who climbed the ladder to become a vice president at Goldman Sachs-had secretly lived as an undocumented immigrant. In this surprising, at times heart-wrenching, but always inspirational personal story of struggle, grief, and ultimate redemption, Arce takes readers deep into the little-understood world of a generation of undocumented immigrants in the United States today- people who live next door, sit in your classrooms, work in the same office, and may very well be your boss. By opening up about the story of her successes, her heartbreaks, and her long-fought journey to emerge from the shadows and become an American citizen, Arce shows us the true cost of achieving the American dream-from the perspective of a woman who had to scale unseen and unimaginable walls to get there.