John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth: a biography – Elizabeth Partridge

Partridge, Elizabeth. (2005). John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth: a biography. New York: Viking.
Recommendation source:
Reading level: Grade 9+
Brief summary: (from School Library Journal) Partridge cuts through the mythology and misinformation surrounding the life of the legendary singer/songwriter and goes a long way toward revealing the complexities of his personality. She relies heavily on [...]

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Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott – Russell Freedman

Freedman, Russell. (2006). Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. New York: Holiday House.
Recommendation source: 2007 YALSA Best Books for Young Adults nominee
Reading level: Grades 5-7
Scholarly review: (School Library Journal) Freedman begins this outstanding history by reminding his audience that the injustices of racial segregation did not happen that long ago in the [...]

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Quinceañera: Celebrating Fifteen – Elizabeth King

King, Elizabeth. (1998). Quinceañera: Celebrating Fifteen. New York: Dutton.
Recommendation source: www.amazon.com
Reading level: Grades 5-8
Brief summary: Like a bat mitzvah or a sweet-16 party, the quinceanera is a coming-of-age ritual, and it takes place in the context of a Latina’s family and church. Its origins come from Aztec and Mexican customs transmuted through Spanish and Latino [...]

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Hole in My Life – Jack Gantos

Gantos, Jack (2002). Hole in My Life. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Recommendation source:
Awards: 2002 National Book Award Finalist, 2002 Printz Award
Reading level: Grade 7+
Brief summary: In this memoir, Jack Gantos gives the reader a glimpse into his life as a wannabe writer. He had difficulty finding inspiration and ultimately made some bad decisions which [...]

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