Back in the day in the golden age of children's book blogging, we used to have Nonfiction Monday. I'm doing that today, becuase I'm the chair of this year's high school non-fiction category of the Cybils Awards (after being Elementary/middle grade speculative fiction for the past few years, I thought it was time to turn that category over to a fresh chair, and happily Katy of A Library Mama has stepped up to the challenge, so it's in good hands).
So this summer I've been getting a head start on HS fiction, and here are a few of the excellent books I've read so far!
I generally consider myself to be well informed history wise, but there was So Much in this book that I didn't know about and have never thought about. Lots of really disturbing information about people struggling against the forces of capitalism throughout US history that was eye opening and thought provoking. The author does a great job telling the stories vividly and without beating the reader over the head with, makes it clear how the struggles of our counties works and the oppression of those getting rich of their blood and sweat still reverberate today.
American Wings: Chicago's Pioneering Black Aviators and the Race for Equality in the Sky, by Sherri L. Smith and Elizabeth Wein (Putnam Young Readers, 2024)
Another one in which I learned an awful lot, not just about the history of aviation and the black men and women who fought hard against oppression to win their wings, but about American (and also Ethiopean) history. What I loved especially about this one is how the authors made the people they wrote about come to life without putting words in their mouths or us inside their heads. A truly engrossing read!
Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away, by Candy J. Cooper (Calkins Creek, 2024)
When a Pennsylvania judge and his cronies have a financial interest in a for profit juvenile detention center, it is not a surprise that the number of kids sent to be locked up for minor infractions skyrockets. This is the true story of how the lives of more than 2,500 children were sacrificed for their greed, and how their hideous scheme was discovered and brought to an end. It is horrific (the poor kids, and their poor parents who were powerless to save them), but also a gripping read.
Hurdles in the Dark: My Story of Survival, Resilience, and Triumph, by Elvira K. Gonzalez (Roaring Brook Press, 2024)
This autobiographical account of the author's determination to overcome the myriad challenges of her life and win a college athletic scholarship for hurdling reads like a gripping novel. From her impoverished childhood to her mother's kidnapping (she has to find $40,000 to get her back), her brief time in juvie where she vows she'll someday write the story of her life, on to finding a coach who believes in her, but who turns out to be grooming her, and then at last to college, it is riveting, horrific, moving, and powerful. I am so glad she came out of it all and has shared her story with the world.
These are just a few of the books of that will be eligible for this year's High School Nonfiction category. If you think they look like something you'd like to read, do consider applying to be a HS nonfic panelist! The deadline is September 7th, and all the information is here at the Cybils website. And if you have any questions about applying, or the amount of reading required, or anything else, please let me know!
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It makes me so happy to see this! I miss Nonfiction Monday. Thanks for the recommendations.
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