Non-Fiction Series

If you are in my 8th grade Language Arts class, the upcoming titles to be featured on the blog will look pretty familiar to you.  We are reading a collection of non-fiction books that all examine individuals who have overcome hardships.  I used to shy a way from non-fiction.  One of my large purposes for reading was to escape from the real world and live in someone elses imagination for a little while.  This possibility is still one of the great appeals of reading for me.  However, I am learning to appreciate non-fiction more and more.  Excitement, adventure, inspiration, and intrique does not just exist in the imaginations of others but also in this great big world we live in.  As I have been revisiting the titles we are examining in class, I have been reminded of all the great things these books have to offer and would  love to share these glimpses into the world around us with you, dear reader.  Not all of the books are considered Young Adult Literature.  They were written for a wide and varied audience, but are still topically and stylistically appropriate for both young adults their preceding generations.  So what is to come?  Here is a glimpse at the Bookshelf's playlist for the next couple of weeks:

• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Young Reader Edition adapted by Sarah Thomson)
• Of Beetles and Angels by Mawi Asgedom
• Behind Enemy Lines: A Young Pilot's Story by H.R. Demallie

Non-Fiction, here we come!

Black History Month

February is Black History Month!  Carter G. Woodson was one of the first to organize this remembrance back in 1926 as a week long event.  February was chosen because it is the birth month of two important figures in African-American History:  Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.  This month, the Young Adult Bookshelf would like to join our nation in placing a special spotlight on this important element of American History.  Each week we will take a closer look at a great young adult book that honors African American heritage.  I hope that you will join in by choosing a book along this same theme this month.  If you come across a great find; let us know!

Super Cool Extra Resources:

Click HERE to learn more about Black History Month!

Below, I've included a short clip from the local news here in Atlanta so you can see how other students are celebrating this month:

New Year, New Website

As the new year and new semester grows closer, I think it is time to start a new website.  Here, at the Young Adult Bookshelf, you will get the chance to see what young adult books I am currently reading.  There may also be the occasional guest poster.  Keep in mind that I don't expect to like all the books you like or for you to like all the books that I enjoy.  I will try to show you a clear enough picture of each book for you to determine whether or not you would like it based on your own preferences.  Also, make sure that your parents are okay with the books you choose to read.  I hope that you enjoy and visit often.  If you have any suggestions for books you think I should read, please let me know!