Hot Reads

When the Marquis de Lafayette ran off to join the American Revolution against the explicit orders of the king of France, he was strong-willed 19-year old who had never set foot on a battlefield. He soon played a pivotal role in the war. Full color. …More

As the artist behind the beloved Peanuts comic strip for more than 50 years, Charles Schulz arguably the most famous cartoonist in the world created a colorful cast of characters that continues to bring humor and comfort to millions of readers. In this distinctively designed yet highly accessible book, renowned children's biographer Beverly Gherman traces both the life events that shaped Schulz's art and the various ways in which art influenced his life in return. Acclaimed by artists ranging from Andrew Wyeth to Mo Willems, the artistic elements of Schulz's work are brought to life in a colorful layout and thoroughly explored in an enchanting text that will draw in even the most reluctant readers. …More

With razor-sharp depictions of her animated relatives, Molnar's memoir of her childhood captures with touching precocity the very adult realities of living behind the Iron Curtain. Photos. …More

Introducing Hollywood's Newest Bad Boy

You swooned over him on-screen in "Twilight"; now learn about the man behind the vampire. His British roots, his musical talents, the audition that changed his life -- there's more to Robert Pattinson than his trademark hair! Flip through to find out what makes him tick, what turns him on, and how he deals with his instant fame. …More

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A CCBC Selection of the Week

This inspiring memoir follows Moying Li from age 12 to 22, illuminating a complex, dark time in China's history as it tells the compelling story of one girl's difficult but determined coming-of-age during the Cultural Revolution.Farrar, Straus & Giroux …More

"Knockout!" is a quintessential American story--a humble but hardworking man overcomes poverty and prejudice to become world champion--and an inspiration to millions around the world. George Sullivan's photo biography tells the powerful story of boxer Joe Louis with evocative period photography and a stirring narrative. …More

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Nic Sheff was drunk for the first time at age eleven. In the years that followed, he would regularly smoke pot, do cocaine and Ecstasy, and develop addictions to crystal meth and heroin. Even so, he felt like he would always be able to quit and put his life together whenever he needed to. It took a violent relapse one summer in California to convince him otherwise. In a voice that is raw and honest, Nic spares no detail in telling us the compelling, heartbreaking, and true story of his relapse and the road to recovery. As we watch Nic plunge the mental and physical depths of drug addiction, he paints a picture for us of a person at odds with his past, with his family, with his substances, and with himself. It's a harrowing portrait -- but not one without hope. …More

Tayshas Reading List 2008-2009

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"This is an astonishingly beautiful and heartbreaking book. The resurrected memories of a gifted girl growing up under the crush of war and occupation gave me hope: that if we read carefully, with open hearts, the world just might begin to change." -- Suzanne Fisher Staples, author of Under the Persimmon Tree …More

- Biographies of famous American rebels, from movie stars to writers and musicians
- Dramatic, highly readable stories of controversial lives
- Examines how each rebel's work spoke to the social problems of his time
- Tracks the lasting impact of each subject's work on American culture
- Supports the History/Social Studies, Language Arts, and Cultural Studies curricula …More