Teenspace
Black Voices, Black Lives
Posted on December 01, 2017
Black books matter... and not just in February.
Did you know that books are powerful tools of social justice?
Books hold a place in our culture as mirrors, windows, and doors.
Everyone should be able to walk into a library and see books that mirror their own life experiences. “When [people] cannot find themselves reflected in the books they read, or when the images they see are distorted, negative, or laughable, they learn a powerful lesson about how they are devalued in the society of which they are a part.” (Bishop)
Books allow the reader to look through the lens of a window and delve into a world different from their own, offering opportunities for greater understanding and empathy with others.
Reading can also be a way of actually stepping through 'sliding glass doors' into a reality that you never even knew existed.
Below you'll find a list of various titles by/for/about black lives and experiences. Go ahead... look in the mirror. Open the window, and walk through the door. It's worth the scroll.
Fiction
Library Call Number: ADICHIE
In the city of Egunu, Nigeria, fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a somewhat cloistered life. Their father is a wealthy businessman, they live in a beautiful home, and attend private school. But, through Kambili's eyes, we see that their home life is anything but harmonious. Her father, a fanatically religious man has impossible expectations of his children and his wife, and if things don't go his way he becomes physically abusive. Not until Kambili and Jaja are sent away from home for the very first time to visit their loving aunt, does Kambili's world begin to blossom. But when a military coup threatens to destroy the country, the tension in her family's home escalates, and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together.
Alexander, Kwame
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y ALEXANDER
When a popular football 'playa' and ladies man and the smartest girl in school lead a school protest, sparks fly as their social media-aided revolution grows.
Booth, Coe
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y BOOTH
Fifteen-year-old Tyrell, who is living in a Bronx homeless shelter with his spaced-out mother and his younger brother, tries to avoid temptation so he does not end up in jail like his father.
Flake, Sharon
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y FLAKE
Thirteen-year-old Maleeka, uncomfortable because her skin is extremely dark, meets a new teacher with a birthmark on her face and makes some discoveries about how to love who she is and what she looks like.
Giles, L.R.
Fiction
Library Call Number: YM GILES
An African-American teen in the Witness Protection Program moves to a new town and finds himself trying to solve a murder mystery when his first friend is found dead.
Jackson, Tiffany
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y JACKSON
When Mary, a teenager living in a group home, becomes pregnant, authorities take another look at the crime for which Mary was convicted when she was nine years old.
Johnson, Angela
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y JOHNSON
Bobby's carefree teenage life changes forever when he becomes a father and must care for his adored baby daughter.
LaMarche, Una
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y LAMARCHE
Interracial half-siblings come together for the first time and embark on a cross-country road trip to confront their absentee father before he dies.
Magoon, Kekla
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y KEKLA
When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson is shot to death, his community is thrown into an uproar because Tariq was black and the shooter, Jack Franklin, is white, and in the aftermath, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events agree.
Moore, Wes
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y MOORE
Elijah, seventeen, has always been sure of just one thing--basketball--and believes it will be his way out of West Baltimore, but when gang violence knocks him down, helping a veteran repair his rickety home helps Elijah see what really matters.
Moskowitz, Hannah
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y MOSKOWITZ
Auditioning for a New York City performing arts high school could help Etta escape from her Nebraska all-girl school, where she's not gay enough for her former friends.
Myers, Walter Dean
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y MYERS
While on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken.
Myers, Walter Dean
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y MYERS
Two best friends, a writer, and a runner deal with bullies, family issues, social pressures, and their quest for success coming out of Harlem.
Older, Daniel Jose
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y OLDER
When the murals painted on the walls of her Brooklyn neighborhood start to change and fade in front of her, Sierra Santiago realizes that something strange is going on--then she discovers her Puerto Rican family are shadowshapers and finds herself in a battle with an evil anthropologist for the lives of her family and friends. *Book #1 in the series
Quick, Matthew
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y QUICK
Finley, an unnaturally quiet boy who is the only white player on his high school's varsity basketball team, lives in a dismal Pennsylvania town that is ruled by the Irish mob, and when his coach asks him to mentor a troubled African American student who has transferred there from an elite private school in California, he finds that they have a lot in common in spite of their apparent differences.
Reynolds, Jason
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y REYNOLDS
When sixteen-year-old Rashad is mistakenly accused of stealing, classmate Quinn witnesses his brutal beating at the hands of a police officer who happens to be the older brother of his best friend. Told through Rashad and Quinn's alternating viewpoints.
Reynolds, Jason
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y REYNOLDS
As Will, at fifteen, sets out to avenge his brother Shawn's fatal shooting, seven ghosts who knew Shawn board the elevator and reveal truths Will needs to know.
Reynolds, Jason
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y REYNOLDS
Brooklyn Visions Academy student Miles Morales may not always want to be a superhero, but he must come to terms with his identity--and deal with a villainous teacher--as the new Spider-Man.
Simone, Ni-Ni
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y SIMONE
Just as Seven McKnight moves on from ex-boyfriend Josiah Whitaker, he steps back into her life, and Seven must decide between her old feelings and her new relationship with Zaire St. James. *Book #1 in the Ni-Ni Girl Chronicles series.
Sims, Guy
Graphic Novel
Library Call Number: YG SIMS
While on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken.
Stone, Nic
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y STONE
Writing letters to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., seventeen-year-old college-bound Justyce McAllister struggles to face the reality of race relations today and how they are shaping him.
Thomas, Angie
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y THOMAS
After witnessing her friend's death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter's life is complicated when the police and a local drug lord try to intimidate her in an effort to learn what happened the night Kahlil died.
Watson, Renee
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y WATSON
Tired of being singled out at her mostly-white private school as someone who needs support, high school junior Jade would rather participate in the school's amazing Study Abroad program than join Women to Women, a mentorship program for at-risk girls.
Yoon, Nicola
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y YOON
The story of a teenage girl who's literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she's ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.
Zoboi, Ibi
Fiction
Library Call Number: Y ZOBOI
On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie -- a good life. But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola's mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit's west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own. Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream?
NON-FICTION
The Griots of Oakland: Voices from the African American Oral History Project
Compiled and edited by Zusman, Angela
Non-Fiction
Library Call Number: Y305.38896 GRI
What is it like being a young African American man? The media repeats the same stereotypes again and again, yet the reality is much more diverse. This eye-opening and beautifully presented book shares the voices and images of a group of young black men in Oakland, interviewed by their peers in a groundbreaking oral history project.
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: my story of the Selma Voting Rights March
by Lynda Blackmon Lowery
Non-Fiction
Library Call Number: Y 323.1196 LOWERY
A 50th-anniversary tribute shares the story of the youngest person to complete the momentous Selma to Montgomery March, describing her frequent imprisonments for her participation in nonviolent demonstrations and how she felt about her involvement in historic Civil Rights events.
Lewis, John
Non-Fiction
Library Call Number: Y 328.73 LEWIS
Book One spans John Lewis' youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall. *Book #1 of a trilogy
by Steve Sheinkin
Non-Fiction
Library Call Number: Y 940.54 SHEINKIN
Presents an account of the 1944 civil rights protest involving hundreds of African-American Navy servicemen who were unjustly charged with mutiny for refusing to work in unsafe conditions after the deadly Port Chicago explosion.
Asante, Molefi
Biography
Library Call Number: 811 ASANTE
An account of the author's youth in Zimbabwe and in violent Philadelphia street gangs explores how his life was shaped by his father's absence, his brother's imprisonment, and his mother's and sister's struggles with mental illness.
Yummy: the last days of a Southside Shorty
By Greg Neri
Non-Fiction Graphic Novel
Library Call Number: YG NERI
A graphic novel based on the true story of Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, an eleven-year old African American gang member from Chicago who shot a young girl and was then shot by his own gang members.
Teenspace Blog References:
Post by Rosalie C. Abbott, Sebastopol Regional Library
Black Lives, Black Voices book list by Lara Mayelian, Rincon Valley Regional Library
Bishop, R.S. (1990a). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Perspectives, 6(3), ix–xi.
Disaster and Resilience - A Teen Book List
Posted on November 01, 2017
Do you ever wonder what this world is coming to?
One peek at the news or your Instagram feed, and it can feel like you just woke up to the apocalypse. We've seen natural disasters reaching far around the globe and right here in our own backyards. There's violence, terror, and... the list goes on. During these times, when it seems like our reality can't possibly get any worse... it can be incredibly helpful to reach for examples of resilience, survival, strength, and courage. Scroll down for a list of books (fiction and non-fiction) where young adults have been put to the test--mostly by natural disasters--and not only survive... they also thrive in the face of hardship and devastation.
In Darkness Lake, by Nick Lake, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y LAKE) "Shorty" is a Haitian boy trapped in the ruins of a hospital when the earth explodes around him. Surrounded by lifeless bodies and growing desperately weak from lack of food and water, death seems imminent. Yet as Shorty waits in darkness for a rescue that may never come, he becomes aware of another presence, one reaching out to him across two hundred years of history.
Dark Water, by Laura McNeal, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y MCNEAL) Living in a cottage on her uncle's southern California avocado ranch since her parent's messy divorce, fifteen-year-old Pearl Dewitt meets and falls in love with an illegal migrant worker, and is trapped with him when wildfires approach his makeshift forest home.
All We Have Left, by Wendy Mills, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y MILLS) In interweaving stories of sixteen-year-olds, modern-day Jesse tries to cope with the ramifications of her brother's death on 9/11, while in 2001, Alia, a Muslim, gets trapped in one of the Twin Towers and meets a boy who changes everything for her as flames rage around them.
The Memory of Things, by Gae Polisner, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y POLISNER) On the morning of September 11, 2001, sixteen-year-old Kyle Donohue watches the first twin tower come down, then while fleeing home to safety, he finds a girl covered in ash who has no memory.
Hurricane Song, by Paul Volponi, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y VOLPONI) Twelve-year-old Miles Shaw goes to live with his father, a jazz musician, in New Orleans, and together they survive the horrors of Hurricane Katrina in the Superdome, learning about each other and growing closer through their painful experiences.
Hold tight, don't let go : a novel of Haiti, by Laura Rose Wagner, Fiction (Library Call Number: Y WAGNER) In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Nadine goes to live with her father in Miami while her cousin Magdalie, raised as her sister, remains behind in a refugee camp, dreaming of joining Nadine but wondering if she must accept that her life and future are in Port-au-Prince.
Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward, Fiction (Library Call Number: WARD) Enduring a hardscrabble existence as the children of alcoholic and absent parents, four siblings from a coastal Mississippi town prepare their meager stores for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina while struggling with such challenges as a teen pregnancy and a dying litter of prize pups.
Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans, by Don Brown, Non-Fiction (Library Call Number: Y 363.34 BROWN) On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina's monstrous winds and surging water overwhelmed the protective levees around low-lying New Orleans, Louisiana. One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three people lost their lives. The tale of this historic storm and the drowning of an American city is one of selflessness, heroism, and courage -- and also of incompetence, racism, and criminality.
Every falling star : the true story of how I survived and escaped North Korea, by Sungju Lee, Non-Fiction (Library Call Number: Y 951.9305 LEE) This is the memoir of a boy named Sungju who grew up in North Korea and, at the age of twelve, was forced to live on the streets and fend for himself after his parents disappeared. Finally, after years of being homeless and living with a gang, Sungju is reunited with his maternal grandparents and, eventually, his father.
The Bite of the Mango, by Mariatu Kamara, Non-Fiction (Library Call Number: Y 966.404 KAMARA) When Mariatu set out for a neighborhood village in Sierra Leone, she was kidnapped and tortured, and both of her hands cut off. She turned to begging to survive. This heartrending memoir is a testament to her courage and resilience. Today she is a UNICEF Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
NOTE: This list was thoughtfully compiled for you by our *fabulous* Young Adult Librarian, Lara Mayelian, at the Rincon Valley Regional Library. If you are looking for additional titles or need more recommendations, ask your friendly Teen Librarian at your local branch of the Sonoma County Library.
We are here for you!
Post by Rosalie Abbott, Sebastopol Regional Library
Imagine if Teens Could Vote!
Posted on October 25, 2017
In today’s society, often times it might seem like teenagers don’t have a lot of control over their world. Most teens have to keep their parent(s) and their teachers happy--tasks which basically add up to the equivalent of a full-time job. Until they turn 18, voting in local & national elections isn’t possible. So, where can young adults express their opinions and let their voices be heard?
Here’s a little secret. Young Adult Librarians across the country and all around the globe care about teens, and we always want to know what you think. Here’s just one example. We’ve listened to teenagers from around the world who recently voted on the top 10 young adult books from 2016… and we are happy to share the results here, check them out!
YALSA Official 2017 Teens’ Top Ten titles announced:
If you haven’t already read these titles, they just might be worth adding to your TBR list… at least, that’s what teens around the globe are telling us! Meanwhile, keep reading those 2017 books so that you’ll be ready to submit your own nominations when the time is right.
Got Questions?
Ask your friendly Young Adult Librarian at your local branch of the Sonoma County Library!
We are here for you.
Lost in the Library? We’ve got an App for that!
Posted on October 24, 2017
Teens, have you ever walked into the Library… looking for an interesting book to read, only to be completely overwhelmed by endless shelves of books?!
The “Teen Book Finder” is a free app that helps teens find nearly 4,000 award-winning young adult titles (from YALSA). Download it today!
NOTE: This also works for voracious readers who need to search high and low for their next great read… we’ve got you.
Need help? Ask the friendly Teen Librarian at your local Sonoma County Library branch.
Happy Reading! ;)
Do You Like a Good Challenge?
Posted on October 03, 2017
This past summer, the Sonoma County Library found out that yes indeed--teens do thrive when offered the pressure and perspective of a decent challenge! Studies show that students who read at least six books over the summer beat the “summer slide” and start school in the fall ready to learn--so we decided to offer a little bit of motivation to help make that happen.
Teens across Sonoma County read book after book, and received prize after prize all summer long... including free books, treats, earbuds, book bags, gift cards, and of course a raffle ticket for the GRAND PRIZE: a Chromebook!
Now that students are back in school, you might be wondering who managed to escape the “summer slide”... AND, who won those fabulous Chromebooks from the various branches of the Library?
More teens than ever participated in the TeenRead program. Many played, most had fun, and a few lucky souls were the winners of the 6 Book Challenge raffle tickets. If you didn't win, we hope you at least had a great summer full of incredible and fantastic books. Curious about the lucky winners? Scroll down for the photo gallery.
Congrats to our TEEN READ 2017 GRAND PRIZE WINNERS!
These lucky teens who participated in the teen summer reading program won a CHROMEBOOK!!
Central - Congratulations Phineas!
Cloverdale - Congratulations (name not published by request)!
Guerneville - Congratulations Riley!
Healdsburg - Congratulations Maggie!
Northwest -Congratulations Mateo!
Petaluma - Congratulations Will!
Rincon Valley - Congratulations Zannet!
Rohnert Park / Cotati - Congratulations Adeline!
Roseland - Congratulations Naomi!
Sebastopol- Congratulations Claire!
Sonoma Valley - Congratulations Y. Valezquez!
Windsor - Congratulations Eliana!
![image of Sather Tower with text [A Path to College Sonoma County Library]](https://sonomalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/flexslider_full/public/images/PathtoCollege.Wide__0.jpg?itok=0BFODYwK)
More Path to College Workshops Announced
Posted on September 27, 2017
The Sonoma County Library is continuing our popular Path to College workshops supporting college-bound high school students and their families. With these workshops the Library seeks to meet the needs of students through all stages of the college preparation and application process.
“Preparing for college can be a stressful time for high school students and their families. We’re proud to support these students and give them the information they need to achieve their higher education goals. Best yet, all our workshops are free!” said Petaluma Library Teen Services Librarian Diana Spaulding.
The Library will be providing workshops this fall on writing compelling college application essays and answers to the UC prompts; approaching the college application process with confidence and a plan; paying for college and completing the online FAFSA; and planning ahead for the transfer from a Junior College to a 4-year University. All workshops are led by qualified local experts and are free and open to high school students and their families.
Path to College Fall 2017 Workshops include:
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How to Tackle the Essay & UC Prompts (pre-registration required)*:
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Wednesday 10/4 from 6:30-8:00pm – Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library
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Monday 10/9 from 6:30-8:0pm – Petaluma Regional Library
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Saturday 10/14 from 11:00am-12:30pm – Central Santa Rosa Library
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Demystifying & Simplifying the College Application Process
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Saturday 10/7 from 11:00am-12:30pm – Central Santa Rosa Library
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Wednesday 10/11 from 6:30-8:00pm – Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library
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Paying for College
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Saturday 11/4 from 10:30am-12:00pm – Petaluma Regional Library
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Monday 11/20 from 6:30-8:00pm – Central Santa Rosa Library
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The JC Transfer Option
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Saturday 11/4 from 10:30am-12:00pm – Rohnert Park-Cotati Regional Library
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Saturday 12/2 from 10:30am-12:00pm – Central Santa Rosa Library
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*How to Tackle the Essay and UC prompts workshops require pre-registration due to limited space because it is a hands-on class for students rather than families. It will be taught in English only. All other workshops have bilingual staff and support for Spanish speaking attendees.
For more information, contact Teen & Adult Services Librarian Diana Spaulding at 763-9801 ext. 0731 or dspaulding@sonoma.lib.ca.us.
Vote for the 2017 Teens' Top Ten!
Posted on August 16, 2017
FOR TEENS ONLY!
Did you read any phenomenal books last year? Did you have favorites? If so, your vote is wanted! (And if not, check out the list below--you just might find some really great reads.)
The time is now to choose your favorite three books from this past year. Voting is open from August 15th through October 14th (10/8 to 10/14 = Teen Read Week). The Top Ten winning titles will be announced the week of October 18, 2017
Check out the 26 nominated titles and vote for up to 3 Books –
THIS VOTING IS FOR TEENS ONLY: https://www.dogobooks.com/voting/2017-teens-top-reads
Check out this Video to See the Top 26 Nominees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLqTlHyzsDU&feature=youtu.be
Or, just take a peek at the list here:
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Black, Jenna. Nightstruck. Tor Teen.
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Bosworth, Jennifer. The Killing Jar. Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux.
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Bracken, Alexandra. Passenger. Disney-Hyperion.
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Braswell, Liz. Once Upon a Dream. Disney Press.
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Buxbaum, Julie. Tell Me Three Things. Random House.
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Clare, Cassandra. Lady Midnight. Margaret K. McElderry.
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Dennard, Susan. Truthwitch. Tor Teen.
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Dinan, Kurt. Don’t Get Caught. Sourcebooks Fire.
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Federle, Tim. The Great American Whatever. Simon & Schuster.
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Freedman, Russell. We Will Not Be Silent. Clarion Books.
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Glasgow, Kathleen. Girl in Pieces. Delacorte Press.
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Gout, Leopoldo. Genius: The Game. Feiwel & Friends.
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Hamilton, Alwyn. Rebel of the Sands. Viking Books.
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Kincaid, S. J. The Diabolic. Simon & Schuster.
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Landers, Melissa. Starflight. Disney-Hyperion.
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Martin, Emily. The Year We Fell Apart. Simon & Schuster.
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McIntosh, Will. Burning Midnight. Random House.
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Meyer, Marissa. Heartless. Feiwel & Friends.
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Mills, Wendy. All We Have Left. Bloomsbury.
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Nijkamp, Marieke. This is Where It Ends. Sourcebooks Fire.
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Russo, Meredith. If I Was Your Girl. Flatiron Books.
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Shusterman, Neal. Scythe. Simon & Schuster.
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Welch, Jenna Evans. Love & Gelato. Simon & Schuster.
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West, Kasie. P.S. I Like You. Scholastic.
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Williamson, Lisa. The Art of Being Normal. Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux.
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Yoon, Nicola. The Sun is Also a Star. Delacorte Press.
Contact the Teen Librarian at your Local Branch of the Sonoma County Library for more information!
Women’s History through "Timeless"
Posted on March 06, 2017
One of my recent “guilty pleasures” is the new NBC series Timeless. This TV series mixes history with time travel as a present-day team chases bad guys through time using a prototype time machine. Each episode visits a different era of history, and features famous historical figures who unwittingly assist the narrative in different ways.
In honor of Women’s History Month, we're using the time travel in this TV series to explore more about their featured women from history, including Nonhelema, Katherine Johnson, Bonnie Parker, and Josephine Baker.
Nonhelema
The Timeless team meets up with the Shawnee peace chief Nonhelema in 1754, near the beginning of the French and Indian War. The adult book Warrior Woman tells the fictionalized story of this tough, no-nonsense chief of the Shawnee tribe as she leads her people’s resistance against the Virginians.
Katherine Johnson
Johnson is more well-known today, thanks to the recent film Hidden Figures. The film shares the account of African-American women mathematicians at NASA who helped put men on the moon in 1969, and Hidden Figures: the American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians who Helped Win the Space Race is the book it is based upon.
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World includes Johnson among its subjects.
Bonnie Parker
Not all historical women are heroines – Bonnie Parker is definitely more infamous than heroic, for she and her partner Clyde Barrow ran a gang of outlaws that terrorized the central United States in the 1930s. Read more about Bonnie’s tragic story in Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, for adults, or Bonnie and Clyde: A Biography, for teens.
Josephine Baker
A singer and dancer, Baker is compared to Beyoncé on the show, giving an indication of her stardom and talent. In addition to being an entertainer, she also helped the French Resistance as a spy during World War II.
Josephine: the dazzling life of Josephine Baker is a children's biography of Baker's life. The Many Faces of Josephine Baker: Dancer, Singer, Activist, Spy gives an account of Baker's life and the many roles she played in her professional and personal life. This title is intended for teens and adults.
