I recently finished reading all of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction winners
and honors. Well, all of them at that
point. Since then, the finalists for the
2014 award have been announced (the winner will be announced in January).
Of the twenty titles acknowledged from when it was first awarded in 2010
through January 2013, I rated five stars to four books.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
2010 Finalist; also 2010 Newbery and Sibert honors, and 2009 National
Book Award winner
This event took place more than a year before Rosa Parks refused to
give up her bus seat; however, due to her age and her place in society, Colvin
was deemed unfit to be the face of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
This book chronicles Colvin’s life leading up to and during the
Montgomery Bus Boycott, using both the author’s research and Colvin’s
recollections of the events. While most of the time she stood quietly on the
sidelines, her participation in the Civil Rights Movement was instrumental in
making changes to the “normal” way of life.
It is no wonder that this book won so many honors and awards. The use
of Colvin’s own words intensifies the importance of her actions. Here is a
woman who, as a teenager, stood up for what was right, proving that regardless
of age, anyone can make a difference. This
is one of the best pieces of teen non-fiction that I have read, and a book that
I highly recommend to everyone.
I originally reviewed this book in 2010.
I originally reviewed this book in 2010.
The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism and Treachery by Steve Sheinkin
2012 Winner
2012 Winner
Benedict Arnold: A man so dishonorable that his name has become synonymous with “traitor”. Yet before the soldier became a spy for the British army, he was a Revolutionary War hero whose actions turned the tides of war in favor of the American army. Arnold was a patriot whose brusque personality often annoyed those in power.
Filled with action and plot twists, this non-fiction account of
Benedict Arnold’s rise – and fall – in the American Army is both intriguing and
exciting. I felt sympathy for the man
who deeply loved his country, yet felt the only way to save it was to betray
the very principles for which he fought.
I listened to the audiobook of this title. It was a wonderful production.
2013 Finalist
I listened to the multi-voiced audiobook. What a fantastic production!
The multiple narrators made the stories of each passenger portrayed come alive.
Firsthand accounts of the voyage are
provided from several viewpoints including the ship’s staff and all classes of
passengers. The ages of the voices range
from younger children through elderly adults.
We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March by Cynthia
Levinson
2013 Finalist
This book is filled with photographs, timelines, and other resources.
No comments:
Post a Comment