Ages 18+
The back and forth of the two authors’ analysis of the assortment of games discussed in this book was delightful to read. Each had insight to offer – a lot with a bit of humor – as he or she explained how each game is played and what we as a society can learn from it. What a great book!
Thanks to Netgalley.com for a review copy of this book.
Grades 3 – 7
Chock full of facts about Neil Armstrong, outer space and NASA, this book will take readers on adventure to the moon and back. The text explains the history Apollo 11 in terms kids will understand and includes photos of the event as well. Readers will learn about a piece of our history that will never be forgotten and have a blast doing it!
Thanks to School Library Journal for a review copy of this book.
Grades 4 – 6
Coding is so important for kids to understand these days, and it is an essential tool for the future. Code This Game teaches kids about Python, a coding language used to develop video games. They will learn to code their own version of Attack of the Vampire Pizzas, and then customize—or break—it the way they choose. Not only will Code This Game be a ton of fun for kids, it will enable them to learn a ton about coding and hacking that they’ll need in this digital age.
Thanks to School Library Journal for a review copy of this book.
Grades 3 – 5
Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker is a biography about Katherine Johnson, the mathematician who calculated the flight path for NASA’s first moon landing in 1969. The book starts out by telling readers about Katherine’s childhood and her lifelong love of math. It then goes on to explain how she became a mathematician when she grew up, and how she saved Apollo 13.
Grades 2 – 4
Chock full of true facts and fun illustrations, this nonfiction book about the sun is sure to be a hit! Did you know that the sun is actually our Solar System’s star? Or that the sun is the biggest thing in the Solar System? The Earth is the third planet from the sun, and it people used to use it to tell time. You can find these and tons of other facts about the sun when you read The Sun Is Kind of a Big Deal by Nick Seluk.
Grades 3 – 5
Comparable to the Who Is…series, this non-fiction account of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s difficult feat of trying to fly a plane is both interesting and informative. Kids will marvel in the trials of the Wright Brothers and their ultimate success.
Thanks to School Library Journal for a review copy of this book.
Grades 9-12
This book has 101 chapters that give young adults advice about how to get the most out of life. Hawkins uses his life experience to help kids in their late teens to early 20s live their best life, and hopefully learn from some of his mistakes. A highly recommended book for all young adults!
Thanks to Netgalley.com for a review copy of this book.
Grades 6-12
Mayim Bialik is best known for playing Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory. Some may know, though, that she has a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She puts that knowledge to good use in this book for teens and young girls. She discusses things that all girls go through in their lives, and what they deal with on a daily basis, such as friends, family and school. Using scientific facts and stories from her own life, Bialik explains the biological, psychological and sociological aspects of growing up a girl, or as she says, “girling up.”
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy of this book.
Ages 18+
Kate Mulgrew grew up in an Irish Catholic family in a small mid-western town, and always wanted of becoming an actress. However, her family’s unconventional way of life made it hard to pursue her dream. At 18, she left home and headed to New York, where she studied acting with the legendary Stella Adler. Then, at 22, she became pregnant and gave up her daughter for adoption, a hard decision to say the least. Known for playing roles of strong women like “Red” on Orange Is the New Black, Mulgrew writes about her perseverance to gain what she yearned for all her life.
Ages 18+
When Rebecca Skloot first learned about Henrietta Lacks, she was determined to research all she could about her life and the science advances that her cells made possible. Henrietta Lacks was a poor southern tobacco farmer in the 1950s whose cervical cancer cells were taken and studied without her knowledge. Known as HeLa, the cells took a vital part in discovering the Polio vaccine, unknown information about cancer, cloning, and in vitro fertilization. HeLa is known to today’s scientists worldwide, and continues to grow. However, Henrietta Lacks’ children and grandchildren have seen no profits from this and feel violated. A combination of research and interviews with Henrietta’s family members, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a gripping read.
Michelle’s Bookish Life 