War Is...Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War

Title: War Is...Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War Written by: Marc Aronson Publisher: Candlewick

 

Summary: Marc Aronson thinks war is inevitable. Patty Campbell thinks war is cruel, deceptive, and wrong. But both agree on one thing: that teens need to hear the truthful voices of those who have experienced war firsthand. The result is this dynamic selection of essays, memoirs, letters, and fiction from nearly than twenty contributors, both contemporary and historical - ranging from Christian Bauman's wrenching "Letter to a Young Enlistee" to Chris Hedges's unfl inching look at combat to Fumiko Miura's Nagasaki memoir, "A Survivor's Tale." Whether the speaker is Mark Twain, World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle, or a soldier writing a miliblog, these divergent pieces look war straight in the face - and provide an invaluable resource for teenagers today.

The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West

Title: The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West Written by: Sid Fleischman Publisher: Collins

 

Summary: "Mark Twain was born fully grown, with a cheap cigar clamped between his teeth." So begins Sid Fleischman's ramble-scramble biography of the great American author and wit, who started life in a Missouri village as a barefoot boy named Samuel Clemens.Abandoning a career as a young steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River, Sam took a bumpy stagecoach to the Far West. In the gold and silver fields, he expected to get rich quick. Instead, he got poor fast, digging in the wrong places. His stint as a sagebrush newspaperman led to a duel with pistols. Had he not survived, the world would never have heard of Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn-or red-headed Mark Twain.Samuel Clemens adopted his pen name in a hotel room in San Francisco and promptly made a jumping frog (and himself) famous. His celebrated novels followed at a leisurely pace; his quips at jet speed. "Don't let schooling interfere with your education," he wrote.Here, in high style, is the story of a wisecracking adventurer who came of age in the untamed West; an ink-stained rebel who surprised himself by becoming the most famous American of his time. Bountifully illustrated.

Time Bandit: Two Brothers, the Bering Sea, and One of the World's Deadliest Jobs

Title: Time Bandit: Two Brothers, the Bering Sea, and One of the World's Deadliest Jobs Written by: Jonathan Hillstrand Publisher: Ballantine Books

 

Summary: "Many brave hearts are asleep in the deep, so beware, beware," goes the chorus of an old sailors' sing-along that celebrates the allure and danger of the seafaring life. But make no mistake-there truly is much to beware for those who are drawn to risk their lives and seek their fortunes upon the waves. And perhaps none take more chances than the men and women who brave the tempestuous, bountiful waters of the Bering Sea. Season after season, they bond and battle with its icy depths, determined to reap yet one more rewarding harvest while eluding the ever-present threat of sudden, certain death. And among the rapidly diminishing ranks of these die-hard salts, brothers Andy and Johnathan Hillstrand have forged a reputation as fierce masters of their treacherous, enthralling trade. If you've watched their exploits on TV's Deadliest Catch, you've only scratched the surface. To read Time Bandit is to step into their skins, smell the sea air, feel the frigid wind, and know with all your senses the exhilarating, and terrifying life on the edge.Natives of tiny, fishing hamlet, Homer, Alaska; sons of a hard-bitten, highly successful fisherman; and born with brine in their blood, the Hillstrand boys couldn't imagine a life without a swaying deck underfoot and a harvest of mighty Alaskan king crabs waiting to be pulled from the ocean floor. In pursuit of their daily catch, the brothers brave ice floes and heaving waves 60 feet high, the perils of 1000-lb steel traps thrown about by the punishing wind, and the constant menace of the open, hungry water.Even the brothers' downtime on land-where the deadly realities of the unforgiving sea are never far from their minds-is lived as if borrowed: fast and hard, haunted by the knowledge that the next season at sea could end asleep in the deep.Here is the Hillstrands' own heartfelt hymn to the brutally hard, gloriously independent, and mysteriously soul-satisfying life that has earned them their daily bread and defined their existence. By turns raucous and reflective, exhilarating and anguished, enthralling, suspenseful, and wise, Time Bandit chronicles a larger-than-life love affair as old as civilization itself-a love affair between striving, willful man and inscrutable, enduring nature.

No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row

Title: No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row Written by: Susan Kuklin Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

 

Summary: No Choirboy takes readers inside America's prisons, and allows inmates sentenced to death as teenagers to speak for themselves. In their own voices-raw and uncensored-they talk about their lives in prison, and share their thoughts and feelings about how they ended up there. Susan Kuklin also gets inside the system, exploring capital punishment itself and the intricacies and inequities of criminal justice in the United States.This is a searing, unforgettable read, and one that could change the way we think about crime and punishment.

Ain't Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry

Title: Ain't Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry Written by: Scott Nelson Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books

 

Summary: Who was the real John Henry? The story of this legendary African-American figure has come down to us in so many songs, stories, and plays, that the facts are often lost. Historian Scott Nelson brings John Henry alive for young readers in his personal quest for the true story of the man behind the myth. Nelson presents the famous folk song as a mystery to be unraveled, identifying the embedded clues within the lyrics, which he examines to uncover many surprising truths. He investigates the legend and reveals the real John Henry in this beautifully illustrated book.Nelson's narrative is multilayered, interweaving the story of the building of the railroads, the period of Reconstruction, folk tales, American mythology, and an exploration of the tradition of work songs and their evolution into blues and rock and roll. This is also the story of the author's search for the flesh-and-blood man who became an American folk hero; Nelson gives a first-person account of how the historian works, showing history as a process of discovery. Readers rediscover an African-American folk hero. We meet John Henry, the man who worked for the railroad, driving steel spikes. When the railroad threatens to replace workers with a steam-powered hammer, John Henry bets that he can drive the beams into the ground faster than the machine. He wins the contest, but dies in the effort.Nelson's vibrant text, combined with archival images, brings a new perspective and focus to the life and times of this American legend.

Punk Rock Etiquette: The Ultimate How-to Guide for DIY, Punk, Indie, and Underground Bands

Title: Punk Rock Etiquette: The Ultimate How-to Guide for DIY, Punk, Indie, and Underground Bands Written by: Travis Nichols Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

 

Summary: Looking to start an underground band? Don't make a move until you've read this book!So you KNOW you are destined to rock... well you're in luck -- all you need is this book! (Please note musical talent, bandmates, a car for touring, and an uncle who owns a record label might also help.) An original blend of nonfiction how-to's about all things DIY rock created by an indie-circuit veteran with a knack for hysterical snark, PUNK ROCK ETIQUETTE teaches you everything from how to pick your bandmates and choose a name (Never deliberately misspell your band's name. C how lame it lookz?), to detailed guides on screenprinting your own merch, and interviews and advice from studio owners about the do's and don'ts of recording. PUNK ROCK ETIQUETTE is an unfiltered peek backstage that will appeal to aspiring musicians and anyone who's curious about what goes on in the hours between the last chord and the next big show.

Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide To Living an Eco-Friendly Life

Title: Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide To Living an Eco-Friendly Life Written by: Linda Sivertsen Publisher: Simon Pulse

 

Summary: We all know about the Earth's environmental crisis, but there is someone who can truly make a difference: you. If you text your friends or chat with them online, download music to your iPod, or toss bottles and papers into recycling bins, you're already more eco-savvy than you think. It's just as easy to do even more to help save the earth, and Generation Green shows you how. This book: * Lays out the inside scoop on the biggest issues affecting our planet, such as global warming and overflowing landfills * Offers dozens of tips on how to shop, dress, eat, and travel the green way * Includes interviews with teens like you who are involved with fun, innovative green causes * Shows that being environmentally conscious can be a natural part of your life -- and your generation's contribution to turning things around.It doesn't matter if you can't vote or drive. Your efforts -- big or small -- will contribute to saving the planet. It's time for all of us to take action. It's time to go green!

Students on Strike: Jim Crow, Civil Rights, Brown , and Me

Title: Students on Strike: Jim Crow, Civil Rights, Brown , and Me Written by: John Stokes Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books

 

Summary: John Stokes has waited more than 50 years to give his eyewitness account of "The Manhattan Project." This was the name he and a group of fellow students gave their strike at R.R. Moton High School that helped to end separate schooling for blacks and whites, not only in his home state of Virginia, but throughout America. Told in Stokes' own words, the story vividly conveys how his passion for learning helped set in motion one of the most powerful movements in American history, resulting in the desegregation of schools-and life-in the United States.As a child tending crops on the family farm, John Stokes never dreamed that one day he would be at the center of the Civil Rights Movement. Yet, on April 23, 1951, he and his fellow students walked out of the school and into the history books. Their school was built to accommodate 180 students, yet over 400 black students attended classes in leaky buildings with tar paper walls. A potbelly stove served as the only source of heat, and the school lacked running water, indoor plumbing, and a cafeteria. Yet to Stokes and his fellow students, it was their path to a better life.Students on Strike is an evocative first-person narrative from a period of radical change in American history. Stokes recounts the planning of the student walkout, the secret meetings, the plot to send the principal on a wild goose chase after "truant" students, and the strategy to boycott classes until conditions improved. The author recalls the challenges in persuading teachers and parents to support the strike, and the intimidation that came in the form of threats and a cross-burning on school grounds. Archival illustrations from Stokes' scrapbook add to the emotional impact of his story. The narrative follows the course of the lawsuits filed by the NAACP, which would became part of the historic Brown v Board of Education ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court and the subsequent end to segregation in America.Young readers will relish this inspirational account of the heroic struggles of John Stokes and his fellow students; they will also learn a timeless lesson that people with little influence-but with great determination-can make a difference.

Far From Home: Latino Baseball Players in America

Title: Far From Home: Latino Baseball Players in America Written by: Tim Wendel Publisher: National Geographic

 

Summary: From Argentina and Venezuela to the Dominican Republic and the rest of the Caribbean, thousands of boys grow up playing sandlot ball and planning a big-league career. Inspired by Latino greats who paved the way, young men head north in hopes of baseball success-but often find themselves in far different situations. Photographer José Luis Villegas and sportswriter Tim Wendel dramatically reveal the energy, talent, and hard-driving ambition of these determined players, both the few who make it and the many who don't. Yet this isn't just another compendium of highlights-it's a bold and sometimes heartbreaking look at the ups and downs of chasing a dream.The book captures all the flash and glory of being a major-league star at the top of his game...as well as the struggles faced by other hopefuls who have to take a longer, tougher road. For many of these men, the realities of the system-and the tension of illegal immigration-intrude on the dream. Discover what becomes of them, and explore the rich background of baseball and the Latin American world, in Far From Home. With sports interest for the baseball fan...timely issues for the history buff...and great images for the photography enthusiast...it is perfectly positioned for Father's Day and a must-read for all who love the national game.

I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee

Title: I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee Written by: Charles Shields Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

 

Summary: To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most widely read novels in American literature. It's also a perennial favorite in highschool English classrooms across the nation. Yet onetime author Harper Lee is a mysterious figure who leads a very private life in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, refusing to give interviews or talk about the novel that made her a household name. Lee's life is as rich as her fiction, from her girlhood as a rebellious tomboy to her days at the University of Alabama and early years as a struggling writer in New York City. Charles J. Shields is the author of the New York Times bestseller Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee, which he has adapted here for younger readers.What emerges in this riveting portrait is the story of an unconventional, high-spirited woman who drew on her love of writing and her Southern home to create a book that continues to speak to new generations of readers. Anyone who has enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird will appreciate this glimpse into the life of its fascinating author.

Three Little Words: A Memoir

Title: Three Little Words: A Memoir Written by: Ashley Rhodes-Courter Publisher: Atheneum

 

Summary: "Sunshine, you're my baby and I'm your only mother. You must mind the one taking care of you, but she's not your mama." Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent nine years of her life in fourteen different foster homes, living by those words. As her mother spirals out of control, Ashley is left clinging to an unpredictable, dissolving relationship, all the while getting pulled deeper and deeper into the foster care system.Painful memories of being taken away from her home quickly become consumed by real-life horrors, where Ashley is juggled between caseworkers, shuffled from school to school, and forced to endure manipulative,humiliating treatment from a very abusive foster family. In this inspiring, unforgettable memoir, Ashley finds the courage to succeed - and in doing so, discovers the power of her own voice.

Thoreau at Walden

Title: Thoreau at Walden Written by: John Porcellino Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

 

Summary: "I am convinced, both by faith and experience, that to maintain one's self on this earth is not a hardship, but a pastime, if we will live simply and wisely." So said Henry David Thoreau in 1845 when he began his famous experiment in living on Walden Pond. In this graphic masterpiece, John Porcellino uses only the words of Thoreau himself to tell the story of those two years off the beaten track. The pared-down text focuses on Thoreau's most profound ideas, and Porcellino's fresh, simple pictures bring the philosopher's sojourn at Walden to cinematic life. For readers who know Walden intimately, this graphic treatment will provide a vivid new interpretation of Thoreau's story. For those who have never read (or never completed!) the original, it presents a contemporary look at a few brave words to live by.

Before Their Time: The World of Child Labor

Title: Before Their Time: The World of Child Labor Written by: David Parker Publisher: Quantuck Lane

 

Summary: Although numerous international treaties and organizations work tirelessly to improve conditions for children, there are still 320 million children under the age of sixteen working around the world-150 million of those in the most harmful industries, such as prostitution and forced military service. This is their story, in words and photographs.Physician and photographer David L. Parker takes us beyond the headlines and into the textile factories, stone quarries, and garbage dumps where children are forced-by unscrupulous adults or by lack of any other economic opportunity-into the desperate cycle of child labor. His haunting and sensitive portrayal of these children preserves their dignity and humanity while exposing their often tragic circumstances.The hazards of harsh working conditions are visited exponentially on still-growing bodies and minds, whether they are cleaning elephant stables in India, picking cotton in Turkey, or extracting gold from Nicaraguan mines. Mercury used in mining causes brain damage; stone dust destroys young lungs; circus contortions cause serious muscular harm. But even beyond the disastrous physical consequences of child labor, simply having to work means that children are deprived of the education, nurturing, and socialization that are the necessary foundations of lasting health, development, and progress.Dr. Parker's riveting portraits of children continues in the brave documentary tradition of Lewis Hine, Milton Rogovin, and Sebastião Salgado, who have contributed to the legal and humanitarian advances of previous generations. We can only hope, as Hine said in the early twentieth century, that one day soon heartbreaking images like these will simply be "records of the past." Until then, Before Their Time is an essential call to action. 135 duotone photographs.

Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs

Title: Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs Written by: Rachel Fershleiser Publisher: Harper

 

Summary: Deceptively simple and surprisingly addictive, Not Quite What I Was Planning is a thousand glimpses of humanity-six words at a time.When Ernest Hemingway famously wrote, "For Sale: baby shoes, never worn," he proved that an entire story can be told using a half-dozen words. When the online storytelling magazine SMITH asked readers to submit six-word memoirs, they proved a whole, real life can be told this way, too. The results are fascinating, hilarious, shocking, and moving.From small sagas of bittersweet romance ("Found true love, married someone else") to proud achievements and stinging regrets ("After Harvard, had baby with crackhead"), these terse true tales relate the diversity of human experience in tasty bite-size pieces.The original edition of Not Quite What I Was Planning spent six weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and thanks to massive media attention-from NPR to the The New Yorker-the six-word memoir concept spread to classrooms, dinner tables, churches, synagogues, and tens of thousands of blogs. This deluxe edition has been revised and expanded to include more than sixty never-before-seen memoirs.From authors Elizabeth Gilbert, Richard Ford, and Joyce Carol Oates to celebrities Stephen Colbert, Mario Batali, and Joan Rivers to ordinary folks around the world, everyone has a six-word story to tell.

The Real Benedict Arnold

Title: The Real Benedict Arnold Written by: Jim Murphy Publisher: Clarion Books

 

Summary: Every account of the American Revolution mentions Benedict Arnold and brands him-correctly-as a traitor. There's no question that Arnold, an American army officer, switched his loyalty to the British side. Over the years, however, historians, partisans, and gossips have added to Arnold's unsavory reputation by distorting, embroidering, or simply ignoring factual details. In this informed and thoughtful account, Jim Murphy goes in search of the real man behind the "traitor" label, rumors, and folktales that became part of the Benedict Arnold legend. Drawing on Arnold's few surviving writings and on the letters, memoirs, and political documents of his contemporaries, Murphy builds a fascinating portrait of a brilliant man, consistently undervalued by his peers, who made a choice that continues to reverberate through American history. Dramatic accounts of crucial battles and political maneuvers round out this lively biography of a patriot who could have been a hero.

The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse

Title: The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse Written by: Patrick Lewis Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books

 

Summary: The wonderful wordplay of J. Patrick Lewis breathes new life into the speeches of Lincoln, the letters of Grant and Lee, and the moving human drama of our country's Civil War. Lewis' poignant poetry gives young readers a vivid insight into the brutal conflict that tore America apart. The author draws on primary-source books and articles to inspire each poem, bringing the ordinary and extraordinary voices of the Civil War to light. The book also includes a note from the Photo Editor on the authentic period images used throughout. Readers experience history directly as it was lived by Americans in the 1860s.

Pitch Black

Title: Pitch Black Written by: Youme Landowne Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press

 

Summary: "[Landowne and Horton] collaborate here to bring Horton's story of perseverance and hope to print, and the fluid black-and-white sequential panels tell it well. The horrors attendant on homelessness are not sugarcoated, and the language is as raw and gritty as one might expect. Powerful."-Kirkus ReviewsOn the subway, do ever notice that people are always looking, but they only see what they want to? Things can be sitting right in front of them and still they can't see it.That's your guide Anthony speaking. He'll show you how he lives in the tunnels underneath the New York City subway system-that is, if you'll let him. Which is exactly what Youme decided she would do one afternoon when she and Anthony began a conversation in the subway about art. It turns out that both Youme and Anthony Horton are artists. While part of Youme's art is listening long and hard to the stories of the people she meets, part of Anthony's is making art out of what most people won't even look at. Thus began a unique collaboration and conversation between these two artists over the next year, which culminated in Anthony's biography, the graphic novel Pitch Black. With art and words from both of them, they map out Anthony's world-a tough one from many perspectives, startling and undoing from others, but from Anthony's point of view, a life lived as art.

Peace: The Biography of a Symbol

Title: Peace: The Biography of a Symbol Written by: Ken Kolsbun Publisher: National Geographic

 

Summary: As the boomer generation moves onward through the milestones of life, 1960s nostalgia holds tremendous meaning today. And nothing more eloquently symbolizes the counterculture era than the peace sign. How did this simple sketch become so powerful an image? Peace: The Biography of a Symbol tells the surprising story of the sign in words and pictures, from its origins in the nuclear disarmament efforts of the late 1950s to its adoption by the antiwar movement of the 1960s, through its stint as a mass-marketed commodity and its enduring relevance now.As the symbol's popularity blossomed, so did an entire generation, and author Ken Kolsbun's expertly selected images-from his own collections as well as a variety of historical archives-illustrate both the sign itself and the larger history that it helped to shape. Along the way, the book recounts the controversy inspired by the peace symbol, bringing to light several trials that challenged its very existence. Drawing on exclusive archival interviews with Gerald Holtom, the late creator of the symbol, Peace recounts its birth and goes on to build a historic portrait using both iconic and rarely seen photographs.With guaranteed appeal for audiences who flocked to Hippie several years ago, Peace will also capture fans of symbology, art, and history-and will pose an interesting counterpoint to the 2008 election. The compact trim size and low price point will help to position Peace as both affordable gift and easy impulse purchase.

The Bite of the Mango

Title: The Bite of the Mango Written by: Mariatu Kamara Publisher: Annick Press

 

Summary: The astounding story of one girl's journey from war victim to UNICEF Special Representative.As a child in a small rural village in Sierra Leone, Mariatu Kamara lived peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Rumors of rebel attacks were no more than a distant worry.But when 12-year-old Mariatu set out for a neighboring village, she never arrived. Heavily armed rebel soldiers, many no older than children themselves, attacked and tortured Mariatu. During this brutal act of senseless violence they cut off both her hands.Stumbling through the countryside, Mariatu miraculously survived. The sweet taste of a mango, her first food after the attack, reaffirmed her desire to live, but the challenge of clutching the fruit in her bloodied arms reinforced the grim new reality that stood before her. With no parents or living adult to support her and living in a refugee camp, she turned to begging in the streets of Freetown.In this gripping and heartbreaking true story, Mariatu shares with readers the details of the brutal attack, its aftermath and her eventual arrival in Toronto. There she began to pull together the pieces of her broken life with courage, astonishing resilience and hope.

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom

Title: The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom Written by: Margarita Engle Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

 

Summary: It is 1896. Cuba has fought three wars for independence and still is not tree. People have been rounded up in reconcentration camps with too little food and too much illness. Rosa is a nurse, but she dares not go to the camps. So she turns hidden caves into hospitals for those who know how to find her.Black, white, Cuban, Spanish-Rosa does her best for everyone. Yet who can heal a country so torn apart by war? Acclaimed poet Margarita Engle has created another breathtaking portrait of Cuba.

My Letter to the World and Other Poems

Title: My Letter to the World and Other Poems Written by: Emily Dickinson Publisher: Kids Can Press, Ltd.

 

Summary: Visions in Poetry is an innovative and award-winning series of classic poems reinterpreted for today's readers by outstanding contemporary artists in distinctively beautiful editions. This is My Letter to the World and Other Poems by Emily Dickinson is brilliantly illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. The artist's interpretation displays a rich understanding of Dickinson's poetry, which is known for its economy, unexpected imagery and hauntingly personal point of view.Arsenault has created a subtle meditation on Dickinson's life and its intersection with her verse. In the dream-like illustrations, the poet - sometimes serene, often sad and always enigmatic - is an omnipresent figure in her ghostly white dress. Dickinson's 'letters,' the words she left to the world, have found their ideal visual complement.

It's Complicated: The American Teenager

Title: It's Complicated: The American Teenager Written by: Robin Bowman Publisher: Umbrage

 

Summary: Robin Bowman's five-year journey into the heart of teenage America created a series of 414 "collaborative portraits," wherein she shares her discoveries of a generation now coming of age. In searing and intimate photographs, presented alongside the young people's voices of passion, pride, embarrassment, lust, pain, bewilderment, anxiety, joy, uncertainty, and rage, the book charts the coming of age of the largest generation in America-77 million strong-in every region of the country and every socioeconomic group: from a Texas debutante to teenage gang members in New York City, from a drag queen in Georgia to a coal miner in West Virginia.Bowman's intimate photographs ask us to reconcile preconceived ideas and stereotypes of teenagers with the diversity of individuals in the portraits. This book and the traveling exhibition it accompanies are about the inside lives of these kids and how they see their reality in their own voices.Robin Bowman, a 2005 W. Eugene Smith Memorial fellow, is a photojournalist based in Portland, Maine.

What It Is

Title: What It Is Written by: Lynda Barry Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly

 

Summary: How do objects summon memories? What do real images feel like? For decades, these types of questions have permeated the pages of Lynda Barry's compositions, with words attracting pictures and conjuring places through a pen that first and foremost keeps on moving. What It Is demonstrates a tried-and-true creative method that is playful, powerful, and accessible to anyone with an inquisitive wish to write or to remember. Composed of completely new material, each page of Barry's first Drawn & Quarterly book is a full-color collage that is not only a gentle guide to this process but an invigorating example of exactly what it is: "The ordinary is extraordinary."

Race: A History Beyond Black and White

Title: Race: A History Beyond Black and White Written by: Marc Aronson Publisher: Ginee Seo Books

 

Summary: Race. You know it at a glance: he's black; she's white. They're Asian; we're Latino.Racism. I'm better; she's worse. Those people do those kinds of things.We all know it's wrong to make these judgments, but they come faster than thought.Why? Where did those feelings come from? Why are they so powerful? Why have millions been enslaved, murdered, denied their rights because of the color of their skin, the shape of their eyes?Acclaimed young-adult historian Marc Aronson tackles these and other questions in this astounding book, which traces the history of racial prejudice in Western culture back to ancient Sumer and beyond. He shows us Greeks dividing the world into civilized and barbarian, medieval men writing about the traits of monstrous men, until, finally, Enlightenment scientists scrap all those mythologies and come up with a new one: charts spelling out the traits of human races.Aronson's journey of discovery yields many surprising discoveries. For instance, throughout most of human history, slavery had nothing to do with race. In fact, the idea of race itself did not exist in the West before the 1600s. But once the idea was established and backed up by "scientific" theory, its influence grew with devastating consequences, from the appalling lynchings in the American South to the catastrophe known as the Holocaust in Europe.With one hundred images, this is a dynamic, thought-provoking work-history as quest, written as only Marc Aronson could do it.