Review: Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell

Josephine by Patricia Hruby Powell

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker
Patricia Hruby Powell
Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Chronicle Books
Published December 1, 2013

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About Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker

In exuberant verse and stirring pictures, Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson create an extraordinary portrait for young people of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate Josephine Baker, the woman who worked her way from the slums of St. Louis to the grandest stages in the world. Meticulously researched by both author and artist, Josephine’s powerful story of struggle and triumph is an inspiration and a spectacle, just like the legend herself.

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Review: The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz by Jeremy Dronfield

The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz

The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz: A True Story Retold for Young Readers
Jeremy Dronfield
Quill Tree Books
Published January 17, 2023

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About The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz: A True Story Retold for Young Readers

In 1939, Gustav Kleinmann, a Jewish upholster from Vienna, and his sixteen-year-old son Fritz are arrested by the Gestapo and sent to Germany. Imprisoned in the Buchenwald concentration camp, they miraculously survive the Nazis’ murderous brutality.

Then Gustav learns he is being sent to Auschwitz–and certain death.

For Fritz, letting his father go is unthinkable. Desperate to remain together, Fritz makes an incredible choice: he insists he … Continue reading

Review: Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg PhD and Deepak Chopra

Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg

Nonviolent Communication
Marshall B. Rosenberg PhD and Deepak Chopra
Puddledancer Press
Published September 1, 2015

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About Nonviolent Communication

An enlightening look at how peaceful communication can create compassionate connections with family, friends, and other acquaintances, this international bestseller uses stories, examples, and sample dialogues to provide solutions to communication problems both at home and in the workplace. Guidance is provided on identifying and articulating feelings and needs, expressing anger fully, and exploring the power of empathy in order to speak honestly without creating hostility, break patterns of thinking that lead to anger and depression, and communicate compassionately. Included in the new … Continue reading

Review: More Awesome Asian Americans by Phil Amara and Oliver Chin

More Awesome Asian Americans: 20 Citizens Energizing America by Phil Amara and Oliver Chin

More Awesome Asian Americans: 20 Citizens who Energized America
Phil Amara and Oliver Chin
Illustrated by Juan Calle
Immedium
Published December 20, 2022

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About More Awesome Asian Americans

The sequel to the popular Awesome Asian Americans! Learn about 20 more trailblazers who have enriched the USA across a spectrum of occupations and interests.

These profiles of talented individuals are dynamically illustrated in full color. These diverse men and women will inspire the next generation to pursue their passions and make a difference.

Immigrants continue to enrich America. Learn key chapters of U.S. history … Continue reading

Review: 5-Minute Devotions for Teens by Laura L. Smith

5-Minute Devotions for Teens by Laura L. Smith

5-Minute Devotions for Teens: A Guide to God and Mental Health
Laura L. Smith
Zonderkidz
Published December 6, 2022

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About 5-Minute Devotions for Teens

5-Minute Devotions for Teens: A Guide to God and Mental Health removes the stigma on mental health and advises Christian teens what they can do when they are depressed and anxious. Scattered throughout the book are tips to help teens maintain good mental health practices such as meditation, disconnecting from social media and technology, saying affirmations, and much more.

Each day includes a Scripture verse, short devotional, and a prayer or prompt.

This 100-day devotional will help teens 13 to … Continue reading

Review: Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt
Adapted by Monique Gray Smith
Zest Books
Published November 1, 2022

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About Braiding Sweetgrass

Drawing from her experiences as an Indigenous scientist, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer demonstrated how all living things–from strawberries and witch hazel to water lilies and lichen–provide us with gifts and lessons every day in her best-selling book BRAIDING SWEETGRASS. Adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith, this new edition reinforces how wider ecological understanding stems from listening to the earth’s oldest teachers: the plants around us.

With informative sidebars, reflection questions, and art from illustrator Nicole Neidhardt, BRAIDING SWEETGRASS FOR YOUNG ADULTS brings Indigenous … Continue reading