News & Articles

Call of Duty: Vince Zampella, Grant Collier, and Jason West by Jennifer Culp tells the story of the Call of Duty Video Game franchise. Vince Zampella, Grant Collier, and Jason West wanted to revolutionize the video game industry through high-quality graphics, realistic characters, and in-depth plots. They succeeded in their mission, but left a legal mess in their wake. The legal mess resulted from the creators’ decision to operate under Activision but determination to work on their own.

Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz tells the story of Jasmine, an overachieving young individual with dreams of obtaining the National Scholarship; when this becomes a reality, however, she finds out that her parents are undocumented immigrants (illegal, so to speak). Jasmine realizes that all her hard work was for nothing, and her parents, who regret not having told her earlier, are already packing their bags for the event that they get deported.

Pythagoras: Mathematician and Mystic by Dimitra Karamanides and Louis C. Coakley tells the life story of Pythagoras, an Ancient Greek philosopher most known for his Pythagorean Theorem. He was born on the wealthy island of Samos but traveled far and wide in order to acquire the knowledge of numerous ancient civilizations. When he returned to Greece, he wanted to set up a school there, but many people resisted his ideas. As a result, he traveled to Croton to set up a school. The school was shrouded in mystery and obtained more influence over time on the local government.

Forensic Science: In Pursuit of Justice by L. E. Carmichael details the history of forensic science, describes recent advancements in the industry, and presents an eye-opening view as to where the field may be going in the future. Numerous sidebars within the book provide brief biographies of the people who made forensic science possible, while beautifully written captions beneath each illustration accurately explain what is going on. This book is intended to introduce individuals to the concept; thus, it may not be as comprehensive.

D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy, 1944 [The Young Readers Adaptation] by Rick Atkinson tells the story of Operation Overlord. This was the largest military attempt to push back Nazi Germany during World War II. As readers might have guessed, months of planning formed the core of the plan, and soldiers who survived mainly on pre-rationed foods carried out the plan. Women played a significant role, too, as they were often pushed to enter jobs that had previously been held by men. At the last minute, the offensive was postponed due to bad weather.

All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely  All American Boys is several years old but it's as timely as ever. Reynolds narrates Rashad, a black teen who gets mistaken as a shoplifter at the corner bodega. Kiely narrates Quinn, the white friend (and a witness to the incident) of the cop, who beats up and arrests Rashad.

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The New David Espinoza, by Fred Aceves