News & Articles

Attucks!: Oscar Robertson and the Basketball Team That Awakened a City by Phillip M. Hoose tells the story of the basketball team at Crispus Attucks High School in Indiana. While the school was originally intended to segregate African American students from their Western counterparts, ten promising athletes on the basketball team went on, despite all odds, to compete in the state tournament of Indiana. They shattered previous records and rose to fame instantly; their fame was so great that coaches from other schools began taking in African American basketball players.

The book begins after the Hunger Games which takes place in the second book in the series (Catching Fire). Katniss Everdeen, the book’s main character, is in district thirteen (led by President Coin) which is now the base that is underground for the rebellion against the Capital and President Snow. Katniss and the others including her sister Prim, her mom, and Gale, Katniss’ hunting partner, and friend take classes and try to better themselves for the rebellion. However, Peeta Mellark, who was the co-Hunger Games winner with Katniss was captured after the games by the capital.

Left Out by Tim Green is a realistic fiction novel about a new kid moving into a new school with cochlear implants. The kid’s name is Landon Dorch, he is in the seventh grade, and he is one of the tallest and biggest kids in his grade, so he joins the football team. However, the kids on the team make him feel unwanted because of his hearing problems. He also has little to no football knowledge and doesn’t play in the games. Then, he makes a surprising friend named Brett.

VIRAL: The Fight Against AIDS in America by Ann Bausum tells the story of the decades-long struggle for AIDS recognition in America. The AIDS pandemic started in the mid-1970s, mostly among gay men. As the pandemic became more widespread, individuals realized the devastating nature of the disease. Individuals who were once healthy would be reduced to skin and bones in a matter of months, if not weeks. The federal government offered little to no help; federal funding was not allocated to AIDS research.

Malcolm X: Fighting for Human Rights by Jeff Burlingame tells the life story of Malcolm X, an African-American whose family was frequently harassed by the Ku Klux Klan during his childhood. Malcolm knew this harassment was unfair and began to channel his anger and resentment into systematic activism. His father was killed in 1931, so Malcolm had to quit school to help his family. Eventually, he was able to live in Boston with the help of his sister, but he spent a significant amount of time in prison for street crime.

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.

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.