The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Phillip Hoose

Location: Denmark

 

Awards: Sibert Informational Book Honor 2016

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler is an exhilarating tale of how Danish boys fought back against Hitler and the Nazis that wanted to take over their small hometown. The book offers a true account of Knud Pedersen and his involvement with the Churchill Club.  The story tells about how the club became and what their rules and acts of sabotage were.  We even learn about what happens to the boys after they have been caught.  The author combines Knud’s memories and his description effortlessly to allow young readers and insight that they do not have to give in without a fight.  See teens like you standing up for their beliefs and changing the world!

And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

Location: Amhearst, Massachusetts

 

Awards: Printz Honor Book 2015

Emily moves into a boarding school in Amherst, Massachusetts, where the famous poet Emily Dickinson was raised.  Through her poetry, Emily struggles to contain a plethora of emotions--anger, guilt, relief, sadness, and fleeting moments of joy.  The combination of narratives and poetry will capture your attention.  Take a trip to Massachusetts with this great quick read!

 

The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley

Location: Ireland

 

Awards: 2015 Printz Honor Winner, ALA 2015 Top Ten BFYA, William C. Morris Award Finalist, Kirkus Reviews' Best YA Book

 

Love music and enjoy a little romance peppered with adventure in your reading?  This book is for you!  Sixteen year old Maggie lives in Chicago with her mother and 10 year old sister.  Her grandmother and her cool uncle Kevin live in the apartment upstairs.  All that changes when her mother falls in love with Colm and the family moves to Bray, Ireland.  There, Maggie struggles to make friends and adjust to a new country and community, while profoundly missing her uncle and grandmother.  Enjoy the mystery, lyricism and beauty of this fun read!

The Carnival At Bray from jessieannfoley on 8tracks Radio.

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

Location: Antarctica

 

Awards: Michael L. Printz Award 2008

Get ready for a wild adventure in formidable Antarctica with The White Darkness.  14 year old Symone steals away with her Uncle Victor to the desolate white of the land of ice.  She finds herself on a perilous expedition and must rely on her inner strength. Revel in the suspense and beauty of this thrilling book!

The Boy Who Helped Harness the Wind by William Kamkwamba

Location: Malawi, in Southern Africa

 

Awards: Teachers' Choices,2013 International Reading Association, Kirkus Book Award, 2015 Nominee, Nautilus Book Award, 2010 Gold 

Growing up in Malawi (in Southern Africa), William Kamkwamba faces daily hardships of poverty and famine that are widespread in his rural community.  Unable to afford to continue to go to school, the 14 year old collects discarded junk and begins trying to build a windmill.  This powerful biography inspires us to examine our world and, like Kamkwamba, use our creativity to solve the problems we find.

TED Talk by William Kamkwamba

Kamkwamba, W. (July 2009). How I harnessed the wind. TedTalk Global. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/william_kamkwamba_how_i_harnessed_the_wind?language=en