West Bend Library Young Adult Page

West Bend Community Memorial Library

Get Real! Autobiographies & Biographies
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Radioactive Boy Scout: The True Story of a Boy and his Backyard Nuclear Reactor by Ken Silverstein - Growing up in suburban Detroit, David Hahn was fascinated by science, and his basement experiments - building homemade fireworks, brewing moonshine, and concocting his own self-tanning lotion - were more ambitious than those of other boys. While working on his Atomic Energy badge for the Boy Scouts, David's obsessive attention turned to nuclear energy. Throwing caution to the wind, he plunged into a new project: building a nuclear breeder reactor in his backyard garden shed. In The Radioactive Boy Scout, veteran journalist Ken Silverstein re-creates in brilliant detail the months of David's improbable nuclear quest. Posing as a physics professor, David solicited information on reactor design from the U.S. government and from industry experts. (Ironically, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was his number one source of information.) Scavenging antiques stores and junkyards for old-fashioned smoke detectors and gas lanterns - both of which contain small amounts of radioactive material - and following blueprints he found in an outdated physics textbook, David cobbled together a crude device that threw off toxic levels of radiation. His unsanctioned and wholly unsupervised project finally sparked an environmental catastrophe that put his town's forty thousand residents at risk and caused the EPA to shut down his lab and bury it at a radioactive dumpsite in Utah.

Wish You Were Here: Unofficial Biography of Douglas Adams by Nick Adams - It all started when Douglas Adams demolished planet Earth in order to make way for an intergalactic expressway-and then invited everyone to thumb a ride on a comical cosmic road trip in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Adams made the universe a much funnier place to inhabit and forever changed the way we think about towels, extraterrestrial poetry, and especially the number 42. And then, too soon, he was gone.

Lucky Child by Loung Ung - When Loung Ung came to America in 1980 as a ten-year-old Cambodian refugee, she had already survived years of hunger, violence, and loss at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, a story she told in her critically acclaimed bestseller, First They Killed My Father. Now, in Lucky Child, Ung writes of assimilation and, in alternating chapters, gives voice to a genocide survivor she left behind in rural Cambodia, her older sister Chou.Loung was the lucky child, the sibling Eldest Brother chose to take with him to America. The youngest and the scrappiest, she was the one he believed had the best chance of making it. Just two years apart, Chou and Loung had bonded deeply over the deaths of their parents and sisters. As they stood holding hands in their dusty village while the extended family gathered to say good-bye, they never imagined that fifteen years would pass before they would be reunited again.With candor and enormous flair, Ung describes what it is like to survive in a new culture while surmounting dogged memories of genocide and the deep scars of war. Not only must she learn about Disney characters and Christmas trees to fit in with her classmates, she must also come to understand life in a nation of peace: that the Fourth of July fireworks are not bombs and that she doesn't have to hide food in her bed every night to make sure she has enough to eat. Her spunk, intelligence, and charisma win out, but Cambodia and Chou are always in her thoughts.An accomplished activist and writer, Ung has now returned to Cambodia many times, and in this recreation of Chou's life, she writes the story that so easily could have been hers. Both redemptive and searing, Lucky Child highlights the harsh realities of chance and circumstance and celebrates the indomitability of the human spirit.

Come Back to Afghanistan by Said Hyder Akbar - The intimate and riveting chronicle of an extraordinarily courageous Afghan-American teenager coming of age in post-9/11 Afghanistan.
Building on two acclaimed radio documentaries aired on This American Life, Hyder Akbar tells how his ordinary suburban California life was turned upside-down after 9/11. Hyder's father, a scion of an Afghan political family, sold his business—a hip-hop clothing store in Oakland—and left for Afghanistan, where he became President Hamid Karzai's chief spokesman and later, the governor of Kunar, a rural province. Obsessed since youth with a country he had never even visited, seventeen-year-old Hyder convinced his father to let him join him on three successive summers. Working alongside his father at the presidential palace and in Kunar has given Hyder a rare front-row seat at the creation of democratic government in Afghanistan. In Come Back to Afghanistan, Hyder interweaves his personal journey—a teenager struggling with his identity in his parents' homeland—with a dramatic behind-the-scenes account of political and civilian life in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Uncommonly wise and insightful, Hyder travels from palaces to prisons and from Kabul to the borderlands, revealing Afghanistan as readers have never seen or understood it before.

O by Omarion - Former B2K star Omari Grandberry chronicles all that happened within the group, from day one until its breakup. Omari also shares with fans a more personal side, including his likes and dislikes, what's important in relationships, his spiritual foundation, and some general opinions on the world at large.

Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres - Scheeres' unflinching memoir chronicles life in rural Indiana with her disciplinarian father, fundamentalist mother, and adopted African American brother. Each child finds a way to survive, with very different endings.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls - This empowering memoir recounts the strength and creativity of the Walls children as they overcome the poverty and social challenges their parents brought upon them.

The Greatest: Muhammad Ali by Walter Dean Myers - Award-winning author Walter Dean Myers presents the amazing story of Muhammad Ali¹s childhood, his rise as a champion, his politics, and his battles against Parkinson¹s disease. Packed with dramatic black-and-white photos, this critically acclaimed biography is the perfect choice for both young adult sports fans and fans of Walter Dean Myers in general.

Lebron James: the Rise of a Star by David Lee Morgan - He has been called the best high school basketball player ever. He made the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior, was featured on national television, and signed more than $100 million in promotional contracts before the end of his senior year. He became the no-doubt-about-it No. 1 pick in the NBA draft right after high school graduation. Why the big fuss over LeBron James? The odds were against him from the start. Born in poverty to a 16-year-old single mom, without a stable home for the first decade of his life, LeBron could have become just one more scarred product of a rough childhood in the projects. Instead, he became the darling of the sports world—and he plays the part well. Sportswriter David Lee Morgan, Jr. covered the phenomenon for the Akron Beacon Journal and had frequent access to LeBron and his family, coaches, teammates and best friends. He witnessed firsthand the exceptional plays on the basketball court. But he also saw LeBron develop the surprising poise with which he handled the pressure, the scrutiny and criticism, that arrived with the early onset of fame—as a circus-like atmosphere descended on this talented kid and his small parochial school in Akron, Ohio. In this book, Morgan gives an inside look at the rise of basketball’s hottest prospect, poised at the brink of superstardom. It’s a story for any fan who wants to get to know LeBron better, and for anyone curious about how a high-school basketball phenomenon is made.

From Pieces to Weight by 50Cent - Featuring unpublished poetry and lyrics taken directly from his journals and scrapbooks, as well as behind-the-scenes photos taken by 50 Cent himself, this is an unprecedented look into the world of one of the most talked about artists in popular music today.

Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood by Koren Zailckas - From earliest experimentation to full-blown abuse, 24-year-old Zailckas leads readers through her experience of binge drinking in this vivid cautionary tale.

When I was a Soldier by Valerie Zenatti - What is it like to be a young woman in a war? At a time when Israel is in the news every day and politics in the Middle East are as complex as ever before, this story of one girl's experience in the Israeli national army is both topical and fascinating. Valerie begins her story as she finishes her exams, breaks up with her boyfriend, and leaves for service with the Israeli army. Nothing has prepared her for the strict routines, grueling marches, poor food, lack of sleep and privacy, or crushing of initiative that she now faces. But this harsh life has excitement, too, such as working in a spy center near Jerusalem and listening in on Jordanian pilots. Offering a glimpse into the life of a typical Israeli teen, even as it lays bare the relentless nature of war, Valerie's story is one young readers will have a hard time forgetting.

Fire on Ice by Sasha Cohen - Sasha's own story -- on and off the ice Champion figure skater Sasha Cohen captured the world's attention with her exquisite spiral and outstanding layback spin at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Today she is the reigning queen of winter's most competitive sport and the most serious contender for the gold medal in 2006. For the first time, Sasha tells her amazing story, in her own words, including: Her discovery of ice skating at age 7 and the coaches who trained her Her comeback from the injury that almost ended her career The crushing lows and miracle wins This is the official autobiography of the world's most captivating skater, on and off the ice.

Teen Angst? Naaah by Ned Vizzini - The events in these stories are real. Some names have been changed so I don't get yelled at. Ned Vizzini writes about the weird, funny, and sometimes mortifying moments that made up his teen years. With wit, irony, and honesty, Teen Angst? Naaah . . . invites you into his world of school, parents, street people, rock bands, friends, fame, camp, sex (sort of), Cancun (almost), prom, beer, Nintendo, the cool (and almost cool), and more. A Holden Caulfield for Generation Y, Ned Vizzini is an original voice to be reckoned with, read, and enjoyed.

Hanging out with the Dream King by Joseph McCabe - Gaiman is one of the most successful and versatile writers working today, but there has not yet been a single major nonfiction book covering his entire creative output--until now. McCabe presents a thorough look at Gaiman's work not only through his eyes, but through the eyes of his many collaborators.

My Bloody Life by Reymundo Sanchez - In My Bloody Life, Reymundo Sanchez tells a chillingly sad tale, from his birth in the back of a pickup truck in Puerto Rico to the day he quit the Latin Kings gang, 21 years later. From the first page, his narrative is unpretentious, disarmingly honest, and horrifyingly riveting. His early years were so full of pain and abuse that by the time he opts, at age 11, to hang out with the local gang, the Latin Kings, it seems a perfectly logical choice. Any violence that went with the territory couldn't match the atmosphere of brutality that permeated his own home. Sanchez was a Latin King for six years and participated in innumerable bloody gang battles--years rife with sex, drugs, booze, and acts of gang revenge. He finally got up his pluck to leave, but admits in his conclusion that life since then has, in some ways, been even harder. Check out the Sequel: Once a King Always a King

Shadow Life by Barry Denenberg - Denenberg presents the complete story of Anne Frank and her family's life, from Frankfurt, Germany, where Anne and Margot were born before the war, up through to their murders at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. When the Franks leave Frankfurt for Amsterdam, they are hoping to find a place where they can resume a normal life, but instead, the family's freedoms are taken away bit by bit. But it is when they see that other Jews are being taken away, and sent to so-called labor camps that the Franks realize they have no choice but to go into hiding; they live in fear for 2 years.

Little Green by Chun Yu - In China in 1966, Chun Yu was born as the Great Cultural Revolution began under Chairman Mao. Here, she recalls her childhood as a witness to a country in turmoil and struggle--the only life she knew.

Burned Alive by Souad - When Souad was seventeen she fell in love. In her West Bank village, as in so many other villages, sex before marriage is considered a grave dishonor to one's family and is punishable by death. This was her crime. Her brother-in-law was given the task of meting out her punishment. One morning while Souad was washing the family's clothes, he poured gasoline over her and set her on fire. In the eyes of the community he was a hero. An execution for a "crime of honor" is a duty, and Souad's brother-in-law had the full support of her parents. Miraculously she survived, rescued by women of her village, who put out the flames and took her to a local hospital. Horribly burned over ninety percent of her body and still denounced by her family - who strived to "finish the job" even as she lay suffering in the clinic - Souad was able to receive the care she needed only after the intervention of a European aid worker. Now in permanent exile from her homeland, she has decided to tell her story and reveal the barbarity of a practice that continues to this day. More than five thousand honor killings are reported every year; many more go unreported. Burned Alive is both the testimony of one young woman's resolve to survive and build a new life - and a call to action to end a heinous tradition.

Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton - Readers may not recall the name Bethany Hamilton, but after a glance at the cover photo, they'll recognize her as the girl who lost her arm to a shark while surfing. Hamilton tells her own story. It begins with the moment a giant white shark chomps off her arm. She then goes back to discuss the events leading up to the attack and to describe what her life was like before the tragedy--home-schooling in a strong Christian household and lots of competitive surfing.

Journey from the Land of No by Roya Hakakian - In Journey from the Land of No Roya Hakakian recalls her childhood and adolescence in pre-Revolutionary Iran. The result is a coming-of-age story about one deeply intelligent and perceptive girl's attempt to find an authentic voice of her own at a time of cultural closing and repression. She manages to re-create a time and place dominated by religious fanaticism, violence, and fear with an open heart and often with great humor. Hakakian was twelve years old in 1979 when the revolution swept through Tehran. The daughter of an esteemed poet, she grew up in a household that hummed with intellectual life. But the Hakakians were also part of the very small Jewish population in Iran who witnessed the iron fist of the Islamic fundamentalists increasingly tightening its grip. It is with the innocent confusion of youth that Roya describes her discovery of a swastika - "a plus sign gone awry, a dark reptile with four hungry claws" - painted on the wall near her home. As a schoolgirl she watched as friends accused of reading blasphemous books were escorted from class by Islamic Society guards, never to return. Only much later did Roya learn that she was spared a similar fate because her teacher admired her writing. Hakakian relates in the most poignant, and at times painful, ways what life was like for women after the country fell into the hands of Islamic fundamentalists who had declared an insidious war against them, but we see it all through the eyes of a strong, youthful optimist who somehow came up in the world believing that she was different, knowing she was special. At her loneliest, Roya discovers the consolations of writing while sitting on the rooftop of her house late at night. And she discovers the craft that would ultimately enable her to find her own voice and become her own person.

Annie's Baby edited by Beatrice Sparks Ph.D - When Annie discovers she's pregnant by her boyfriend, she's devastated. She has never felt so alone. With no one she can talk to, she pours her heart out to her diary, confiding her feelings of panic, self-doubt, and the desperate hope that some day she can turn her life around. She decides she wants to keep her baby and dreams of loving and caring for this little person. But after the baby is born, it's in her diary that she faces the agonizing question: Can she really raise this child on her own?

The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon - Brent Runyon was 14 years old when he set himself on fire. This is a true story. In The Burn Journals, Runyon describes that devastating suicide attempt and his recovery over the following year. He takes us into the Burn Unit in a children’s hospital and through painful burn care and skin-grafting procedures. Then to a rehabilitation hospital, for intensive physical, occupational, and psychological therapy. And then finally back home, to the frightening prospect of entering high school. But more importantly, Runyon takes us into his own mind. He shares his thoughts and hopes and fears with such unflinching honesty that we understand—with a terrible clarity—what it means to want to kill yourself and how it feels to struggle back toward normality. Intense, exposed, insightful, The Burn Journals is a deeply personal story with universal reach. It is impossible to look away. Impossible to remain unmoved. This truly riveting memoir is a spectacular debut for a talented new writer.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston - One of the most extraordinary survival stories ever told -- Aron Ralston's searing account of his six days trapped in one of the most remote spots in America, and how one inspired act of bravery brought him home. It started out as a simple hike in the Utah canyonlands on a warm Saturday afternoon. For Aron Ralston, a twenty-seven-year-old mountaineer and outdoorsman, a walk into the remote Blue John Canyon was a chance to get a break from a winter of solo climbing Colorado's highest and toughest peaks. It was 2:41 P.M. Eight miles from his truck, in a deep and narrow slot canyon, Aron was climbing down off a wedged boulder when the rock suddenly, and terrifyingly, came loose. Before he could get out of the way, the falling stone pinned his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall. And so began six days of hell for Aron Ralston. With scant water and little food, no jacket for the painfully cold nights, and the terrible knowledge that he'd told no one where he was headed, he found himself facing a lingering death -- trapped by an 800-pound boulder 100 feet down in the bottom of a canyon. As he eliminated his escape options one by one through the days, Aron faced the full horror of his predicament: By the time any possible search and rescue effort would begin, he'd most probably have died of dehydration, if a flash flood didn't drown him before that. What does one do in the face of almost certain death? A divine inspiration on Thursday morning solved the riddle of the boulder. Aron then committed the most extreme act imaginable to save himself.

Thura's Diary: My Life in Wartime Iraq by Thura Al-Windawi - Nineteen-year-old Thura al-Windawi kept a diary during the conflict in Iraq, saying that it was her way of "controlling the chaos." The diary, which documents the days leading up to the bombings, the war itself, and the lawless aftermath, puts a personal face on life in Baghdad. As Thura describes her life and that of her two younger sisters, she shows readers the many small details that illuminate the reality of war for Iraqi families, and especially for Iraqi children.

Ghost Girl: The True Story of a Child in Peril and the Teacher who Saved Her by Torey Hayden - Jadie never spoke. She never laughed, or cried, or uttered any sound. Despite efforts to reach her, Jadie remained locked in her own troubled world--until one remarkable teacher persuaded her to break her self-imposed silence. Nothing in all of Torey Hayden's experience could have prepared her for the shock of what Jadie told her--a story too horrendous for Torey's professional colleagues to acknowledge. Yet a little girl was living in a nightmare, and Torey Hayden responded in the only way she knew how--with courage, compassion, and dedication--demonstrating once again the tremendous power of love and the relilience of the human spirit.

Sickened: The Memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Child by Julie Gregory - From early childhood, Julie Gregory was continually X-rayed, medicated, and operated on - in the vain pursuit of an illness that was created in her mother's mind. Munchausen by proxy (MBP) is the world's most hidden and dangerous form of child abuse, in which the caretaker - almost always the mother - invents or induces symptoms in her child because she craves the attention of medical professionals. Many MBP children die, but Julie Gregory not only survived, she escaped the powerful orbit of her mother's madness and rebuilt her identity as a vibrant, healthy young woman." "Sickened is a memoir that speaks in an original and distinctive midwestern voice, rising to indelible scenes in prose of scathing beauty and fierce humor. Punctuated with Julie's actual medical records, it re-creates the bizarre cocoon of her family's isolated double-wide trailer, their wild shopping sprees and gun-waving confrontations, the astonishing naivete of medical professionals and social workers. It also exposes the twisted bonds of terror and love that roped Julie's family together - including the love that made a child willing to sacrifice herself to win her mother's happiness.

P3: Pipes, Parks, and Powder by Todd Richards - One of the world's most charismatic and popular snowboarders tells the story of his life and of the sport that in less than ten years has climbed to the forefront of the Olympics.

Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy - "I spent five years of my life being treated for cancer, but since then I have spent fifteen years being treated for nothing other than looking different from everyone else." At nine years old, Lucy Grealy had the bottom third of her jaw removed due to cancer. You will find that was only the beginning of her pain, as she tells of teenage years filled with the anguish of never being looked at for who she was. The author, a poet, writes intimately and lucidly of her experiences growing up with a facial disfigurement, for which she underwent more than 30 reconstructive procedures.

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen - After a 10 minute interview with a strange psychiatrist, 18 year old Susanna was admitted to MaClean Psychiatric Hospital. Here, she was to spend the next two years of her life. These are her perceptions of insanity, interwoven with her detailed description of life on a psychiatric ward for teenage girls.

Little X by Sonsyrea Tate - Can you imagine growing up in a religion which separates you from the rest of your neighborhood? This is what Sonsyrea Tate experienced as she grew up part of the Black Muslim religion. The clothes she wore were different, the school she went to was different, the food she could eat was different. Tate was Little X--the "X" taken by her Nation of Islam family in replacement of a surname. Here she chronicles her Muslim education, her struggle within a non-Muslim world (especially regarding the treatment of women), and, finally, her break from the Muslim faith. Fraught with a bittersweet undertone, Tate's narrative of a Muslim girl's journey through childhood and adolescence in America offers mundane details of daily life as a "black princess" and submissive female.

Chinese Cinderella: the true story of an unwanted daughter by Adeline Yen Mah - "If you had not been born, Mam would still be alive." This event, the unfortunate death of her mother while she is still an infant, follows Adeline through her entire childhood. Her father marries a cruel woman, shutting her out of family activities, forgetting her at boarding school, all the while loving the other members of the family. Adeline truly has an evil stepmother in this true-life, modern-day version of Cinderella.

Little Girl Lost by Drew Barrymore - She was a modern-day Shirley Temple, but at the age of nine Drew Barrymore was drinking alcohol. At ten she took up marijuana, and by twelve she began snorting cocaine. Here is her gripping, heart-wrenching story--a story of a childhood gone awry and a young woman battling to restore order to her chaotic life.

Catch Me if You Can: Amazing True Story of the Youngest and Most Daring Con Man in the History of Fun and Profit by Frank Abagnale - Frank Abagnale wrote $2.5 million in bad checks, practiced law without a license, practiced medicine with no medical training, co-piloted a Pan Am jet with a fake license, taught at a college though he was actually a high-school dropout, and managed to outwit and outrage the police of 26 foreign countries and all 50 states. Catch Me if You Can is the hilarious, now-classic story of Abagnale's stranger-than-fiction international escapades, and his ingenious escapes -- including one from an airplane.

It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong - This is the story of a journey from inauspicious beginnings through triumph, tragedy, transformation, and transcendence. It is the personal story of Lance Armstrong's life so far, from childhood through early success, nearly fatal cancer, recovery, survivorship, more triumph (victory in the 1999 Tour de France), marriage, and first-time fatherhood.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou - Angelou reflects on her life living with her remarkable grandmother, the horror of being molested, running away from home, and the unplanned pregnancy that would forever change her life.

You Remind Me of You: A Poetry Memoir by Eireann Corrigan - Eireann Corrigan uses free verse to describe what it felt like to have an eating disorder - things like overheard comments about how she's too fat to take to prom, hidden stash of plastic bags holding the meals she's vomited secretly. When her boyfriend tries to kill himself, she makes a bargain; she'll eat if he lives.

King of the Mild Frontier by Chris Crutcher - Do you know: A good reason to be phobic about oysters and olives? That you can step inside a roaring coal furnace and feel cool? That Jesus had an older brother? How shutting your mouth can help you avoid brain surgery? How to avoid cow-pies during your baptism? How to survive in the winter wilderness with only a fishing pole and a sausage? Chris Crutcher knows the answers to these things and more. And once you have read about Chris Crutcher's life as a dateless, broken-toothed, scabbed-over, God-fearing dweeb, and once you have contemplated his ascension to the buckskin-upholstered throne of the King of the Mild Frontier, you will close this book, close your eyes and hold it to your chest, and say, "I, too, can be an author."

Angry Blonde by Eminem - The enigmatic yet controversial rap superstar delivers this provocative collection of his uncensored lyrics, complete with a personal commentary on every song and never-before-published photos.

Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos - Jack Gantos wanted nothing more than to go to college and be a writer, but his family was so poor there was no way to make it happen. So when he was offered $10,000 to smuggle drugs into New York City, it was too much to resist.

Hawk: Occupation, Skateboarder by Tony Hawk - The grand master of extreme skateboarding, a.k.a. "The Birdman", shares the trials and tribulations that have made him a legend in skateboarding.

Farewell To Manzanar by Jean Wakatsuki Houston - During World War Two a community called Manzanar was hastily created in the high mountain desert country of California, east of the Sierras. Its purpose was to house thousands of Japanese Americans. One of the first families to arrive was the Wakatsukis, who were ordered to leave their fishing business in Long Beach and take with them only the belongings they could carry. For Jeanne Wakatsuki, a seven-year-old child, Manzanar became a way of life in which she struggled and adapted, observed and grew. For her father it was essentially the end of his life. At age thirty-seven, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recalls life at Manzanar through the eyes of the child she was. She tells of her fear, confusion, and bewilderment as well as the dignity and great resourcefulness of people in oppressive and demeaning circumstances.

Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez - Fourteen-year-old Francisco Jimenez and his family leave Mexico and arrive at the U.S. and Mexican border in Nogales, Arizona. In the months and years that follow, Francisco, his mother and father, and his seven brothers and sisters not only struggle to keep their family together, but also face crushing poverty, long hours of labor, and blatant prejudice.

Soul Survivors: The Official Autobiography of Destiny's Child - Members of one of the most popular music acts around talk frankly about the stories behind the stars - changes in the group's membership, movie auditions, faith, and various mishaps.

Bad Boy by Walter Dean Myers - From bad boy to role model, the author tells the story of his life as a troublemaker and truant while growing up in Harlem in the 1940s and '50s. In his own words, the author reveals his struggle to find his own way and become a successful writer.

In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Gut Opdyke - At seventeen years old, a Polish nursing student takes a job in a Nazi officer's home and hides a number of Jews who otherwise would have perished in the concentration camps.

A Child Called It: One Child's Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer - This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it." Look for the sequels, The Lost Boy and A Man Named Dave.

The Privilege of Youth: A Teenager's Story of Longing for Friendship and Acceptance by Dave Pelzer - More than six million readers can attest to the heartbreak and courage of Dave Pelzer's story of growing up in an abusive home. From A Child Called "It" to The Lost Boy, from A Man Named Dave to Help Yourself, his inspirational books have helped countless others triumph over hardship and misfortune. Now this former lost boy who defeated insurmountable odds to emerge whole and happy at last takes us on his incredible odyssey toward healing and forgiveness. In The Privilege of Youth, Pelzer supplies the missing chapter of his life: as a boy on the threshold of adulthood. With his usual sensitivity and insight, he recounts the relentless taunting he endured from bullies; but he also describes the joys of learning and the thrill of making his first real friends -- some of whom he still shares close relationships with today. He writes about the simple pleasures of exploring a neighborhood he was just beginning to get to know while trying to forget the hell he had endured as a child. From high school to a world beyond the four walls that were his prison for so many years, The Privilege of Youth charts this crucial turning point in Dave Pelzer's life. This brave and compassionate memoir from the man who has journeyed far will inspire a whole new generation of readers.

Within Reach: My Everest Story by Mark Pfetzer - May 10, 1996. Sixteen-year-old Mark Pfetzer huddles in his tent at 26,000 feet, waiting for his turn to attempt Everest's summit. As a fierce storm descends on the camp, a frightening realization dawns on Mark and his colleagues: many of the climbers who summitted that afternoon have not yet returned. By morning, the storm has claimed eight lives--and Mark's long-dreamed-of summit day has become one of the bleakest days in mountaineering history. This is Mark's fascinating first-person account of his Everest experience, in which he takes us past the ever-shifting Khumbu Icefall, over three-hundred-foot crevasses, and up to the high-altitude "Death Zone."

Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. by Luis J. Rodriguez - Rodriguez look back on his teen years involved in random violence and time spent in prison due to his membership in a Los Angeles Latino gang.

Lost in Place: Growing up Absurd in Suburbia by Mark Salzman - As a youth, Salzman was remarkably self-directed and came from a loving and supportive family. At 13, he saw his first kung fu movie with actor Bruce Lee and decided on the spot to become a ``wandering Zen monk.'' His parents allowed him the freedom to pursue this new interest. After much meditating and practicing at home, he enrolled in a martial-arts school. Soon the boy's interest in Asian philosophy and mysticism led him to study the Chinese language, which in turn led to practicing and learning the art of Chinese brush painting. All of these interests are described as adventures, some of which are frightening; others are simply wonderful fun. All are interesting.

Katie.com: My Story by Katherine Tarbox - Katherine Tarbox was thirteen when she met twenty-three-year-old "Mark" in an online chat room. A top student and nationally ranked swimmer attending an elite school in an affluent Connecticut town, Katie was also a lonely and self-conscious eighth-grader who craved the attention her workaholic parents couldn't give her. "Mark" seemed to understand her; he told her she was smart and wonderful. When they set a date to finally meet while Katie was in Texas for a swim competition, she walked into a hotel room and discovered who -- and what -- her cyber soul mate really was. In Katie.com, Tarbox, now eighteen, tells her story -- a frightening and eye-opening tale of one teenager's descent into the seductive world of the Internet.

First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung - From a childhood survivor of Cambodia's brutal Pol Pot regime comes an unforgettable narrative of war crimes and desperate actions, the unnerving strength of a small girl and her family, and their triumph of spirit.

Night by Elie Wiesel - A terrifying account of the Nazi death camp horror that turns a young Jewish boy into an agonized witness to the death of his family . . . the death of his innocence . . . and the death of his God. Penetrating and powerful, as personal as "The Diary of Anne Frank, " "Night" awakens the shocking memory of evil at its absolute and carries with it the unforgettable message that this horror must never be allowed to happen again.

Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I learned by Judd Winick - Pedro Zamora Changed Lives. When the HIV-positive AIDS educator appeared on MTV's The Real World: San Francisco, he taught millions of viewers about being gay and living with AIDS. Pedro's roommate on the show was Judd Winick, a cartoonist from Long Island. They soon became close friends. Judd created Pedro and Me, a book in words and pictures, to honor Pedro Zamora, his friend and teacher, and most of all, an unforgettable human being.

Kick Me: Adventures in Adolescence by Paul Feig - Readers will find plenty to relate to in these true stories of teacher's pets, proms, and riding the school bus. The book succeeds because of the universality of the situations. Feig is not the first person to hate gym class, nor will he be the last, but he recounts his various experiences so vividly that a situation as common as snooping for presents in a parent's closet takes on an extra level of paranoia and humor. Most of the reminiscences are decidedly tame. The author panics when his school-dance date drinks a beer and panics again when he thinks that he might have to kiss her after the beer makes her sick-especially since he has never kissed a girl at all.

Please Don't Kill the Freshman by Zoe Trope - In this wickedly intelligent yet poetically wise memoir written from the trenches of high school, Trope reminds readers that adolescence is a time of rare clarity, emergent self-awareness, and heartrending hope.

Riding the Bus with my Sister by Rachel Simons - Rachel Simons sister Beth is a spirited woman who lives intensely and joyfully, despite her mental retardation. Rachel accompanied her daily bus ride for an entire year. This book has life lessons from which every reader can profit: how to live in the moment, how to pay attention to what really matters--and how to slow down and enjoy the ride.

Please Stop Laughing At Me by Jodee Blanco - While other kids were daydreaming about dances, first kisses, and college, Jodee Blanco was just trying to figure out how to get from homeroom to study hall without being taunted or spit upon as she walked through the halls. This powerful, unforgettable memoir chronicles how one child was shunned -- and even physically abused -- by her classmates from elementary school through high school. It is an unflinching look at what it means to be the outcast, how even the most loving parents can get it all wrong, why schools are often unable to prevent disaster, and how bullying has been misunderstood and mishandled by the mental health community. You will be shocked, moved, and ultimately inspired by this harrowing tale of survival against insurmountable odds. This vivid story will open your eyes to the harsh realities and long-term consequences of bullying -- and how all of us can make a difference in the lives of teens today.

On Writing: Memoirs of a Craft by Stephen King - Rarely has a book on the craft of writing been so clear, so useful and so entertaining. A series of vivid memories from King's adolescence to his struggling years affords readers a fresh and often funny perspective on the formation of a writer's character. King takes readers through crucial aspects of the writer's art and life, offering practical and inspiring advice on everything from plot and character development to work habits and rejection.

Under a Wing by Reeve Lindbergh - The youngest child of the famous aviator and the famous author recalls growing up a celebrity in a family that sought to avoid publicity. She discusses the impact of the notorious kidnapping of her oldest brother, how her mother encouraged and inspired the whole family to literary endeavor, her shock at hearing her father make antisemitic statements, and other experiences.

The Beet Fields: Memories of a Sixteenth Summer by Gary Paulsen - One of Paulsen's many autobiographical novels, this one is a moving account of a boy's transition into manhood. The unnamed protagonist, desperate to escape his alcoholic mother, runs away to work in the beet fields of North Dakota. After a police officer discovers he matches the description of a missing teen, the young man escapes from jail and joins a traveling carnival. Each adventure shapes the character of the protagonist as he learns to care for himself and to feel compassion for those he encounters. Paulsen expresses the frustration and naiveté of a teenager longing to shed his innocence.

I Was a Teenage Professional Wrestler by Ted Lewin - Lewin used wrestling to put himself through art school, and shares his memories in this offbeat and amusing narrative. He and his two brothers, with the support of their parents, traveled around the United States as professional wrestlers in the 1950's and 60's, enjoying encounters with other wrestlers who often assumed larger-than-life personas in the ring to entertain the crowds. Black and white photos, watercolor illustrations, and sketches inspired by life in the wrestling community add appeal to this quirky and unique account.

No Pretty Pictures by Anita Lobel - Lobel uses a deceptively calm tone to trace the course of her life beginning at age five, when she and her brother escaped into the Polish countryside to evade the Nazis. Captured five years later, they experienced the wretched conditions of the Auschwitz and Ravensbruck concentration camps. Miraculously, she and her brother were reunited in Sweden with their family after recovering from tuberculosis. Upon immigrating to America, Lobel embraced her new homeland, determined to forge a career in art.

Looking Back by Lois Lowry - The striking autobiography of Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry is about "moments, memories, fragments, falsehoods, and fantasies". She details pivotal times that affected her life, inspired her writing, and that magically evolved into rich and wonderful stories that one is reluctant to put down.

Knots in my Yo-Yo String by Jerry Spinelli - Newbery medalist Jerry Spinelli pens his early autobiography with all the warmth, humor, and drama of his bestselling fiction. From first memories through high school, this is not merely an account of a highly unusual childhood. Rather, like Spinelli's fiction, its appeal lies in the accessibility and universality of his life. Entertaining and fast-paced, this is a highly readable memoir.

Tupac Amaru Shakur 1971-1996 - A collection of articles published in Vibe magazine since 1994 that present an in-depth look at Shakur and his music. The portrait is balanced and does not deify nor demonize the rap artist and, as one might expect, the language is raw. The subject's life is traced from his ghetto beginnings to his being gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. The book is profusely illustrated and contains a chronology, a discography, and a filmology.

Voice of an Angel: My Life So Far by Charlotte Church - How did a schoolgirl from Wales become an international sensation? In this fascinating account, her parents, friends, teachers, and the young singer herself share this amazing true story. From humble beginnings in Wales singing on local radio to performing for Prince Charles, President Clinton, and the Pope, to her quick rise to the top of the music charts, Charlotte Church's unique story is an inspiring tale of a phenomenal young talent.

My Losing Season by Pat Conroy - Turning to nonfiction, the bestselling author of "Beach Music" has written an American classic about young men and the bonds they form, about losing and the lessons it imparts, and about finding one's self in the midst of defeat.

The Life You Imagine: Ten Steps to Ultimate Achievement by Derek Jeter - When Derek Jeter was eight years old, he walked into his parents' bedroom and told them he wanted to play for the Yankees. Instead of brushing off their young son, Charles and Dorothy Jeter worked out a plan with him to make his dreams a reality. This story is at the heart of The Life You Imagine, an inspiring, information-packed look at how Derek was able to go from dreaming about World Series victories to living them and how his game plan for success can help anyone achieve his or her own dreams. Derek is not only a gifted athlete but also a hardworking player who believes success is not about being lucky but about setting goals early and sticking to them.

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-Li Jiang - I have never doubted what I was told: "Heaven and earth are great, but greater still is the kindness of the Communist Party; father and mother are dear, but dearer still is Chairman Mao." In 1966 Ji-li Jian was 12 years old. And outstanding student and a leader of her class, she had everything: brains, ability, the admiration of her peers-- and a shining future in Chairman Mao's New China. But all that changed with the advent of the Cultural Revolution, when intelligence became a crime and a wealthy family background invited persecution or worse. For the next few years Ji-li and her family were humiliated and reviled by their former friends, neighbors and colleagues and lived in constant terror of arrest. At last, with the detention of her father, Ji-li was faced with the most dreadful decision of her life: denounce him, or refuse to testify and sacrifice her future in her beloved Communist Party. Told with simplicity, innocence and grace, this unforgettable memoir gives a child's-eye view of a terrifying time in 20th-century history-- and of one family's indomitable courage under fire.

Rosa Parks: My Story by Rosa Parks - "The only tired I was, was tired of giving in". These are the simple yet eloquent words of Rosa Parks, who on December 1, 1955, refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus, sparking the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott. Written in her own straightforward and moving language, this is her compelling story.

Guts by Gary Paulsen - Author Gary Paulsen tells the real stories of the adventures that inspired him to write the Brian Robeson stories in the novels "Hatchet, The River, Brian's Winter, " and "Brian's Return." He describes how he made his own bows and arrows, takes readers on his first hunting trips, and shares special memories, such as the time he met a moose who made their encounter personal. Recipes are included.

The Rock Says: the Most Electrifying Man in Sports-Entertainment! by The Rock - In this action-packed, revealing, and outrageously funny memoir, World Wrestling Federation Superstar The Rock recounts his life in and out of the ring with unapologetic honesty and inimitable style. From his boyhood days traveling around the world with his father (professional wrestler Rocky Johnson) to his years as a football player at the University of Miami to his meteoric rise through the ranks of the Federation, The Rock Says... chronicles in vivid detail the life story of one of sports-entertainment's most innovative and best-loved personalities.

It Came from Ohio!: My Life as a Writer by R.L. Stine - A best-selling author tells kids everything they ever wanted to know about him--and Goosebumps! What was R.L. Stine like as a kid? How did he start writing books? Where does he get all his scary ideas? These and many more questions are answered in this humorous, fast-paced biography.

Up From Slavery: An Autobiography by Booker T. Washington - Illustrating the human quest for freedom and dignity, Booker T. Washington's American classic recounts his triumph over the legacy of slavery, his founding of Tuskegee Institute, and his emergence as a national spokesman for his race.

Ryan White: My Own Story by Ryan White - The terrible suffering and the shining courage of a hemophiliac who contracted AIDS from blood meant to sustain him are contending forces in this ``as told to'' account. In a natural, often heart-tugging style, White describes his small-city Indiana background, his early health problems, the effects of the AIDS diagnosis when he was 13, and his legal battle to be readmitted to school. Readers will applaud the young man's efforts to live a ``normal'' life and to experience teen enthusiasms and interests.

Life in Prison by Stanley Williams - Williams, co-founder of the Crips gang and death-row inmate in San Quentin for 16 years, offers a shocking testimony that debunks urban myths about prison life. In straightforward, honest prose, he speaks out about what it's really like in prison and challenges young people to choose the right path. Nominated for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.

This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolfe - The winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction writes a memoir that brings to life the stuff of boyhood--from paper routes to whiskey, fistfights to friendship and betrayal--and captures as well America in the fifties.

The Pigman & Me by Paul Zindel - A popular author turns teen troubles into humor as he recalls the year he, his sister, and their neurotic, wheeler-dealer mother shared a house with another single mother and her rambunctious, identical, preschool twins. Salvation comes in the form of his "pigman."

Zoya's Story: An Afghan Woman's Struggle for Freedom by Zoya - A gripping personal true story that goes beyond the headlines, this searing memoir of a young woman's life under Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime is also an epic tale of fear and suffering, courage and hope.

~Young Adult Librarian ~
Kristin Pekoll
kpekoll@west-bendlibrary.org
262.335.5151 x128

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Updated December 11, 2008

"Organized education gives us information,
but there are things we have to learn ourselves" ~ Lauryn Hill