Our teen book spotlight this week is focused on graphic novels!!! Graphic novels are incredibly visual stories that can feature pretty much anything and this week we are focusing on nonfiction. Done in the style of comic books, there is a huge variety of choices; literally something for everyone so even if you have never read one before, you will definitely be able to find something. For our talk this week, we are exploring events in history, memoirs, and more! These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #yagreatgraphicnovels as well as on Libby and Hoopla. Check back next week for a new teen book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!
Victory. Stand! by Tommie Smith--In this graphic novel account, Olympic gold medalist Tomie Smith documents his life and career before and after his 1968 protest against racial injustice during the gold medal ceremony in which he and teammate John Carlos raised black-gloved fists during the playing of the national anthem. Follows the struggles he and his family faced when they moved from Texas to California for a better life, the role the Civil Rights movement played in his life, and the backlash he faced after the Olympics were over.
Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang--Gene Luen Yang, a graphic novelist and math teacher in Oakland, California, follows his Catholic high school's men's varsity basketball team, the Dragons, over the course of one season. Interviews Coach Lou and his players on their lives, the team's mysterious past, and its quest for the state championship.
The 9/11 Report by Sid Jacobson--Presents the story of 9/11 in graphic novel format based on the study of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks on the United States. Addresses the causes of 9/11 and offers recommendations to prevent another such attack.
Trinity by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm--Uses a graphic novel format to chronicle the Manhattan Project, the scientific endeavor to create the first nuclear bomb. Also reveals how these weapons were used in World War II and the impact they had on humanity's destructive capabilities.
The Great American Dust Bowl by Don Brown--The Dirty Thirties got their name for a reason. It began on Sunday, April 14, 1935. A fierce wind raced across the Great Plains region of the United States blowing millions upon millions of dust specks and sand grains into the air, creating what became known as the Dust Bowl. The wave of black blew across the land, scouring the paint off of cars and homes, and choking animals and people alike. Author Brown offers a graphic novel featuring true stories from eyewitnesses to the Dust Bowl, as well as reports from experts on why farming practices and government agricultural policies actually contributed to the Dust Bowl's origins.
Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey by Nick Bertozzi--Presents a graphic novel depicting the Antarctic explorations of Ernest Shackleton.