These titles were recently added to the collection of Yakima Valley Libraries
Beyond the board : the untold story of the world's most daring big wave surfer
Gabeira, Maya, author.
From surfing legend Maya Gabeira comes this awe-inspiring memoir for teens about chartering your own course and making waves. Beyond the Board is the untold story of living legend Maya Gabeira, who -- at 25 -- broke her back and went on not only to recover but to hold the record for highest wave conquered by any big-wave surfer in the 2019-2020 winter season. Maya has been heralded as one of the top surfers of her generation, male or female -- a legend in the making. But who is the ferocious personality beyond the board? Maya's memoir will chronicle her journey from a determined yet anxiety-plagued adolescent to the indomitable champion, Guinness World Record-holder, and role model she is today. Often called "Super Woman of surfing," Maya didn't pick up a board until age 15; before that, she was a ballet dancer. Just two years later, she left her home in Rio de Janeiro in order to chase waves around the world, toting a single backpack and waiting tables to get by. As a teen, Maya carved her own path, and her story is a remarkable one: a passion-driven young woman who learned never to flinch -- even in the face of death.....
View in Catalog
A new guide to sex in the 21st century : the young adult adaptation of The case against the sexual revolution
Perry, Louise, author.
Before the 1960s, sex before marriage was frowned upon and pornography was difficult to get hold of. We are now much freer to do what we like -- there has been a 'sexual revolution.' This must be a good thing, right? Wrong, argues Louise Perry. These changes have had many negative consequences, especially for girls and women. The main winners from a world of rough sex, hook-ups and freely available porn are a tiny minority of rich and powerful men. Women have been forced to adapt to these changes in ways that often harm them. Louise Perry carefully guides readers through the difficulties of sex in the 21st century. Her advice will be invaluable to all young women and men who may be feeling lost in a world where 'doing it' can sometimes seem dangerous or confusing.....
View in Catalog
The self-regulation handbook for teens & young adults : a trauma-informed guide to fostering personal resilience and enhancing interpersonal skills
Wu, Kathy P., author.
The final years of high school and the first years of college can be full of new experiences, friendships, and learning opportunities. But they can also be a time of upheaval and instability. This trauma-informed handbook will help you remain empowered and centered as you navigate through a variety of difficult experiences... Specifically designed for ages 15 to 21, this comprehensive guide provides valuable tools for utilizing self-regulation to build resilience and cultivate a strengths-oriented mindset.....
View in Catalog
Tiger slayer: the extraordinary story of Nur Jahan, Empress of India
Lal, Ruby, author.
More than four centuries ago in India, a Muslim woman ruled a magnificent empire: Nur Jahan, whose name means "light of the world." Nur led troops into battle atop an elephant, hunted tigers, designed public buildings, and issued coinage and royal decrees in her own name. In a world dominated by men, her astute handling of court politics and affairs of state propelled her to the position of co-sovereign of the vast Mughal empire--and made her mighty enemies who would plot to bring about her downfall.....
View in Catalog
Civic minded : what everyone should know about the US government
Fleischer, Jeff, author.
How do student loans work? What do sanctions do? Where does federal spending go, and who decides on the budget? Author and established journalist Jeff Fleischer digs into these and other relevant civics topics to explain the history behind different processes and programs, what they look like today, and why it's important to understand them. Through engaging, well-researched text and related sidebars, this book will help you understand and join many ongoing political conversations in the US, from spending to citizenship to international relations and more.....
View in Catalog
A most perilous world : the true story of the young abolitionists and their crusade against slavery
Gaddy, Kristina R., author.
Kristina R. Gaddy tells the story of America's tumultuous years leading up to the Civil War and of the war itself from the viewpoints of four children of famous abolitionists, including those of Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison. Gaddy crafts a surprisingly contemporary braided coming-of-age narrative, supported by meticulous research and featuring dozens of primary documents. Each of these four young people-two white, two Black-was strongly committed to the anti-slavery cause but felt just as keenly a need to make their own names, away from the often over-protective or disapproving shadows of the famous adults in their lives. This is a true story of how a torch of resistance is passed and how a new generation makes its mark.....
View in Catalog
Oppenheimer and the atomic bomb
Bird, Kai, author.
J. Robert Oppenheimer was a brilliant physicist who led the American effort to build the atomic bomb during World War II, and who later found himself confronting the moral consequences of the revolutionary weapon he helped create. Readers of all ages will witness the rise and fall of a scientific and historical icon in this masterful new edition. Exploring his childhood, his secret work on the bomb, his central role in the Cold War, and his tragic downfall, this quintessential biography is history at its finest. Filled with dozens of photographs and updated information, this riveting and deeply informative account is now available to a middle and high school audience.....
View in Catalog
Fight Aids! : how activism, art, and protest changed the course of a deadly epidemic and reshaped a nation
Long, Michael G., author.
'Act up! Fight back! Fight AIDS!' This was the slogan for ACT UP--or AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power--an activist organization that emerged in the 1980s during the height of the AIDS epidemic. The group was loud, direct, and confrontational as it fought for access to treatment, compassionate care, and recognition for everyone with HIV and AIDS. Tracing the history of the LGBTQ+ community from the Stonewall Riots and "gay liberation" movements to the groundbreaking protests of the 1980s and 1990s, Fight AIDS! is a gripping narrative of the AIDS epidemic for young readers, told through the lens of the activism it fostered. Focusing on the people most directly affected by the crisis and on the individuals who fought for justice, it is an intimate and humane account of one of the most devastating eras in United States history and an electrifying celebration of the power ordinary citizens have to enact meaningful change.....
View in Catalog
The mysterious Virginia Hall : World War II's most dangerous spy
Friddell, Claudia, author.
Virginia Hall was an athletic, outdoorsy girl who dreamed of joining the foreign service and becoming an ambassador. Despite numerous setbacks, including losing her leg to gangrene after an accident, Virginia never wavered in her determination to serve her country. After the outbreak of World War II, a chance meeting on a train changed her life. Virginia joined the Allied Intelligence services as one of its first women agents, where she organized French resistance fighters, performed daring rescues, and provided the Allies with intelligence that was key for ousting the Nazis.....
View in Catalog
I believe in you
Stach, Sherri I.
Everybody has times in their lives where they wonder where they fit in. You may feel like you are the only one who feels this way, but everybody does at times. We need to be authentic and show our true colors in this world. If you create a false image nobody will truly know who you are. You were created to be uniquely yourself. This book gives young and old alike a boost of positivity and faith. Don't give up on yourself whatever you do! A higher power chose you and is always guiding your life.....
View in Catalog
Death in the jungle : murder, betrayal, and the lost dream of Jonestown
Fleming, Candace, author.
How did Jim Jones, the leader of Peoples Temple, convince more than 900 of his followers to commit "revolutionary suicide" by drinking cyanide-laced punch? From a master of narrative nonfiction comes a chilling chronicle of one of the most notorious cults in American history... Using riveting first-person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming reveals the makings of a monster: from Jones's humble origins as a child of the Depression... to his founding of a group whose idealistic promises of equality and justice attracted thousands of followers... to his relocation of Temple headquarters from California to an unsettled territory in Guyana, South America, which he dubbed "Jonestown" to his transformation of Peoples Temple into a nefarious experiment in mind-control. And Fleming heart-stoppingly depicts Jones's final act, persuading his followers to swallow fatal doses of cyanide-to "drink the kool-aid," as it became known-as a test of their ultimate devotion. Here is a sweeping story that traces, step by step, the ways in which one man slowly indoctrinated, then murdered, 900 innocent, well- meaning people. And how a few members, Jones' own son included, stood up to him... but not before it was too late.....
View in Catalog
The happy writer : get more ideas, write more words, and find more joy from first draft to publication and beyond
Meyer, Marissa, author.
If you aren't suffering, you aren't creating. Right? Wrong! Writing can and should be joyful, fulfilling... even fun! Applicable to writers in all genres and disciplines-from screenwriters to novelists, journalists to picture book authors, aspiring to many-times published-The Happy Writer is a heartfelt and optimistic guide that will show you the way to a happier writing journey. Part craft guide, part writing coach, and part cheerleader, this book offers useful advice on a slew of common writing and publishing ailments, such as how to end procrastination, how to build a social media platform that reflects your personality, how to get your imagination to overflow with new ideas, how to listen to your intuition when receiving a critique on your work, how to overcome impostor syndrome, what to do when you're stuck in the query trenches, and so much more. No matter where a writer might be on their creative journey, Meyer encourages them to tap into their own personal sources of joy and to celebrate every milestone, all while confronting challenges (writer's block! rejection! burnout!) with a reservoir of resources for every temperament, budget, and career. Known in writers' circles as a generous mentor, Meyer shares stories from her own writing path to help every writer discover the ultimate joys of living their best writing life.....
View in Catalog
A deathly compendium of poisonous plants : wicked weeds and sinister seeds
Hirsch, Rebecca E., author.
Explore the strange and remarkable stories of poisonous and even deadly plants. Science, history, and true crime converge in an informative and exciting look at Mother's Nature's ghoulish garden. From a hallucinogenic fungus linked to the Salem Witch Trials to the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln's mother, learn how certain plants evolved toxicity to avoid being consumed by predators and became the predator on their own. In A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds author Rebecca Hirsch takes you on a wild journey to look at how toxic chemicals in the natural world have been used for medicine, warfare, and sinister acts of foul play. Tread lightly as we explore these plants' ominous deeds.....
View in Catalog
Who owns the moon? : and other conundrums of exploring and using space
Levinson, Cynthia, author.
For teens who are space fans, this book is loaded with fascinating facts, great stories, and new ways of thinking about the challenges of space. It covers topics on the science of space and developments in technology (e.g., satellites behaving like spacecraft), and it also considers the laws that have been drafted for space travel and space etiquette-the agreed upon norms of behavior that allow humans to explore without conflict. The book discusses the problem of space debris, and the growth of space tourism. It provides details about the Artemis missions and plans for the Gateway space station, and so much more. It challenges young readers to think about the decisions that need to be made in the years ahead to ensure that space exploration remains an exhilarating and peaceful activity. And the final chapter provides guidance on careers in the space industry-being an astronaut is only one of many exciting paths to pursue.....
View in Catalog