Teacher Assignments: Hallam - English 9 - Stellar Awards - Non Fiction

In a rehabilitation center for disabled children, twelve-year-old Nora says she loves the color pink and chewing gum and explains that the wheels of her wheelchair are like her legs. Eleven-year-old Mohammad describes how his house was demolished by soldiers. And we meet twelve-year-old Salam, whose older sister walked into a store in Jerusalem and blew herself up, killing herself and two people, and injuring twenty others. All these children live both ordinary and extraordinary lives. They argue with their siblings. They dream about their wishes for the future. They have also seen their homes destroyed, their families killed, and they live in the midst of constant upheaval and violence. This simple and telling book allows children everywhere to see those caught in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as children just like themselves, but who are living far more difficult, dangerous lives.

From pen, brush, and tongue, girls and young women (ages 13-19) speak their truths, tell it like it is, and call for change. This collection of creative works is an exploration of young women's identities, self-expression and voice. Their voices are quirky and flirtatious, strong and adventurous, outraged and scared --and often are searching for truth. Taken collectively, the girls' pieces read like a whispered conversation between friends. The contributors want to tell other girls that they are not alone in what they're experiencing as they navigate adolescence. Each contributor invites you into a piece of her life.

Seven dramatic accounts of ancient and modern tyrants. History is full of evil rulers who rose to power despite the widespread suffering they caused. Though they ruled in different countries and often at different times, their behavior and actions have been frighteningly similar. How did they get away with it? Evil Masters reveals the typical characteristics of a tyrant and then profiles seven tyrannical rulers from the past 3,000 years. The rise to power of each ruler reveals a familiar web of manipulation, fear-mongering, and deceit to get and stay on top. Ancient China saw the rise of Qin Shi Huang-ti, who gained control and glory by melting the weapons of the peasants to make statues of himself. He also suppressed the teachings of Confucius and burned libraries. More than 2,000 years later, book burnings became a favorite tactic of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. Hitler would further promote only his ideas through widespread propaganda, a practice echoed by Josef Stalin in Russia, whose tightly controlled newspaper claimed to be Pravda -- "the truth." Stalin held power through an army of secret police who enforced his will. Similar underground thugs were crucial to Saddam Hussein's rise to power. Dramatic storytelling loaded with information, archival images, and thought-provoking accounts offer a revealing look at some of history's most evil rulers. Featured tyrants include: Saddam Hussein, 1937- Adolf Hitler, 1889-1945 Josef Stalin, 1879-1953 Maximilien Robespierre, 1758-1794 Ivan the Terrible, 1530-1584 Nero, 37-69 AD Qin Shi Huang-ti, ca. 259-210 BC Evil Masters is a chilling introduction to the catastrophic consequences of absolute power.

The last place in North America where black people and white people could not sit down together to share a cup of coffee in a restaurant was not in the Deep South. It was in the small, sleepy Ontario town of Dresden. Dresden is the site of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Slaves who made their way north through the Underground Railroad created the thriving Dawn Settlement in Dresden before and during the Civil War. They did not find Utopia on the Canadian side of the border, despite their efforts. In 1954 something extraordinary happened. The National Unity Association was a group of African Canadian citizens in Dresden who had challenged the racist attitudes of the 1950s and had forged an alliance with civil rights activists in Toronto to push the Ontario Government for changes to the law in order to outlaw discrimination. Despite the law, some business owners continued to refuse to serve blacks. The National Unity Association worked courageously through a variety of means of protest to change attitudes. The story of their season of rage is told in this compelling new book.

"In our factory, we make lipstick; in our advertising, we sell hope." - Charles Revson, founder of Revlon Cosmetics More money is spent on beauty products in the United States annually than on education: over $6 billion on makeup alone. From bedtime fairytales and blockbuster movies to magazine advertisements and reality TV, we absorb the lesson early -- being beautiful is the answer to our dreams. For pre-teens and teens, the pursuit of fitting in and measuring up feels like an essential survival strategy. Never before have so many messages offered so many unattainable ideals. With In Your Face, Shari Graydon encourages readers to look critically at the culture of beauty of both past and present. Whether it's the different standards for guys versus girls, the assumptions we all have about models and celebrities, or the message that the right makeup can make you a better person, Graydon's look into the realities of our ideals will help kids face up to the culture of beauty and the beauty industry hype. Accompanied by lively visuals, including sharp comic-style vignettes and photos from our beauty culture, this book will captivate readers.

Teen moms are nothing new. For as long as anyone can remember, families, communities, and governments have been grappling with the poverty and lack of life opportunities faced by these parents and their children. For First Nations in particular, the issue has become critical. Aboriginal girls are four and a half times more likely to be teen moms than girls from the general population, and more than half of all First Nations families are now started by teen parents. Yet little has been written on the topic for a mainstream audience. In 2003, Sylvia Olsen began a community study with aboriginal teen parents, believing that the best way to shed light on the issue is to listen first to the parents themselves. Just Ask Us is a result of this project, in which thirteen Tsartlip teen moms participated. Just Ask Ustakes a comprehensive, first-hand look at First Nations teen mothers, offering ways to counteract the intractable cycle of poverty and turn reserve communities into places of hope for the next generation.