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Seattle Picks: Teen - Nonfiction

Information, humor, history, biography, art and how-to, all here. MS=Books for middle school readers. (Updated March 2023)

The Seattle Public Library

30 items

  • Acevedo's most famous spoken-word poem embraces all the complexities of Black hair and Afro-Latinidad, the history, pain, pride, and powerful love of that inheritance, accompanied by full-color illustrations.
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  • Bernice Sandler was an educator who led the fight for the passage of Title IX--making it illegal, once and for all, for a federally funded institution to discriminate against someone based on their sex, including in education.
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  • Let Me Play

    the Story of Title IX : the Law That Changed the Future of Girls in America

    Blumenthal, Karen
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  • My Selma

    True Stories of a Southern Childhood at the Height of the Civil Rights Movement

    Brown, Willie Mae
    A memoir that combines everyday family stories and the extraordinary as seen through the eyes of Willie Mae Brown's twelve-year-old self, giving readers an unforgettable portrayal of her coming of age in a town at the crossroads of…
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  • Careers

    the Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Future

    The A to Z of careers that will guide you to your dream job through skill guides, qualification reviews, job location and lifestyle as well as practical and inspirational advice from career consultants.
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  • Coming of Age in 2020

    Teenagers on the Year That Changed Everything

    A collection of more than 5,500 submissions from teenagers from across the country showing how they coped via diary entries, comics, photos, paintings, and more as a pandemic raged, political divides hardened, and the Black Lives Matter…
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  • Unequal

    a Story of America

    Dyson, Michael Eric
    A gripping chronicle of the struggles that shaped modern America through the stories of African Americans who dared to fight for a more equal future. MS
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  • Here and Queer

    a Queer Girl's Guide to Life

    Ellis, Rowan
    An inclusive guide for queer women and girls, written to give you the tools needed to explore your identity on your own terms.
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  • A practical guide to how Global Warming came about and how to save the planet from ourselves. MS
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  • A Rebel in Auschwitz

    the True Story of the Resistance Hero Who Fought the Nazis From Inside the Camp

    Fairweather, Jack
    Witold Pilecki was a Polish underground operative on a mission for two and a half years to uncover the fate of thousands interned at the Auschwitz concentration camp, report on Nazi crimes, raise a secret army, and stage an uprising.
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  • Close-up on War

    the Story of Pioneering Photojournalist Catherine Leroy in Vietnam

    Farrell, Mary Cronk
    The incredible story of Catherine Leroy, one of the few woman photographers during the Vietnam War, who showed the impact on people from both sides—from wounded soldiers to civilian casualties.
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  • Female, Gifted & Black

    Awesome Art and Literary Pioneers Who Changed the World

    Fièvre, M. J. (Michèle-Jessica)
    A collection of biographies of seriously amazing Black women. Includes Amanda Gorman, Alice Walker, Warsan Shire, Eartha Kitt, Gloria Hendry, Issa Rae, and many more.
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  • American Murderer

    the Parasite That Haunted the South

    Jarrow, Gail
    An unknown malaise fell over much of the South, invading the bodies of those who worked the land. Science comes to the rescue, saving the victims from a creepy vampire species. MS
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  • Better Than We Found It

    Conversations to Help Save the World

    Joseph, Frederick (Activist)
    Featuring more than two dozen interviews with prominent activists, authors, and more, this is an indispensable guide to social and political progressivism for young people.
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  • Follow Ibram X. Kendi through the experiences and lessons that helped shape his understanding of racism.
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  • Gamer Girls

    25 Women Who Built the Video Game Industry

    Kenney, Mary
    Explore the stories of 25 women from the 1960s and beyond who—from writing, designing, music, and game engines—have powered one of the most influential industries out there: video gaming.
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  • Big Lies

    From Socrates to Social Media

    Kurlansky, Mark
    A historical look at the lies told by Socrates and Plato, Stalin and Hitler, all the way to contemporary figures amplified through social media—a how-to manual for seeing through big lies and thinking critically.
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  • Singled Out

    the True Story of Glenn Burke

    Maraniss, Andrew
    Glen Burke is known as the inventor of the high five after a teammates historic home run, but what many don't know is that he was also the first openly gay MLB player and he had an impact on the athletic and LGBTQIA+ community for years…
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  • And We Rise

    the Civil Rights Movement in Poems

    Martin, Erica (Halcyenda Erica)
    This poetry collection walks readers through the Civil Rights Movement—from the well-documented events to lesser-known figures and moments just as crucial to the Movement, including historical photographs, chronology of events, research,…
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  • Freedom!

    the Story of the Black Panther Party

    Martin, Jetta Grace
    This is the story of Huey and Bobby. Eldridge and Kathleen. Elaine and Fred and Ericka. This is the story of the committed Black Panther Party members, their supporters and allies, the Free Breakfast Program, the Ten Point Program, Black…
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