For incoming 9th graders (and everyone else!)
I Was Their American Dream by
This summer we are asking 9th graders to read I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharib. This graphic memoir follows Gharib from her childhood into high school (and then later college and work) as she navigates her multicultural identities. This book will serve as the foundational text for the 9th grade Responsive Education course students will take in either the fall or spring semester next year.
Available in paperback via local and online retailers, there are also copies in all local public libraries and we have several copies on our Sora eBook platform
Memoirs and biographies
Know My Name by An amazing book. Chanel Miller's writing is so beautiful and so vivid. Also she has an installation at the Asian Art Museum which is cool - go see it!
Recommended by Adelaide (Student)The Ugly Cry by
This moving memoir is a wonderful testament to the spirit of a little girl who overcomes a challenging upbringing. This makes it sound a bit of a downer but it’s frequently very funny and uplifting too. It's a terrific audiobook too.
Recommended by Hayley (Library)
Crossing the LIne by The inspirational story of the captain of the first all-Black squad to win the National Interscholastic Polo championship.
Recommended by Hayley (Library)
I See the Promised Land by This stunning graphic novel biography of Martin Luther King Jr. was written by our It's Lit keynote speaker and illustrated in vivid Patua art by Manu Chitrakar.
Recommended by Scott (English)
Where Bears Roam the Streets by Great memoir by Arthur Flowers’ student and my partner in Lisbon.
Recommended by Scott (English)
Essays
Disability VisibilityFirst person essays by disabled people. They examine what it means to live with a disability, visible or not. There is a celebration of disability culture and a challenge to the abled community to really see our disabled fellow people.
Recommended by Elizabeth (College Counseling)
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil merges her personal experience with lessons she’s learned from nature, ranging from a peacock, an axolotl, to a touch-me-not plant. Her essays are lyrical and beautifully illustrated by Fumi Nakamura.
Recommended by Pierre (English)
Poetry
What We Live For, What We Die For by Ukrainian poetry.
Recommended by Scott (English)
Long form creative nonfiction
Why We Swim by If you swim, or just enjoy water, I think you will love this beautiful, inspiring book full of interesting stories and history. Turns out there are many answers to the question.
Recommended by Chrissy (Science)
The Sea Forager's Guide to the Northern California Coast by This books is indispensable for anyone who has ever wanted to dig clams, pluck mussels from rocks, haul in a daily catch of fresh fish, or simply harvest seaweed! Plus, it is hilarious reading!
Recommended by Chris (History)
Consumed by Recommended by Nicole (Library)
Natasha's Dance by The best cultural history of Russia that provides amazing insight into why things like the invasion of Ukraine may have happened.
Recommended by Scott (English)