Bad Boy by
An engaging and powerful autobiographical exploration of growing up a so-called "bad boy" in Harlem in the 1940s.
Drinking: A Love Story by
A powerful, brave, and moving memoir of one woman's struggle with alcoholism, a disease that affects fifteen million Americans each year.
The Glass Castle by
A stunning and life-affirming memoir about surviving a willfully impoverished, eccentric and severely misguided family. The child of an alcoholic father and an eccentric artist mother discusses her family's nomadic upbringing, during which she and her siblings fended for themselves while their parents outmaneuvered bill collectors and the authorities.
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People by 
In the Shadow of Liberty: the Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents, and Five Black Lives by
An examination of American slavery through the true stories of five enslaved people who were considered the property of some of our best-known presidents.
It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime by
The comedian traces his coming of age during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed, offering insight into the farcical aspects of the political and social systems of today's world.
The Last Black Unicorn by
Stand-up comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish grew up in one of the poorest parts of South Central Los Angeles. Her mother wound up with a debilitating brain injury after surviving a car accident. Tiffany never fit in anywhere: not in the households she rotated through in the foster care system, and certainly not the nearly all white high school she had to ride the bus an hour to attend. As an illiterate ninth grader, Tiffany did everything she could to survive. After a multitude of jobs, she finally realized that she had talent in an area she never would have suspected: comedy. Tiffany faced the 'routine' hindrances of climbing the entertainment business ladder, but had the added obstacles of sex, race, and class in her way. But she got there.
Mao's Last Dancer by
Chosen from millions of children to serve in Mao's cultural revolution by studying at the Beijing Dance Academy, Li knew ballet would be his family's best opportunity to escape the bitter poverty in his rural China home. From one hardship to another, Li persevered, never forgetting the family he left behind.
Ordinary Girls by
Jaquira Díaz writes an unflinching account of growing up as a queer biracial girl searching for home as her family splits apart and her mother struggles with mental illness and addiction. From her own struggles with depression and drug abuse to her experiences of violence to Puerto Rico's history of colonialism, every page vibrates with music and lyricism.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by
A history of racist and antiracist ideas in America, from their roots in Europe until today.
Dear America: Young Readers' Edition by
Jose Antonio Vargas was only twelve years old when he was brought to the United States from the Philippines to live with his grandparents. He didn't know it, but he was sent to the U.S. illegally. When he applied for a learner's permit, he learned the truth, and he spent the next almost twenty years keeping his immigration status a secret. Hiding in plain sight, he was writing for some of the most prestigious news organizations in the country. Only after publicly admitting his undocumented status--risking his career and personal safety--was Vargas able to live his truth.
The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by 
