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Here's my hit for the message I posted last week. I got a lot of good suggestions and I've gotten him started, so thanks to all who replied. I am including all the responses so you can see how many books were recommended multiple times. "Hi everyone, I am having trouble finding recommendations for one of my students. I have found a few, but if anyone could think of more I would appreciate it. This student is a sophomore from Spain, and he hasn't found anything he likes here yet, so I really want to impress him. The last few books he liked in Spain were narrative non-fiction. One was about a reporter who went undercover as a neo-Nazi, one was about a man who was in some work accident and it was about his injuries and recovery, and one was about a former drug addict. His English is pretty good although he struggles sometimes, so it can't be anything with too high of a reading level. However, as you can see, he likes the more mature themes. I have tried the usual RA sources but those are better for fiction. If anyone has any great ideas I will be very grateful!" Do you have the Pelzer books? Child Called It, etc? We have multiple copies and can't keep them on the shelves. How about some of Gary Paulsen's nonfiction about dogsledding and hunting, or maybe even Ann Rule's book about Ted Bundy, The stranger beside me? How about The Book Thief by Markus Zusak I bet he would love Left for Dead! Great double story-line about the USS Indianapolis. Also, though not non-fiction, he might like the "factual" format of Pox Party, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing. A Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos My Brother by Jamaica Kincaid Epileptic (Graphic Novel) by David B. (no joke, that's how the author is recognized!) Have you tried Frank McCourt ('Tis, Angela's Ashes)? The language can get a little rough, but they are pretty rugged. Do you have Jack Gantos' autobiography "A Hole in My Life"? Recounts his struggle with money and drug running, then his prison sentence. It's very redeeming at the end... And of course, well-written! Hope this helps! How about Black Like Me? How about "A Child Called It"? My students love it, although the subject matter is very serious. If he likes it, there's the sequels "The Lost Boy" and "A Man Named Dave". How about The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon? I personally was a little disappointed in it as it only focused on his physical recovery but it might be something your student would like and it's not difficult to read. The others that came to mind are A Child Called It, Lost Boy, and A Man Named Dave by David Pelzer. These are extremely popular at my school and, again, easy to read. I've been thinking about this a bit since our kids really like non-fiction. They have loved The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon and A Child Called It. We were just talking about the John Berendt books as a possible purchase for older students, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and also City of Falling Angels. I recently purchased Lost in the Amazon by Stephen Kirkpatrick. How about Jon Krakauer--Into the Wild, Into Thin Air? The Burn Journals by Runyan-- a boy tries to kill himself by self-immolation. He survives and chronicles his recovery, both physical and psychological. It is an incredible story and very easy to read. Into Thin Air by Krakouer-- a reporter joins a group climbing Mt. Everest in 1996(?). A surprise storm results in one of the worst disasters in climbing history. It is one of the most exciting books I have every read. Winterdance by Paulsen-- The author decides to run the Iditarod. It is laugh-out-loud funny and ultimately very touching. A book that is very underappreciated. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer Alive by Piers Paul Read Shipwreck at the bottom of the world: the extraordinary true story of Shackelton and Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong One of the most popular books in our library is 4,000 Days: My Life and Times in a Bangkok Prison by Warren Fellows. Warren is an Australian drug courier who gets caught in a Thai airport, and he tells the story of what this prison sentence was like--very interesting and graphic and brutal. These are more along the lines of memoirs but what about Jack Gantos' Hole in My Life or Brent Runyon's The Burn Journal? How about some of the Robert F. Sibert winners, non-fiction, well-researched but very readable. You can find them at http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/sibertmedal/Sibert_Medal.htm Black Potatoes, Hitler Youth, American Plague, Pedro and Me, etc. Perhaps he would like Phineas Gage too. I would recommend books by Harold L. Klawans and Atul Gawande (medical mysteries), and Frank Abagnale (Catch me if you can). The Kite Runner, Maisie Dobbs, or Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime How about Phineas Gage: a gruesome but true story about brain science. Broaddus, Cindi and Kimberly Lohman Suiters. A Random Act Dolgun, Alexander with Patrick Watson. Alexander Dolgun's Story Heyerdahl, Thor. The Tigris Expedition Kon-Tiki Hillenbrand, Laura. Seabiscuit Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air Kuklin, susan. Iqbal Masih and the Crusaders Against Child Slavery Malcolm X. The Autobiography of Malcolm X. McBride, James. The Color of Water Runyan, Brent. The Burn Journals Stingley, Darryl. Happy to be Alive Suskind, Ron. A Hope in the Unseen Wright, Richard. Black Boy Zoya with John Follain and Rita Cristofari. Zoya's Story Jessica Langlois Librarian Mount St. Joseph Academy Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 775-0151 librarian@msjvermont.org -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/ * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html --------------------------------------------------------------------