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December 1 - Rosa Parks Day A holiday in honor of the civil rights leader Rosa Parks, celebrated on this date in several states, cities and counties on the day she was arrested. |
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Rosa Parks: In Her Own Words
by Susan Reyburn
Biography: In this compelling new book from the Library of Congress, where the Parks Collection is housed, the civil rights icon is revealed for the first time in print through her private manuscripts and handwritten notes. Rosa Parks: In Her Own Words illumines her inner thoughts, her ongoing struggles, and how she came to be the person who stood up by sitting down. At the height of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, as Parks was both pilloried and celebrated, she found a catharsis in her writing. Her precise descriptions of her arrest, the segregated South, and her recollections of childhood resistance to white supremacy document a lifetime of battling inequality. Parks expressed her thoughts on paper using whatever was available--meeting agendas, event programs, drugstore bags. The book features one hundred color and black-and-white photographs from the Parks collection, many appearing in print for the first time, along with ephemera from the long life of a private person in the public eye.
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Spirit of Freedom: Powerful Women of the Civil Rights Movement
by Martin Gitlin
Young Adult Non-fiction: This book shines a light on the unsung women of the Civil Rights Movement, women who overcame enormous odds to fight for the rights of Black Americans. The women profiled include Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Dorothy Height, Ruby Hurley, Gloria Richardson, Jo Ann Robinson, and more.
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Rosa Parks
by Ruth Daly
Juvenile Biography: Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist. In the 1950s, she helped end racial segregation in the United States. Rosa took a stand for the rights of all African Americans. She set an example of peaceful protest. Find out more in Rosa Parks, one of the titles in History Makers: Past and Present. This series profiles significant history makers throughout time. Each book explores the life of a well-known individual and provides an overview of that person's life and achievements.
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Rosa Parks
by Lisbeth Kaiser
Easy Biography: Rosa Parks grew up during segregation in Alabama, but she was taught to respect herself and stand up for her rights. In 1955, Rosa refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Her decision had a huge impact on civil rights, eventually leading to the end of segregation on public transport. Rosa was described as "the mother of the freedom movement". This inspiring story of Rosa's life is moving, and approachable for young readers.
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I Am Rosa Parks
by Brad Meltzer
Easy Biography: Recounts Rosa Parks' daring effort to stand up for herself and other African Americans by helping to end segregation on public transportation.
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December 21 - World Basketball Day Like many other sports, basketball transcends borders, cultures, and languages. It serves as a unifying force where people from different backgrounds can come together, bond and communicate with each other, creating connections and breaking down barriers, and thereby contributing to peace. - United Nations Website |
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In the Name of Freedom: A Political Dissident's Fight for Human Rights in the NBA and Around the World
by Enes Kanter Freedom
Biography: A riveting story of personal hardship, the cost of political dissent, and the quest for justice that recounts how NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom became a leading activist for human rights around the world. Enes Kanter Freedom was born to play basketball. But he risked it all when he realized that his voice could be a force for change. In the Name of Freedom tells the story of how Enes Kanter, a boy with a dream in Turkey, became Enes Freedom, an American citizen, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and a fierce advocate for human rights--and the price he paid for speaking out. Enes refused to stand by as his native country descended into authoritarian dictatorship. He made his opinion known and the Erdogan regime declared him an enemy of state. His father, still in Turkey, was arrested and declared a terrorist. Enes's Turkish passport was revoked and he was made stateless. The experience would have broken most advocates. But it only encouraged Enes, who realized that standing for human rights was bigger than basketball. Enes soon became one of the country's fiercest fighters for human rights. He took on the NBA for turning a blind eye to China's persecution of the Uyghurs. He even called out Lebron James, the game's biggest star, for using Chinese labor in his Nike shoe deal as the Chinese government cracked down on political freedoms in Hong Kong. Timely and gripping, In the Name of Freedom puts a human face on the fight for liberty and democracy.
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Shattering the Glass: The Remarkable History of Women's Basketball
by Pamela Grundy
Non-fiction: American women's basketball has reached new peaks of interest and popularity, thanks to spellbinding athletes, exhilarating games, and a vibrant, empowered vision of womanhood. Shattering the Glass stands as the definitive history of the sport. Combining extensive historical research with dozens of oral history interviews, Pamela Grundy and Susan Shackelford bring life and depth to stories of the many generations of female athletes who have fought for liberation on and off the court. In this new and substantially expanded edition, Grundy and Shackelford provide a fresh view of the sport that extends to the present. They chart the expanding visibility of college programs, the growing dynamism of the WNBA, and players' courageous leadership on social issues such as sexuality and race, drawing on the actions and reflections of stars such as Seimone Augustus, Kim Mulkey, Brittney Griner, Geno Auriemma, Pat Summitt, Breanna Stewart, Dawn Staley, and Caitlin Clark. The result is a compelling story of women's empowerment through sport over the past century.
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Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First Us Women's Olympic Basketball Team
by Andrew Maraniss
Young Adult Non-fiction: Twenty years before women's soccer became an Olympic sport and two decades before the formation of the WNBA, the '76 US women's basketball team laid the foundation for the incredible rise of women's sports in America at the youth, collegiate, Olympic, and professional levels. Though they were unknowns from small schools such as Delta State, the University of Tennessee at Martin and John F. Kennedy College of Wahoo, Nebraska, at the time of the '76 Olympics, the American team included a roster of players who would go on to become some of the most legendary figures in the history of basketball. From Pat Head, Nancy Lieberman, Ann Meyers, Lusia Harris, coach Billie Moore, and beyond--these women took on the world and proved everyone wrong. Packed with black-and-white photos and thoroughly researched details about the beginnings of US women's basketball, Inaugural Ballers is the fascinating story of the women who paved the way for girls everywhere.
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Rez Ball
by Byron Graves
Young Adult Fiction: These days, Tre Brun is happiest when he is playing basketball on the Red Lake Reservation high school team, even though he can't help but be constantly gut-punched with memories of his big brother, Jaxon, who died in an accident. When Jaxon's former teammates on the varsity team offer to take Tre under their wing, he sees this as his shot to represent his Ojibwe rez all the way to their first state championship. This is the first step toward his dream of playing in the NBA, no matter how much the odds are stacked against him. But stepping into his brother's shoes as a star player means that Tre can't mess up. Not on the court, not at school, and not with his new friend, gamer Khiana, who he is definitely not falling in love with. After decades of rez teams almost making it, Tre needs to take his team to state. Because if he can live up to Jaxon's dreams, their story isn't over yet.
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Wheelchair Basketball
by Ethan Olson
Juvenile Non-fiction: Explores the history of wheelchair basketball, the classification system used for the sport, and notable athletes. Additional features include a table of contents, sidebars, infographics, Fast Facts, critical thinking questions, a phonetic glossary, an index, and sources for further research.
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Meet Nikola Jokić: Denver Nuggets Superstar
by David Stabler
Juvenile Non-fiction: Center Nikola Jokić is a triple-double machine and a two-time NBA MVP. In 2016, he led Team Serbia to silver at the Olympic Games. Explore his life on and off the court.
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I Like Hoops
by Juwanda G. Ford
Picture Books: A close game of basketball played by a diverse group of first and second graders is full of suspense, joy--and good sportsmanship, too!
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Rising Above: The Wataru Wat Misaka Story
by Hayley Diep
Easy Biography: This dynamic picture book biography introduces readers of all ages to Wataru Misaka, the first non-white athlete to play in the NBA Wataru 'Wat' Misaka, a Japanese American boy born to immigrant parents, liked to play basketball under the glow of stars and a small street lamp in Ogden, Utah. America was home to Wat, but with the onset of World War II, many people thought he didn't belong. 'Go home!' they would shout as he dribbled the ball down the hardwood court, but Wat continued on his chosen path, winning state tournaments in high school, becoming a national champion with the University of Utah, and even serving in the U.S. Army. The New York Knicks took notice, and in 1947, Wat became the first person of color to play in the NBA. During a time when nearly all of America mistrusted and mistreated Japanese Americans, Wataru Misaka embodied courage and strength, pursuing the game he loved and becoming a symbol of hope for Japanese Americans sent to incarceration camps. Lost in the annals of history for too long, this remarkable story of identity, belonging, and following one's own path is now illuminated through lyrical text and vivid illustrations.
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Winter Reading Bingo! December 15-January 24 Here are some book suggestions to fill in the Read A Book by a BIPOC square. You can find all the information about our Winter Reading Program here. |
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The River Has Roots
by Amal El-Mohtar
Fiction: In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family. There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic--none more devotedly than the family's latest daughters Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees. But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters' bond but also their lives will be at risk.
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King of Ashes
by S. A. Cosby
Mystery: When eldest son Roman Carruthers is summoned home after his father's car accident, he finds his younger brother Dante in debt to dangerous criminals and his sister Neveah exhausted from holding the family--and the family business--together. Neveah and their father, who run the Carruthers Crematorium in the run-down central Virginia town of Jefferson Run, see death up close every day. But mortality draws even closer when it becomes clear that the crash that landed their father in a coma was no accident and Dante's recklessness has placed them all in real danger. Roman, a financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, has some money to help buy his brother out of trouble. But in his work with wannabe tough guys, he's forgotten that there are real gangsters out there.
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Bingsu for Two
by Sujin Witherspoon
Young Adult Fiction: After dumping his girlfriend, walking out of the SATs, and quitting his job all in one day, River Langston-Lee finds a new home at a failing Korean café. When River and his co-worker--and mortal enemy--Sarang accidentally go viral on social media, they realize their newfound fame is the key to saving Bingsu for Two. The only catch is they must pretend to be a couple for their adoring subscribers. But when River's past catches up with him, he will have to decide if he's finally ready to stand up for himself...and the girl he's grown to love.
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Togetha
by Keith F. Miller Jr
Young Adult Fiction: This sequel to Pritty finds Jay and Leroy togetha again as they fight to save not only their home but themselves from the powerful Bainbridge family's treacherous endgame to retake Savannah for themselves, no matter the cost.
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J vs. K
by Kwame Alexander
Juvenile Fiction: Two ten-year-olds must decide whether they should join forces to create an unbeatable duo that is sure to win their school's annual creative storytelling contest.
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No Purchase Necessary
by Maria Marianayagam
Juvenile Fiction: Ajay has lived his life dutifully following the rules set by his Tamil parents. Rule #3: Straight As only. Rule #5: There is no such thing as a no-homework day. Rule #10: Never watch scary movies. However, moving to a new school gives Ajay a new rule to follow: Get on seventh-grade all-star Jacob Underson's good side. When Jacob asks him to steal a Mercury bar from Scary Al's convenience store, Ajay feels this is his chance to finally 'get cool' and stop eating alone. But Jacob rejects the stolen chocolate bar, leaving Ajay to unwrap it and discover that it contains Mercury's Twenty-fifth Anniversary Grand Prize: one million dollars.
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Mai's Áo Dài
by Thai Nguyen
Picture Book: It's the morning of Tet, and Mai can't wait to celebrate at her beloved grandmother's home. With the perfect dress: a poofy, sparkly Cinderella dress that makes Mai look like the movie star she dreams of being! But when Mai's father suggests that she wears an âao dáai, a traditional Vietnamese outfit, to her Ba Noi's party, Mai is disappointed. Stars don't wear âao dáai, she thinks. Then Ba tells her the story of a true star, her very own Ba Noi, who sewed beautiful, highly sought-after âao dáai in Vietnam and brought her magic with her when she immigrated to the United States.
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The Old Sleigh
by Jarrett Pumphrey
Picture Book: Caldecott Honorees Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey deliver heart, hope, and holiday cheer in this magical companion to The Old Truck and The Old Boat.
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Library Programs of InterestFor a full listing of our programs this month see our Events Page.
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Mercer County Library System
2751 Brunswick Pike Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648 609-882-9246
https://mcl.org
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