Here’s a look at some of the latest nonfiction we’ve received at CA Library recently. Look for them in the New Books section!
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat — On June 23, 2018, twelve young players of boys’ soccer team and their coach entered a cave in northern Thailand seeking an afternoon’s adventure. But when they turned to leave, rising floodwaters blocked the path out, trapping them underground. Before long, news of the missing team spreads, launching a seventeen-day rescue operation involving thousands of rescuers from around the globe. “This stellar nonfiction work reads like a heart-pounding adventure story” (School Library Journal).
Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul by Jamie Ducharme — A work of narrative nonfiction chronicling the rise of Juul, the most prominent e-cigarette company, and the birth of a new addiction. “Entrepreneurial-minded teens could learn from this cautionary tale about creating the ‘next big thing'” (Booklist).
Chemistry For Breakfast: The Amazing Science of Everyday Life by Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim — Chemist and writer Nguyen-Jim shares the science behind everyday things (like drinking water,) and not-so-everyday things (like space travel and baby dinosaurs), turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, and explaining everything from heat conduction to expiration dates, with a side of states-of-matter and biological clocks. “Intellectually curious non-scientists who can’t watch Nguyen-Kim’s explainer videos in their original German and who may find a textbook approach daunting should enjoy this quick tour of everyday chemistry” (Library Journal).
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks The Law by Mary Roach — Best-selling science writer Mary Roach investigates the unpredictable world where wildlife and humans meet. What’s to be done about a jaywalking moose? A grizzly bear caught breaking and entering? A murderous tree? As . . . Roach discovers, the answers are best found not in jurisprudence but in science: the curious science of human-wildlife conflict. “Roach’s quirky angle on a timely topic will go down easy with readers of all ages” (Booklist).
Into The Deep: A Memoir From The Man Who Found Titanic by Robert D. Ballard — Oceanographer and marine biologist Robert D. Ballard looks back on a long and storied life that includes accomplishments ranging from discovering new life-forms to finding the wreck of the Titanic. “This exciting memoir…will be relished by readers who enjoy adventure, oceanography, underwater archaeology, and scientific discovery” (Library Journal).
It’s Elemental: The Hidden Chemistry in Everything by Kate Biderdorf — In this practical pop science book, a scientist dubbed “the Cooler Bill Nye” looks at how we experience chemistry every day, answering questions such as what makes dough rise and how coffee gives us an energy boost. “With the first chapter titled ‘Not Your High School Chemistry, this is a haven for teens seeking extra help” (Booklist).
Made In China: A Memoir of Love and Labor by Anna Qu — Taking us on a journey from Wenzhou to Xi’an to New York, a Chinese American writer presents this powerful debut memoir in which she, forced to work in a Queens sweatshop, calls child services on her mother – an act with consequences that impact the rest of her life. “A nuanced examination of complicated ripple effects of intergenerational emigration, and a powerful memoir of finding self-worth” (Library Journal).
She Memes Well: Essays by Quinta Brunson — From comedian Quinta Brunson comes a deeply personal and funny collection of essays about trying to make it when you’re broke, overcoming self-doubt and depression, and how she’s used humor to navigate her career in unusual directions. “Teens will adore Brunson’s honest hilarity and her road map to comedic success” (Booklist).
The Ugly Cry: A Memoir by Danielle Henderson — Abandoned at ten years old by a mother who chose her drug-addicted, abusive boyfriend, Danielle was raised by grandparents who thought their child-rearing days had ended in the 1960s. She grew up Black, weird, and overwhelmingly uncool in a mostly white neighborhood in upstate New York, which created its own identity crises. “An honest account of an unconventional childhood, and of learning to accept the hard truths of loving people who disappoint you” (Library Journal).
What Unites Us, The Graphic Novel: Reflections on Patriotism by Dan Rather — In this graphic adaptation, Dan Rather, the venerated television journalist, celebrates our shared values, reminds us of what matters most in our great country, and shows us what patriotism looks like. “Rather’s firsthand accounts of moments like Watergate and the civil rights movement will appeal to readers interested in a nuanced look at recent U.S. history” (School Library Journal).