"Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter" by Adeline Yen Mah

Wu Mei or Adeline (her English name) was the youngest of five siblings, born into a wealthy family in Communist China. Because her mother died giving birth to her, Adeline is considered "bad luck" by her family. Her father remarries a woman named Niang, and they have two children together, who are spoiled rotten. Adeline and her original siblings are often neglected and ignored. Niang controls the family dynamics and she's decided that Adeline is not worth much of anything. Adeline's great aunt and grandfather offer some love and support, but as they are financially dependent on Niang, they must be discreet in showing any affection. Adeline is sent away to boarding school for much of her childhood, and is completely cut off from her family emotionally. She years to be loved by her father and gain respect from Niang, but she feels invisible in their eyes. While not physically abused by her parents, their emotional neglect is heartbreaking to Adeline, and she immerses herself into her studies and books to forget the pain. This is a heartbreaking true "Cinderella" story. A good example of life in China in the 1940s during World War II.

Stick Figure - A Diary of My Former Self

Lori Gottlieb is 11 years old and lives in fabulous Beverly Hills . Her dad is a stockbroker, and her mom is your average housewife, obsessed with her weight, appearance, and shopping.

In school, Lori notices her friends starting to act weird. Instead of focusing on school and tests, everyone seems to be more interested in hairstyles, clothes and boys. Lori could care less.

Lori's mom is always trying to get her to work on her appearance. Her hair isn't exciting enough, and her clothes are not fashionable at all. Lori is constantly told that if her looks don't improve, she'll have problems finding a husband, and will have to go to secretary school.

Fed up with all of the interference in her life, and her parents' inability to listen, Lori starts a regime of strict dieting. She becomes obsessed with counting calories, reading diet books, and exercising. She finds herself repulsed by the thought of food, and is convinced she can gain weight by just smelling delicious foods.

Lori's parents become concerned when her weight drops dangerously low. They force her to see a psychiatrist, who doesn't seem to get Lori's logic. She is unwilling to follow her doctor's orders, and doesn't put on any weight. In face, her dieting gets worse, and she gets even skinnier, eventually resulting in hospitalization.

This is Lori Gottlieb's true story about her struggle with anorexia when she was 11 years old. Lori found her old diaries in her parents' house and pieced them together to form "Stick Figure: A Diary of My Former Self." This is a great read for anyone who enjoyed Laurie Halse Anderson's "Wintergirls." Lori entertains the inconsistencies between what society tells young girls to strive for, and what is healthy and good for our bodies.

"Maus I: A Survivor's Tale" by Art Spiegelman

Art Spiegelman interviews his dad, Vladek, to try to piece together his father's experiences with the Holocaust during World War II. Vladek recalls how he and his wife were constantly either on the run, or in hiding, in order to avoid getting arrested by the Germans for being Jewish. Many Jews were sent to concentration camps, and few managed to escape the horrors of these camps, and were murdered while in captivity. Spiegelman illustrates his father's past, alongside his modern existence in New York State. The Nazis are drawn as cats, and the Jews mice. This story captures the tragedy of the Holocaust, not only for the survivors, but also for the families of those who experienced the terror of war. Spiegelman won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for this masterpiece.

"Three Cups of Tea - One Man's Journey to Change the World...One Child at a Time - The Young Reader's Edition" by Greg Mortenson

Last year KCLS participated in King County Reads - where we encouraged everyone to read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. I was thrilled to discover this new version of the book adapted by Sarah Thomson. If you missed the original, here's the basic story. Greg Mortenson took off traveling to the middle east where he tried to climb K2, the 2nd highest mountain in the world, and some would argue the most challenging. He did not make the summit and upon his descent, he strayed from the trail and got lost. Eventually he stumbled into a remote village, where locals wholeheartedly welcomed him and nursed him back to health with food and kindness. He was shocked to see the village's school, its lack of teachers and supplies. Students were copying their lessons with sticks in the dirt. Greg was inspired by their desire to learn and vowed to return to their village and build them a proper school, and so he did. To date, as director of the Central Asian Institute, Greg has constructed over 50 schools and is dedicated to improving the quality of education for these children, especially young girls. This is a powerful, moving humanitarian story and I'm so excited to see it accessible for a younger audience. It's a great way to share Greg's story with your kids, your students or anyone who wants a simplified version of his story. The book has a great Q&A with Greg's daughter Amira, and information on Pennies for Peace, a fundraising opportunity for interested students. Whereas a penny in American is considered worthless, in Pakistan or Afghanistan a penny can purchase a pencil and help promote education and literacy. Color photographs make a stunning addition and I wish they had been included in the original. Highly recommended all around!

"The Burn Journals" by Brent Runyon

When Brent was 14 years old, he poured gasoline on himself and lit himself on fire. He survived but suffered from severe burns over 85% of his body. The Burn Journals is Brent's story of the year following this fateful day and his journey towards recovery. After a year of working on physical therapy and struggling with counseling sessions, Brent re-enters high school and the life he left. This is a true story of his suicide attempt, its affect on his family, and his change in outlook on life and living. This is a true story and reminded me of Girl Interrupted and Patricia McCormick's Cut. Intriguing memoir, probably best for 8th grade and up.

"Facing the Lion-Growing Up Masai on the African Savanna" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton

Have you ever been face to face with a lion, scared he's going to eat you for dinner??

This is the true story of Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton who grew up as a Masai warrior in northern Kenya. His tribe is nomadic, which means they move their houses to where the food is plentiful. Growing up in Kenya is totally different than growing up in the United States. Joseph's family lives in a hut made of sticks and cow dung, and they survive on a diet based on cow milk. Cows are very sacred to the Masai and they depend on them for everything. Lions like to eat cows, and it's up to the Masai warriors to protect their friends, family and cattle from lion attacks.

"During the middle of the night, I woke to this huge sound - like rain, but not really like rain. I looked up. The starlight was gone, clouds were everywhere, and there was a light drizzle falling. But that wasn't the sound. The sound was of all the cows starting to pee. All of them, in every direction. And that is the sign of a lion. A hyena doesn't make them do that. An elephant doesn't make them do that. A person doesn't. Only the lion. We knew right away that a lion was about to attack us."

I was able to visit a Masai village when I went on safari in Africa last year. I like learning about their culture and was so excited to find this book. It also totally counts as a biography if you need to read one for school. Other people's lives are fascinating!

"Three Little Words - A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Ashley's mother is declared unfit for parenting, and Ashley and her younger brother Luke are taken into state custody for their own protection. Over a period of 9 years, Ashley lives in 14 different foster homes, including one so abusive it made national headlines. All Ashley wants is to be loved and wanted by a family. After finally being adopted by the Courters, Ashley must find her place and identity in a new family and learn to trust those around her. A wonderful story of overcoming hardship and tackling adversity. If you liked "A Child Called It," by Dave Pelzer, this book is for you!

"Always Running - La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A." by Luis J. Rodriguez

This powerful memoir recounts Rodriguez's youth as a gang banger in the barrios of East L.A. in the early 1960's. He served time in prison for attempted murder, had near-death experiences involving crack and heroin, and witnessed the premature death of many friends and neighbors. His language is raw and powerful, this autobiography was written to help deter his own son from following in his gang footsteps. Rodriguez found support within his community, and was able to break free of his gang activity. He is now a leading Chicano author. "Always Running" won a Carl Sandburg Literary Award, and was a New York Times Notable Book. In 1999 the American Library Association called Always Running one of the 100 most censored books in the United States.

"Grief Girl - My True Story" by Erin Vincent

This is Erin Vincent's true autobiography about how her life completely changed when she was 14. Both of her parents were killed in a car accident, leaving Erin's older sister Tracey in charge of her and their younger brother Trent. Erin struggles with her loss and her sense of responsibility regarding her parents' untimely death. This book makes you realize how powerful of an emotion grief can be, and how each of us handles it differently. Erin uses a LOT of language to describe her feelings. Other than that, I think it's good for high school, maybe middle school, and even adults!