One of the best parts of my job is ordering new books for the Edge–reading the reviews, seeing what popular authors come up with next, or finding out about an upcoming sequel to an old favorite. Usually this post is about fiction, but this month, I'm featuring a roundup of the nonfiction titles we've added to the Edge collection over the past few months.

A Long Time Coming: A Lyrical Biography of Race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama by Ray Anthony Shepard
Grades 7 and up
Library Catalog

“A collective biography of six major Black resistance leaders, this title documents the history of Black racial strife, always underwritten with an unwavering belief in equality and freedom. Written in ‘story-poems' with quotes italicized, Shepard's work presents the lives and racial justice work of Ona Judge, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Barack Obama. Christie's captivating, full-page art gives each section visual grounding so that readers can imagine the time that Shepard describes. Unique stories of childhood or life events before their fame will help teens understand these often-studied individuals as products of their time.” –School Library Journal

The 21: The True Story of the Youth Who Sued the U.S. Government Over Climate Change by Elizabeth Rusch
Grades 7 and up
Library Catalog

“In 2015, lawyer Julia Olson filed Juliana v. United States on behalf of twenty-one young plaintiffs from across the country, all of whom were affected in some way by climate change (e.g., health effects, threats to their homes). The suit alleged that the government was violating their constitutional rights by promoting the fossil fuel system that was wreaking havoc on their lives, and that the government had known about these dangers for decades…. Rusch does a marvelous job of weaving together multiple strands into a compelling and timely narrative: an inspiring and empowering story of youth activism, a primer on the role of the judicial branch in our democracy, and a cautionary tale about the mounting dangers of climate change.” –Horn Book

The Beasts in Your Brain: Understanding and Living with Anxiety and Depression by Katherine Speller
Grades 7 and up
Library Catalog

“Journalist Speller draws from her personal experience with mental health as a teen and adult as well as extensive research and interviews in her debut nonfiction. The author writes that early in her research, the Covid-19 pandemic hit and people found themselves living in unprecedented times. Her topic then took on a new urgency as mental health experts warned of the effects the pandemic was having on adolescents. The resulting work is both a detailed and informative account of mental health illnesses among teenagers and a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to recovery. Throughout the book, the author guides the readers through a healing journey that starts with naming and acknowledging their mental illness and moves on to finding professional treatments, a support system, and different techniques and coping tools, including technology, to face these challenges. Speller writes with humor and a personable style that projects empathy and inclusivity, making her readers, no matter their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or financial background, feel seen, heard, and empowered.” –Kirkus Reviews

Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater
Grades 8 and up
Library Catalog

“The author of the acclaimed The 57 Bus (2017) delves into another complex story involving teens, personal choices, and societal forces. Liberal Albany, California—where over half the residents are White and most are college educated—was the site in 2017 of a shocking discovery. A Korean American high school junior had created a private Instagram account and for several months shared racist, sexist memes with his 13 followers, all White and Asian boys. The targets were predominantly Black and Black biracial girls (a Black coach and Sri Lankan American boy were also victims). The violent, degrading images were even more horrific since the perpetrator, account followers, and victims knew one another, and some were close friends. Slater’s thorough research includes candid interviews with those on both sides. She accessibly explores edgy meme culture, online hate speech, the students’ social dynamics, a disastrous mediation session, the school district’s actions, subsequent lawsuits, and how individuals were affected post-graduation.” –Kirkus Reviews

Wearing My Mother’s Heart by Sophia Thakur
Grades 9 and up
Library Catalog

“Spoken-word poet and London native Thakur speaks in living memory of tradition, family, and friendship, drawing from reflections on perseverance and resilience. Referencing her Gambian grandparents in the 1960s and the choices they made that broke with religious doctrine and familial tradition, Thakur uses free-form and rhyming verse in her ‘reflections on family, first love, grief, belief and resolution.'” –School Library Journal

Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Germany by Steve Sheinkin
Grades 8 and up
Library Catalog

“Sheinken has penned another must-read with this powerful and harrowing account of childhood friends Rudolf Vrba and Gerta Sidonová, Slovakian Jewish teens who not only survived the Holocaust but fought back against the Nazis. In 1942, when their government announced that Jews were to be deported to ‘work camps,' Rudi was determined not to go and ran away to try to make it to England. He was captured at the Hungarian border and sent to Auschwitz. Due to his age and health, he was spared the gas chambers and sent to work. With cunning, determination, and good luck, he managed to survive, but never stopped thinking about escape. In April 1944, Vrba and friend Alfred Wetzler made an astonishing escape—even though they were near starvation, they walked to Slovakia with a goal to tell the world what was happening in the camps. Their account became known as the Vrba-Wetzler report, which compelled President Roosevelt to intervene with the Hungarian authorities, credited with saving over 200,000 lives.” –School Library Journal

We also added several arts and crafts books:

• Creative Watercolor: A Step-By-Step Guide for Beginners by Ana Victoria Calderon
• Crochet for Beginners by Polly Wilson
• A Field Guide to Color: A Watercolor Workbook by Lisa Solomon
• How to Draw Anything Anytime by Kamo
• How to Draw a Graphic Novel by Balthazar Pagani
• How to Knit by Debbie Tomkies