We love handing over an excellent biography or memoir to the young adult readers we know. There’s no better way to help them connect with history and take a walk in someone else’s shoes. Here are some of our favorite recent memoirs and biographies for teens.
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1. Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman
Heiligman chronicles the amazing and eccentric lives of the Van Gogh brothers, their relationship with each other, and their work.
2. Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original Girl Reporter by Deborah Noyes
Known for her groundbreaking work exposing the mistreatment of patients in an asylum, Nellie Bly did not let the traditional expectations of female reporters stop her from becoming a pioneering journalist.
3. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle
Written in verse, Engle shares the tension of living between two worlds, Cuba and Los Angeles.
4. Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the Selma Voting
Introduction:
Memoirs and biographies can inspire, motivate, and enlighten readers of all ages. For teenagers, reading about the lives of others can help them navigate their own challenges and provide valuable insights into the world around them. Here are 12 unforgettable memoirs and biographies that every teen should read.
1. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzais extraordinary journey to become the youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient will inspire teens who are fighting for education, gender equality, and human rights.
2. Becoming by Michelle Obama
In her engaging memoir, former First Lady Michelle Obama shares her experiences growing up in Chicago, her struggles as a working mother, and her time in the White House.
3. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Anne Franks diary offers an intimate account of her experiences as a Jewish teenager hiding from the Nazis during World War II—and serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
4. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
This beautifully written memoir told in verse delves in
We enjoy recommending a top-notch memoir or biography to the young adult readers we are familiar with. There isnt a better approach to enable children to relate to the history and see life from another persons perspective. Here are our top picks for recent teen memoirs and biographies.
Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman
Heiligman details the extraordinary and bizarre lives of the Van Gogh brothers, their interactions with one another, and their creative output.
Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original Girl Reporter by Deborah Noyes
Nellie Bly, well-known for her breakthrough work documenting the abuse of asylum patients, defied the stereotypes of female reporters and became a trailblazing columist.
Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle
In a poem, Engle describes the stress of juggling two worlds, Cuba and LA.
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery
Lowery talks about her experience participating in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s civil rights march as the youngest marcher.
Courage to Soar:
Sometimes a great book can kick a kid into high gear, and these 10 inspirational books for teens can both motivate them and help them feel understood.
If your teenagers are like mine, getting them to finish a book can be challenging. Between reading for school and the allure of YouTube videos and Netflix, books often fall to the bottom on the list of fun things to do.
During the teenage years especially, kids seek information and inspiration from sources beyond their parents. They want to be moved and motivated by others, and sometimes they just need a little encouragement to pick up a great book. By getting kids to buy into the valuable and enjoyable experience of getting lost in a story, we can inspire young readers to love literature—a passion that will cary well into adulthood.
We asked the teens and young adults in our life what books have inspired them the last few years, but our best advice is to let your teen choose the tales they want to read—and don’t criticize. Whether they’re YA books about love or friendships, an adventure series about being stranded on a deserted island, or classics like To Kill a Mockingbird or Catcher in th
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