young adult Archives - Page 73 of 102

The Vietnam War
by Barbara Diggs (Author) and Samuel Carbaugh (Illustrator)

Booktalk: More than 58,000 American troops and personnel died in the humid jungles and muddy rivers of Vietnam during the 20-year conflict. But why? What were they fighting for? And how could the world’s most powerful and technologically advanced military be defeated by a small, poverty-stricken country? These questions have haunted the U.S. government, the military, and the American public for nearly a half century.

Snippet:
CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW
The Vietnam War ended in 1975, which means that many people from this era are still alive today. Despite the many books and films that have been made about this war, the best way to get a personal understanding of this period is by speaking with someone who remembers it.

BONUS! Download this page from the book and interview a veteran for Memorial Day.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Surface Tension
by Mike Mullin (Author)

Booktalk: After witnessing an act of domestic terrorism while training on his bike, Jake is found near death, with a serious head injury and unable to remember the plane crash or the aftermath that landed him in the hospital.

A terrorist leader’s teenage daughter, Betsy, is sent to kill Jake and eliminate him as a possible witness. When Jake’s mother blames his head injury for his tales of attempted murder, he has to rely on his girlfriend, Laurissa, to help him escape the killers and the law enforcement agents convinced that Jake himself had a role in the crash.

Snippet: The congressman closes his copy of the Indianapolis Star and sets it aside. He stands, entering the boarding line. He flies this route often. Sometimes he gets upgraded to first class, but today he’s in coach. His frequent flier status lets him board ahead of most of the passengers. As he steps onto the jetway, I tap out a text on my phone. “Getting a bacon & egg biscuit. Want one?” The reply comes quickly, “No thx.” If I’d typed sausage, it would have meant that the congressman wasn’t on board. If the reply had been yes, the operation would have been scrubbed.