Entering Grade 6
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History & Geography

Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown by Steve Sheinkin
As World War II ended, former allies the United States and the Soviet Union quickly became enemies, racing to build bombs, arming regional conflicts, spying on each other and racing to conquer space. This compelling story tells the story of that time when the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war. (nonfiction)
Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws That Affect Us Today by Cynthia Levinson
The story of how the U. S. Constitution was crafted out of debate and compromise in 1787 and how it affects us today. (nonfiction)
First Flight Around the World: The Adventures of the American Fliers Who Won the Race by Tim Grove
In 1924, when airplanes were a new technology, young aviators faced violent weather, primitive navigation and unfamiliar cultures in the race to become the first to fly around the globe. (nonfiction)
How We Got to the Moon: the People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
The Moon landing is one of the most ambitious, thrilling, and dangerous ventures in human history. From the launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik to the triumphant splashdown of Apollo 11, this profusely illustrated book tells the stories of the 400,000 unsung heroes--the engineers, mathematicians, seamstresses, welders, and factory workers--and their innovations and life-changing technological leaps forward. (nonfiction)
I Will Always Write Back by Martin Ganda and Caitlin Alifirenka, with Liz Welch
This true story is based on a friendship that began in 1997 when a 12-year old girl is given a pen pal in Zimbabwe.  Neither 14-year-old Martin nor Caitlin could have predicted how much their letters would change them. (nonfiction)
Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima by Deirdre Langeland
The story of the largest nuclear disaster of the twenty-first century. The three part disaster of a 9.1 magnitude earthquake and the resulting tsumani that hit Japan in March 2011 is told with a timeline, diagrams, photos and eyewitness testimony. Explanations of the science behind nuclear power generation, earthquakes and the effects of radiation are balanced by the personal stories of the humans who risked their lives to limit the disaster and help the victims. (nonfiction)
Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria by Muhammad Najem
The war in Syria began when Muhammad was eight. By the time he was 15, it was still going on and he had had enough. He began using his phone and social media to report on how the war was affecting him and other kids. (memoir in graphic novel format)
Prisoners of Geography: Our World Explained in 12 Simple Maps (Illustrated Young Readers Edition) by Tim Marshall
Colorful maps and illustrations explain how geography shaped the world we live in today. Answers questions such as: How did the US’s rivers help it become a superpower? and: What do the Himalayas have to do with war? (nonfiction)
Seven Voyages: How China's Treasure Fleet Conquered the Sea by Laurence Bergreen and Sara Fray
In the early 1400's, seven foot tall Admiral Zheng commanded over 1,500 ships and thousands of sailors on seven key voyages. In the name of Chinese Emperor Zhu Di, he explored the seas around China as far as Africa, opening trade routes as he went. Although he favored diplomacy, the pirates of Malacca were ruthless, and on several of his journeys Zheng did not hesitate to clear them out of his path. (nonfiction)
The School the Aztec Eagles Built by Dorinda Makanaonalani Nicholson
The story of the elite fighter squadron from Mexico who left to fight in WWII. When asked by the Mexican President if any men had special requests, one pilot asked that a school be built in his hometown of Tepoztlan. (nonfiction)
Spooked! How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America by Gail Jarrow
The true story of the night when thousands of Americans panicked when they believed a radio play about a martian invasion was actual news.  National conversations about fake news and freedom of the press that happened at the time are still relevant today. (nonfiction)
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
One morning four-year-old George Takei woke one morning to discover that his country, the United States, was at war with Japan. Soon his whole family was forced from their home, along with 100,000 other Japanese-Americans, into a relocation camp. (memoir in graphic novel format)
Unsolved Case Files series by Tom Sullivan
Escape at 10,000 Feet: D.B. Cooper and the Missing Money
In 1971,  a man who had just hijacked a passenger plane parachutes out of the plane over Washington state and is never seen again. This highly illustrated book relates the crime and the unsuccessful manhunt that ensued. (nonfiction)
World in Between: Based on a True Refugee Story by Kenan Trebinčević and Susan Shapiro
In 1992 Yugoslavia, Kenan is enjoying playing soccer with his friends and living his middle class life. But political forces and ethnic hatreds begin to tear his country apart, and bombs are falling, friends are turning on him and his family must flee the country, if they can. (memoir)
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