Entering Grade 8

HISTORY (nonfiction)

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Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America (Young Reader Edition)
by Candacy Taylor
Overground Railroad chronicles the history of the Green Book, which was published from 1936 to 1966 and was the “Black travel guide to America.” For years, it was dangerous for African Americans to travel in the United States. Because of segregation, Black travelers couldn’t eat, sleep, or even get gas at most white-owned businesses.
Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown
by Steve Sheinkin
At the close of WWII, the US and the Soviet Union became embroiled in a new conflict pitting communism against capitalism and two world powers against one another in almost every regard, from Cuba to submarines in the deepest sea, to outer space. 
Ambushed!: The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield”
by Gail Jarrow
An intricately detailed narrative of the assassination of President Garfield, Jarrow uses historical documents, newspaper accounts, and diary entries to create an engaging chronology of events as part of her Medical Fiascoes series.
Black Birds in the Sky
by Brandy Colbert
Colbert contextualizes the Tulsa Race Massacre which recently had its hundredth year anniversary to commemorate the harrowing events using her skillful writing for teen audiences. A well-researched accounting of the racial violence that cannot be forgotten.
Unequal
by Michael Eric Dyson and Marc Favreau
Dedicated to revealing the history of systemic racial inequality and segregation in the United States, Dyson and Favreau connect important historical events to the current day. Included stories go beyond those of the most well-known activists to broaden the reader’s understanding of Black Americans’ fight for equality, while imploring the reader to use lessons from history to build a better future.
The Burning: Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 (Young Reader Edition)
by Tim Madigan 
One of the worst acts of racist violence in American history took place in 1921, when a White mob numbering in the thousands decimated the thriving Black community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet
by Wil Hunt
A panoramic investigation of the subterranean landscape, from sacred caves and derelict subway stations to nuclear bunkers and ancient underground cities—an exploration of the history, science, architecture, and mythology of the worlds beneath our feet.
Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights
by Ann Bausum
In 1969 being gay in the United States was a criminal offense and police raids on gay bars happened regularly. But one hot June night, when cops pounded on the door of the Stonewall, almost nothing went as planned. Tensions were high. The crowd refused to go away. Anger and frustration boiled over.
Courage & Defiance: Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in WWII Denmark
by Deborah Hopkinson
Nazis invaded Denmark and placed its citizens under their rule in 1940, but the Danes rallied and used subversive tactics to fight the Nazi occupation on their own territory, helping 95% of Jewish Danes to survive the war.
Made You Look: How Advertising Works and Why You Should Know
by Shari Graydon ​ 
We are bombarded by advertising though social media, billboards, television, or video games, and kids are frequently targeted by marketing. This book arms you with the information to be an informed consumer.  
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