Super Simple Physics by Leo Ball

Crammed with fascinating facts and all the core curriculum topics, this physics book will have you exam-ready in no time!

Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this completely comprehensive guide makes physics crystal clear. It’s the perfect support for home and school learning.

This super simple science book cuts through the jargon and breaks down the information into easy, manageable chunks. From atoms and states of matter to scalars and vectors, this indispensable guide is packed with everything you need to quickly and easily understand physics.

2. The Redhead of Auschwitz: A True Story by Nechama Birnbaum

Rosie was always told her red hair was a curse, but she never believed it. She often dreamed what it would look like under a white veil with the man of her dreams by her side. However, her life takes a harrowing turn in 1944 when she is forced out of her home and sent to the most gruesome of places: Auschwitz.

Upon arrival, Rosie’s head is shaved and along with the loss of her beautiful hair, she loses the life she once cherished. Among the chaos and surrounded by hopelessness, Rosie realizes the only thing the Nazis cannot take away from her is the fierce redhead resilience in her spirit. When all of her friends conclude they are going to heaven from Auschwitz, she remains determined to get home. She summons all of her courage, through death camps and death marches to do just that.

This victorious biography, written by Nechama Birnbaum in honor of her grandmother, is as full of life as it is of death. It is about the intricacies of Jewish culture that still exist today and the tender experiences that are universal to all humanity: family, coming of age, and first love. It is a story that celebrates believing in yourself no matter the odds. This is a story about the little redheaded girl who thought she could, and so she did.

8. Everything You Need to Ace Biology in One Big Fat Notebook
by Matthew Brown

Biology? No Problem!

This Big Fat Notebook covers everything you need to know during a year of high school BIOLOGY class, breaking down one big bad subject into accessible units. Including: biological classification, cell theory, photosynthesis, bacteria, viruses, mold, fungi, the human body, plant and animal reproduction, DNA & RNA, evolution, genetic engineering, the ecosystem and more.

Study better with mnemonic devices, definitions, diagrams, educational doodles, and quizzes to recap it all.

part of the Everything You Need…in One Big Fat Notebook series

The Age of Dinosaurs: The Rise and Fall of the World’s Most Remarkable Animals
by Steve Brusatte

Think you know about dinosaurs? Think again! New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Steve Brusatte brings young scientists and readers everywhere into his world of massive herbivores and fearsome predators, daily unexpected discoveries, and all the new science used to learn about some of the world’s oldest beings.

Even though the dinosaurs roamed the earth millions of years ago, we’re still piecing together new information about these ancient animals.

Did you know that, on average, a new species of dinosaur is discovered every single week? Or that many dinosaurs had feathers? Or that there are even modern-day dinosaurs walking around right now?

New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed paleontologist Steve Brusatte writes about all the new discoveries he and his colleagues have made that help us better understand—and marvel at—these remarkable reptiles.

part of The Rise and Fall series

In the Shadow of the Moon: America, Russia, and the Hidden History of the Space Race
by Amy Cherrix

You’ve heard of the space race, but do you know the whole story?

The most ambitious race humankind has ever undertaken was masterminded in the shadows by two engineers on opposite sides of the Cold War: Wernher von Braun, a former Nazi officer living in the US, and Sergei Korolev, a Russian rocket designer once jailed for crimes against his country—and your textbooks probably never told you.

These two brilliant but controversial rocketeers never met, yet together they reshaped spaceflight and warfare. From Stalin’s brutal gulags and Hitler’s concentration camps to Cape Canaveral and beyond, their simultaneous quests pushed science—and human ingenuity—to the breaking point.

Von Braun became an American hero, recognized the world over, while Korolev toiled in obscurity. But as each of these men altered human history, they were eclipsed by their troubled pasts, living out their lives in the shadow of the same moon that drove them to such astonishing feats of scientific achievement.

3. Pranklab: Practical Science Pranks You and Your Victim Can Learn From
by Chris Ferrie, Byrne LaGinestra, and Wade David Fairclough

Fun and educational science experiment pranks to teach kids about physics, biology, chemistry, and more—from the #1 science author for kids!

What’s more fun than a practical joke? A SCIENTIFIC practical joke! Your friends and family might be annoyed at first…until they realize they’re learning about science too! Written by a quantum physicist and two science teachers, Pranklab shows kids how they can use everyday household items to exploit the laws of physics, biology, and chemistry through entertaining (and perfectly safe) activities.

Each prank includes step-by-step instructions, colorful illustrations and diagrams, and additional notes and fun facts to explain the science behind the prank!

10. Ikigai for Teens: Finding Your Reason for Being by Hector Garcia Puigcerver, Héctor García, and Francesc Miralles

The Japanese people say everybody has an “Ikigai,” or a reason to live. Some people have found their Ikigai and are aware of it. Other people have it inside, but have not found it yet. This concept, Ikigai, is one of the secrets for a long, active, and happy life.

Héctor García and Francesc Miralles visited Ogimi, a town on the north of Okinawa in Japan that has the highest longevity in the world. They spent weeks living with the residents of Ogimi and interviewing dozens of the villagers. These people all had lived to be more than a hundred years old, and they were all in great physical (and spiritual) shape. After their trip, Héctor and Francesc wrote a book examining the centennials’ keys to an optimistic and vital existence. What do the oldest people in the world eat, what do they work on, how do they connect with others, and-the best-kept secret-how do they find their Ikigai? Ikigai is what gives them satisfaction and happiness, and brings real meaning to their lives.

With the book, García and Miralles made it their mission to help its readers find their own Ikigai and discover many keys of Japanese philosophy to a healthy body, mind, and spirit.

4. Brave: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety
by Sissy Goff

As a parent, you can use certain strategies to help your teenage daughter when she struggles with worry and anxiety. But it is also important that she learns how to work through her emotions on her own, especially as she approaches adulthood.

This guide–created for girls ages 13 to 18–will help your daughter understand anxiety’s roots and why her brain is often working against her when she starts to worry. With teen-friendly information, stories, and self-discovery exercises, including journaling and drawing prompts, she will learn practical ways to fight back when worries come up. She will find more of her voice and her confidence. In essence, she will find more of herself and the brave, strong, deeply loved girl God made her to be.

A Face for Picasso: Coming of Age with Crouzon Syndrome by Ariel Henley

I am ugly. There’s a mathematical equation to prove it.

At only eight months old, identical twin sisters Ariel and Zan were diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome — a rare condition where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. They were the first twins known to survive the disease.

Growing up, Ariel and her sister endured numerous appearance-altering procedures. Surgeons would break the bones in their heads and faces to make room for their growing organs. While the physical aspect of their condition was painful, it was nothing compared to the emotional toll of navigating life with a facial disfigurement.

Ariel explores beauty and identity in her young-adult memoir about resilience, sisterhood, and the strength it takes to put your life, and yourself, back together time and time again.

Ambushed! The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield by Gail Jarrow

This title blends science, history, and medical mysteries to tell the story of the assassination and ultimately horrible death of President James Garfield.

James Abram Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, was assassinated when he was shot by Charles Guiteau in July 1881, less than four months after he was elected president. But Garfield didn’t actually die until 80 days later. In this book author Gail Jarrow delves into the story of the relationship between Garfield and Guiteau, and relates the gruesome details of Garfield’s slow and agonizing death. She reveals medical mistakes made in the aftermath of Garfield’s assassination, including the faulty diagnoses and outdated treatments that led to the president’s demise.

Serial Killer Trivia: Cold Cases: Fascinating Facts and Chilling Details from the Creepiest Unsolved Murders Ever
by Michelle Kaminsky

From England’s Jack the Ripper and the Axeman of New Orleans to lesser-known cases like Detroit’s Bigfoot Killer and Cleveland’s Torso Murderer, this trivia book is packed with information about some of the most shocking cold cases in history. 

Written for the true crime junkies who just can’t get enough, you’ll get all the must-know details on more than 80 unsolved true crime cases. Alongside these disturbing cold cases, you’ll also learn about the inspiring story of the crack detective work—and ancestry DNA database—that eventually brought California’s Golden State Killer, arguably one of the most famous serial killer cold cases, to justice.

With gripping facts and disturbing evidence plucked from original sources such as trial transcripts and contemporary newspaper accounts, the book is sure to include surprising stories that even the most well-informed true crime fans don’t know.

1. Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood by Gary Paulsen

A middle grade memoir, giving readers a new perspective on the origins of Gary Paulsen’s famed survival stories.

His name is synonymous with high-stakes wilderness survival stories. Now, author Gary Paulsen portrays a series of life-altering moments from his turbulent childhood as his own original survival story. If not for his summer escape from a shockingly neglectful Chicago upbringing to a North Woods homestead at age five, there never would have been a Hatchet. Without the encouragement of the librarian who handed him his first book at age thirteen, he may never have become a reader. And without his desperate teenage enlistment in the Army, he would not have discovered his true calling as a storyteller.

6. ACT Prep, 2022 by The Princeton Review

THE PRINCETON REVIEW GETS RESULTS. Get all the prep you need to ace the ACT with 6 full-length practice tests (4 in the book and 2 online), thorough ACT topic reviews, and extra practice online.

Techniques That Actually Work
– Powerful tactics to help you avoid traps and beat the ACT
– Tips for pacing yourself and guessing logically

Everything You Need to Know to Help Achieve a High Score
– Complete coverage of all test topics, including the reading and written portions
– Thorough review of the skills necessary to ace all five ACT sections
– Information on the ACT Online Testing option, superscores, and more

Practice Your Way to Excellence
– 6 full-length practice tests (4 in the book, 2 online) with detailed answer explanations
– Instant score reports for online tests and essay checklists to help you grade the writing tests

SAT Prep, 2022 by The Princeton Review

SUCCEED ON THE SAT WITH THE PRINCETON REVIEW! With 6 full-length practice tests (4 in the book and 2 online), in-depth reviews for all exam content, and strategies for scoring success, SAT Prep, 2022 covers every facet of this challenging and important test.

Techniques That Actually Work.
– Powerful tactics to help you avoid traps and beat the SAT
– Pacing tips to help you maximize your time
– Detailed examples showing how to employ each strategy to your advantage

Everything You Need to Know to Help Achieve a High Score.
– Comprehensive subject review for every section of the exam
– Valuable practice with complex reading comprehension passages and higher-level math problems
– Hands-on experience with all question types, including multi-step problems, passage-based grammar questions, and more

Practice Your Way to Excellence.
– 6 full-length practice tests (4 in the book & 2 online) with detailed answer explanations
– Drills for each test section (Reading, Writing and Language, and Math)
– In-depth online score reports for all practice tests

9. Scribbles, Sorrows, and Russet Leather Boots: The Life of Louisa May Alcott
by Liz Rosenberg

Insightful, exciting, and deeply moving, Liz Rosenberg’s distinctive portrait of the author of Little Women reveals some of her life’s more complex and daring aspects.

Moody and restless, teenage Louisa longed for freedom. Faced with the expectations of her loving but hapless family, the Alcotts, and of nineteenth-century New England society, Louisa struggled to find her place. On long meandering runs through the woods behind Orchard House, she thought about a future where she could write and think and dream. Undaunted by periods of abject poverty and enriched by friendships with some of the greatest minds of her time and place, she was determined to have this future, no matter the cost.

Drawing on the surviving journals and letters of Louisa and her family and friends, author and poet Liz Rosenberg reunites Louisa May Alcott with her most ardent readers. In this warm and sometimes heartbreaking biography, Rosenberg delves deep into the oftentimes secretive life of a woman who was ahead of her time, imbued with social conscience, and always moving toward her future with a determination that would bring her fame, tragedy, and the realization of her biggest dreams.

Barron’s ACT study guide premium 2022-2023 by Brian Stewart

Barron’s ACT Premium Study Guidewith 6 Practice Tests provides online practice, customizable study plans, and expert advice from experienced teachers who know the test. Step-by-step review helps you master the content, and full-length practice tests in the book and online provide a realistic testing experience so you’re prepared for the exam.

This edition includes:

• Three full-length practice tests in the book
• Two full-length online practice tests
• One full-length diagnostic test in the book with guidance on how to use your results to determine the subjects you need to study more
• Easy, medium, and hard practice passages that enable you to customize your study
• Study plan recommendations based on the amount of time you have to prepare
• Extensive subject reviews that cover all parts of the ACT: English, math, reading, science, and the writing test
• Detailed overview of the ACT with comprehensive answers to frequently asked questions
• Advice on optimizing the test-taking mindset and managing test anxiety
• Proven test-taking strategies for students of all ability levels

The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2022: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes
by Gen and Kelly Tanabe

Information on 1.5 million scholarships, grants, and prizes is easily accessible in this revised directory with more than 300 new listings that feature awards indexed by career goal, major, academics, public service, talent, athletics, religion, ethnicity, and more.

Each entry contains all the necessary information for students and parents to complete the application process, including eligibility requirements, how to obtain an application, how to get more information about each award, sponsor website listings, award amounts, and key deadlines.

With scholarships for high school, college, graduate, and adult students, this guide also includes tips on how to conduct the most effective search, how to write a winning application, and how to avoid scams.

5. Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask: Young Readers Edition
by Anton Treuer

From the acclaimed Ojibwe author and professor Anton Treuer comes an essential book of questions and answers for Native and non-Native young readers alike. Ranging from “Why is there such a fuss about nonnative people wearing Indian costumes for Halloween?” to “Why is it called a ‘traditional Indian fry bread taco’?” to “What’s it like for natives who don’t look native?” to “Why are Indians so often imagined rather than understood?”, and beyond, Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask (Young Readers Edition) does exactly what its title says for young readers, in a style consistently thoughtful, personal, and engaging.

Updated and expanded to include:

• Dozens of New Questions and New Sections—including a social activism section that explores the Dakota Access Pipeline, racism, identity, politics, and more!
• Over 50 new Photos
• Adapted text for broad appeal

7. Everything You Need to Ace Pre-Algebra and Algebra I in One Big Fat Notebook
by Jason Wang

Pre-Algebra & Algebra 1? No Problem!

The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK covers everything you need to know during a year of Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 class, breaking down one big fat subject into accessible units. Including: The number system, ratios, and proportions, scientific notation, introduction and equations, functions, graphing a line, square roots and cube roots, polynomial operations, quadratic functions, and more.

Study better with:
-Mnemonic devices
-Definitions
-Diagrams
-Educational doodles
-and quizzes to recap it all and get better grades!

From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement
by Paula Yoo

America in 1982: Japanese car companies are on the rise and believed to be putting U.S. autoworkers out of their jobs. Anti–Asian American sentiment simmers, especially in Detroit. A bar fight turns fatal, leaving a Chinese American man, Vincent Chin, beaten to death at the hands of two white men, autoworker Ronald Ebens and his stepson, Michael Nitz.

Paula Yoo has crafted a searing examination of the killing and the trial and verdicts that followed. When Ebens and Nitz pled guilty to manslaughter and received only a $3,000 fine and three years’ probation, the lenient sentence sparked outrage. The protests that followed led to a federal civil rights trial—the first involving a crime against an Asian American—and galvanized what came to be known as the Asian American movement.

Extensively researched from court transcripts, contemporary news accounts, and in-person interviews with key participants, From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry is a suspenseful, nuanced, and authoritative portrait of a pivotal moment in civil rights history, and a man who became a symbol against hatred and racism.