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Best Teen & Young Adult Architecture

The Future Architect's Tool Kit
Children with dreams of designing buildings will discover how architects actually work in this workbook, which builds on the concepts introduced in The Future Architect’s Handbook. Barbara Beck is a licensed architect in Annapolis, Maryland.
Reviews
"The book explains how to create plans and a model for a house, including site plans and floor plans and elevation. The imaginary clients at the end seem a bit too silly, but when I handed the book over to my future wildlife rehabilitator, he happily designed a dream home with rooms for possums."
"The author explains what "drawing to scale means, how building codes affect a house, and how to design a house using the parameters and a bubble design to help you get started with your design along with graphs and charts to aid in drawing to scale."
"Designing a house is more than just grabbing a pencil and paper, and this kit leads the way through the basic concepts, concerns and how-to tips. The hard cover version of The Future Architect's Handbook immediately catches the eye, but it doesn't take long to see the side compartment holding simple architect's scale, a pencil and a white eraser, as well as the pad of graph paper tucked in with the book. There's quite a bit of information packed in the pages, and the illustrations and examples come from basic architectural design. This is what also makes it interesting for curious adults; the information doesn't really talk down to the kids, but gives an honest, quick overview into the world of basic architecture in a way they can understand."
"What an excellent book!!"
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Pyramid
Through concise text and richly detailed black and white illustrations we come to know the philosophy of life and death in ancient Egypt. "David Macaulay's brilliant Pyramid shows, detail by detail, how the great pharaohs' burial places were conceived and constructed .
Reviews
"This book is not a story as I was expecting but it was still pretty interesting to read about how they think the pyramids were made."
"Macaulay is the master of simplifying complex topics."
"Classic."
"Great starter for young people interested in the monutmental projects of the ancient world."
"Classic book that I love."
"Just when I thought I had finished chapter One, I discovered I had finished the entire book!"
"The four books: Pyramid, Mill, City and Castle."
"Read this book with my fifth grade son while we studied ancient Egypt."
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Building Big
As only he can, David Macaulay engages readers’ imaginations and gets them thinking about structures they see and use every day — bridges, tunnels, skyscrapers, domes, and dams. David Macaulay's hit PBS series by the same name cannot take you as far as this book does into the wonders of the constructed world: dams, domes, skyscrapers, tunnels, and bridges. Though the poor workers who created Brunel's tunnel shields had to brave fiery explosions of methane gas and vile fumes from centuries of sewage--and as Macaulay rather rudely puts it, "Brunel's shield now seems a bit like a platoon of creaking Star Wars robots leaning against each other for support as they inch their way nervously through the muck"--the construction did the trick.
Reviews
"The illustrations, combined with written information, bring the concepts of engineering and physics to life and he won't forget what he has learned."
"My 4 year old is obsessed with David Macaulay."
"Facinating book on almost every aspect of building structures across time- Thanks!"
"My grandson, who uses Mind Craft , wanted this book He has always been a Lego builder and likes architecture, he was busy reading this book during the holidays."
"Once you open the book you'll find an abundance of information on gigantic structures from past to publication date. There are bridges,tunnels,dams,domes,skyscrapers covered in great detail."
"David Macaulay did it again, this time explaining the engineering behind some of our greatest achievements."
"Great book for reading to your grandchild to interest them in becoming an engineer."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Anthropology

No god but God: The Origins and Evolution of Islam
Adapted for young readers from No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam , this exploration of Islam by Reza Aslan, internationally acclaimed scholar of comparative religion, delves into the rituals and traditions of a religion that is largely misunderstood by the West. Because all religions are bound to the social, spiritual, and cultural landscapes from which they arose and in which they developed, prophets must be understood as reformers who redefine and reinterpret the existing beliefs and practices of their communities. On the contrary, by Muhammad's own admission, his message was an attempt to reform the existing religious beliefs and cultural practices of pre-Islamic Arabia so as to bring the God of the Jews and Christians to the Arab peoples. As unique and divinely inspired as the Islamic movement may have been, its origins are undoubtedly linked to the multiethnic, multireligious society that fed the Prophet's imagination as a young man and allowed him to craft his revolutionary message in a language that would have been easily recognizable to the pagan Arabs he was so desperately trying to reach. In the arid, desolate basin of Mecca, surrounded on all sides by the bare mountains of the Arabian desert, stands a small, nondescript sanctuary that the ancient Arabs refer to as the Ka'ba: the Cube. Then, in a remarkable ritual--the origins of which are a mystery--the pilgrims gather as a group and rotate around the Ka'ba seven times, some pausing to kiss each corner of the sanctuary before being captured and swept away again by the current of bodies. The Ka'ba, like the Pyramids in Egypt or the Temple in Jerusalem, may have been constructed as an axis mundi: a sacred space around which the universe revolves, the link between the earth and the solid dome of heaven. The only thing scholars can say with any certainty is that by the sixth century c.e., this small sanctuary made of mud and stone had become the center of religious life in pre-Islamic Arabia: the time known as Jahiliyyah. Traditionally, the Jahiliyyah has been defined by Muslims as an era of moral depravity and religious discord: a time when the sons of Ismail had obscured belief in the one true God and plunged the Arabian Peninsula into the darkness of idolatry.
Reviews
"And the struggles between the different belief streams are as present now as they were 14 centuries ago in the early years of the religion."
"This book is a good basic biography of the life of the prophet Mohammed, clearly written for the non-specialist who wishes to know more about the events of Mohammed's life and the environment in which Islam developed."
"Please note that this book, published under Random House's "Ember" imprint, is an abridged version of author Reza Aslan's original book, edited for teen readers."
"I bought it because of Asian's book on Jesus (Zealot: the Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth)."
"Perhaps the processes are "over simplified" but Aslan makes the Islam's internecine warfare somewhat more comprehensible."
"It is an excellent start to one's understanding of a faith with deep roots to Judaism and Christianity."
"UPDATE: Just read some of the other reviews and realized this is the abridged version... Well that's just frustrating... I read Zealot and enjoyed that and was interested in seeing what Aslan brought to a history of Islam. I wanted to understand both the history and beliefs of islam better. I know there is a balance (ie it would have been a SLOW book if every sentence was marked as history or koran).. but a chapter or two saying which was which would have been great.. 2. Very little attention is paid to how modern Islam came about (for example, s***e and sunni are mentioned, but not followed through on... seems like these are sort of a big deal in modern islam, right?)."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Art

Drawing Dragons: Learn How to Create Fantastic Fire-Breathing Dragons
LEARN TO DRAW DRAGONS In easy-to-follow, step-by-step detail, Drawing Dragons teaches you all the tricks and techniques you’ll need to create your own amazing dragons. Sandra Staple is an artist and photographer who has been drawing dragons for over 15 years, and has literally sketched thousands of them.
Reviews
"She likes how it shows different ways to do claws and wings."
"My 12 year old says, "it only took a couple times and I could draw it on my own."
"I bought this for my nephew who is obsessed with dragons."
"nice book - i was able to draw dragons that i was pleased with right from the beginning."
"Granddaughter loves this."
"great instructions for a tween."
"Great, delivered on time and product was as expected."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Music

Go Big or Go Home: The Journey Toward the Dream
Go Big or Go Home narrates Scotty's journey from a kid imitating Elvis on the school bus to 30 million across America tuning in to see him win Season 10 of "American Idol”. By age 21, the talented singer/songwriter has sold nearly 2.5 million albums and received both Platinum and Gold album certifications, debuted three consecutive albums at No.
Reviews
"Scotty includes wonderful stories about his family, his early musical influences, life on the road with his band, Dry County, the ups and downs of the music business and what he has learned about himself along the way. (If you have any "reluctant" readers in your family, get them the audio version!"
"This book is informative, touching, funny, inspirational --- a wonderful book from a wonderful young man---singer, songwriter, and star!"
"Scotty is adorable and more importantly a man after God's heart and not afraid to share it. It will encourage youth to pursue their dreams and help them gain the confidence to stay true to who they are and not to always follow the crowd."
"He is genuine, his writings show his love for God, his family, his hometown, his close friends, the team of folk it takes to keep everything going and his fans."
"I've been a fan of Scotty's from the first Idol promo I seen with him on it!"
"As a "McCreerian" I know a lot about Scotty and his family and friends, but reading "Go Big Or Go Home" has opened my eyes to a whole new side of this amazing young man."
"Scotty's book is an amazing read."
"So happy to have this book to add to my collection. What a great kid and he has such an amazing family."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Photography

Zayn
Global superstar ZAYN shares a photographic journey of his life since leaving One Direction. Reviews for Mind of Mine : “A singer eager to reclaim the parts of himself that five years in the pop klieg lights forced into the shadows.”— The New York Times “Sonically, you won’t find many pop albums in 2016 more immaculately conceived than this.”— SPIN “Sublime.”— USA Today “Malik can sing . he's done this before, but not like this.”— Rolling Stone “A moody, deeply textured R&B album…”— Los Angeles Times “Zayn has clearly achieved his aim of making an album of sexy, credible pop-R&B.”— NME. ZAYN is an internationally celebrated music artist whose debut solo release, Mind of Mine , made him the first British male artist to debut at number one in both the UK and US with both his debut single and debut album.
Reviews
"You really have to read his story to understand where's he's at in life & from where he's coming from."
"I admire his bravery in this, as he really took down the walls and made himself to vulnerable for his fans and for the world."
"Daughter loves Zayn and was so excited to get this."
"The pages are a little wavy, unsure if they're intentionally like this, other than that the book is in excellent condition."
"I loooove it he's such a beautiful soul, and we have a lot in common the photography was stunning, his story is worth being heard."
"this book is bomb as heck...gotta love Zayn."
"Yea...what can you say other than...IT'S ZAYN!!!!"
"I feel like more people need to read this more specifically his haters because he talks about why he left that controlling band and how hard it was for him."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Performing Arts

The Amazing Book Is Not on Fire: The World of Dan and Phil
THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From YouTube sensations Dan Howell (danisnotonfire) and Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) comes a laugh-out-loud look into the world created by two awkward guys who share their lives on the Internet. Now they invite you on a behind-the-scenes journey, filled with absolutely essential advice, tons of humor, lots of awkwardness, and TMI honesty that they will probably regret. Here's just a small sample of the fun surprises readers can look forward to: • The inside story of that time they met One Direction. Their quirky comedy videos about their lives and observations on the world have earned them a following of over 11 million subscribers across their channels and a show on BBC Radio 1.
Reviews
"Dan and Phil put so much effort into this, and it really shows."
"kms that was gold my mEME QUEENS ARE GROWING UP SO FAST."
"It was really nice to read and see that it was everything Dan and Phil had described and more."
"Very nice think book with lots of neat facts and stuff."
"I really love the fact that it is written in the form of a back and forth dialogue between Dan and Phil, since their silly banter is one of the best things about watching their videos together."
"This book is in the style of a yearbook, chronicling his and his best friend, Dan Howell (DanIsNotOnFire) through their youth, YouTube, and a bit of present day."
"Imagine if you will having a piece of Dan and Phil's life in the palm of your hands..."
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