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Best Teen & Young Adult Dance

Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina
The extraordinary memoir of an orphan who danced her way from war-torn Sierra Leone to ballet stardom, most recently appearing in Beyonce’s Lemonade and as a principal in a major American dance company. There is plenty of ballet detail for dance lovers to revel in, and the authors achieve a believable, distinctive teenage voice with a nice touch of lyrical description." “From her earliest days as an orphan in Sierra Leone to the stages of world-renowned theaters, Michaela’s incredible determination to not only survive, but triumph in the face of unthinkable adversity is an inspiration to anyone who has fought for a dream.
Reviews
"I am amazed, excited, thankful and even relieved that she adopted by parents who helped each one of their children prepare for their future no matter the cost: physical, emotional or financial."
"Reading her story has really helped me see what it means to push through the bad times and that hard work and dedication will pay off even if at the moment it doesn't seem like it."
"This was a great book for all ages."
"Her beginning with her birth parents was beautiful but then the harsh realities of war, illness and culture took center stage, devestating her young life."
"The story of this extraordinary young woman's life speaks and delivers hope."
"Her parents are an inspiration to all of us, and Michaela's courage, hard work, and innate artistry are an example of what can be achieved when a gifted child is given the opportunity to let her spirit truly Take Flight."
"It's quite fascinating to have a first-hand perspective on a child's life in Africa, how she ended up in America, and how she acheived her dream of becoming a professional Ballerina through the support of her adoptive family."
"I will be reading this book again and again in the days to come, and to every person out there who is reading my words, "Buy this book and treasure it!""
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Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina
For every young brown, yellow, and purple dancer, she is an inspiration!” —Misty Copeland, world-renowned ballet dancer Michaela DePrince was known as girl Number 27 at the orphanage, where she was abandoned at a young age and tormented as a “devil child” for a skin condition that makes her skin appear spotted. In this engaging, moving, and unforgettable memoir, Michaela shares her dramatic journey from an orphan in West Africa to becoming one of ballet’s most exciting rising stars. The book’s strong thread is Michaela’s lifelong passion for ballet and her candid depiction of the physical and emotional struggles of becoming a black classical ballerina. There is plenty of ballet detail for dance lovers to revel in, and the authors achieve a believable, distinctive teenage voice with a nice touch of lyrical description." “From her earliest days as an orphan in Sierra Leone to the stages of world-renowned theaters, Michaela’s incredible determination to not only survive, but triumph in the face of unthinkable adversity is an inspiration to anyone who has fought for a dream.
Reviews
"I am amazed, excited, thankful and even relieved that she adopted by parents who helped each one of their children prepare for their future no matter the cost: physical, emotional or financial."
"Reading her story has really helped me see what it means to push through the bad times and that hard work and dedication will pay off even if at the moment it doesn't seem like it."
"This was a great book for all ages."
"Her beginning with her birth parents was beautiful but then the harsh realities of war, illness and culture took center stage, devestating her young life."
"The story of this extraordinary young woman's life speaks and delivers hope."
"Her parents are an inspiration to all of us, and Michaela's courage, hard work, and innate artistry are an example of what can be achieved when a gifted child is given the opportunity to let her spirit truly Take Flight."
"It's quite fascinating to have a first-hand perspective on a child's life in Africa, how she ended up in America, and how she acheived her dream of becoming a professional Ballerina through the support of her adoptive family."
"I will be reading this book again and again in the days to come, and to every person out there who is reading my words, "Buy this book and treasure it!""
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Fierce: How Competing for Myself Changed Everything
Honest and heartfelt, frank and funny, Aly's story is enhanced with never-before-published photos, excerpts from the personal journals she's kept since childhood that chronicle memorable moments with her teammates, and hard-won advice for readers striving to rise above challenges, learn to love themselves, and make their own dreams come true. Aly Raisman is a gold-medal-winning Olympic gymnast who captained the U.S. team to victories in 2012 and 2016.
Reviews
"This is one of the best gymnastics books I've read."
"Well written book with excellent background stories."
"Aly does an amazing job describing her ups and downs of how she got to the Olympics."
"Wonderful book!"
"This is one of the most honest and interesting gymnastics books that has been written."
"A great book written by a real person."
"My favorite gymnastics book!"
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Best Teen & Young Adult African History

Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina
The extraordinary memoir of an orphan who danced her way from war-torn Sierra Leone to ballet stardom, most recently appearing in Beyonce’s Lemonade and as a principal in a major American dance company. There is plenty of ballet detail for dance lovers to revel in, and the authors achieve a believable, distinctive teenage voice with a nice touch of lyrical description." “From her earliest days as an orphan in Sierra Leone to the stages of world-renowned theaters, Michaela’s incredible determination to not only survive, but triumph in the face of unthinkable adversity is an inspiration to anyone who has fought for a dream.
Reviews
"I am amazed, excited, thankful and even relieved that she adopted by parents who helped each one of their children prepare for their future no matter the cost: physical, emotional or financial."
"Reading her story has really helped me see what it means to push through the bad times and that hard work and dedication will pay off even if at the moment it doesn't seem like it."
"This was a great book for all ages."
"Her beginning with her birth parents was beautiful but then the harsh realities of war, illness and culture took center stage, devestating her young life."
"The story of this extraordinary young woman's life speaks and delivers hope."
"Her parents are an inspiration to all of us, and Michaela's courage, hard work, and innate artistry are an example of what can be achieved when a gifted child is given the opportunity to let her spirit truly Take Flight."
"It's quite fascinating to have a first-hand perspective on a child's life in Africa, how she ended up in America, and how she acheived her dream of becoming a professional Ballerina through the support of her adoptive family."
"I will be reading this book again and again in the days to come, and to every person out there who is reading my words, "Buy this book and treasure it!""
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Children's African History

Egyptology: Search for the Tomb of Osiris
Rich with information about life in ancient Egypt and peppered with Miss Sands's lively narration, EGYPTOLOGY concludes with a letter from the former Keeper of Antiquities at the British Museum, explaining which parts of this unique tale may be accepted as fact, which are guided by legend, and which reflect the author's delightful sense of fancy. Written as an amateur Egyptologist's travel journal from 1926, each spread covers a distinct area of antiquity and is mainly factual in content, except for the author's chatty asides.
Reviews
"Our grandchildren love this treasure tome of Egyptology set up like an actual journal with "real" documents, beautiful illustrations, and the personality of the archeologist!"
"8 year old nephew loves these books!"
"I love all the detail that this book incorporates."
"Beautiful book - we purchased this as a replacement for a book my son ruined that belonged to the school library, but I am really impressed with the beauty of this book and the information for kids to learn."
"My son requested this book for his birthday."
"One of the most charming, fascinating books allegedly written for children."
"This ia a wonderful book!"
"This is a large format book, not small like the Egyptology Handbook."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Films

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
Inspired by the original Hogwart’s textbook by Newt Scamander, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original screenplay marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, author of the beloved and internationally bestselling Harry Potter books. J.K. Rowling is the author of the bestselling Harry Potter series of seven books, published between 1997 and 2007, which have sold over 450 million copies worldwide, are distributed in more than 200 territories and translated into 79 languages, and have been turned into eight blockbuster films by Warner Bros. She has written three companion volumes to the series in aid of charity: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in aid of Comic Relief; and The Tales of Beedle the Bard in aid of her children's charity Lumos.
Reviews
"I did not read this until after I had seen the movie, so I had the visuals playing in my head as I read, down to Newt's awkward lovability and Jacob's wonder."
"Once again Ms. Rowling delivers a fantastical world within our own."
"In whatever form, this world created by JK Rowling will always be amazing."
"Great prequel of Potter universe."
"Huge Potterhead!"
"Fantastic Beasts was exactly what I expected from the author."
"Though I would suggest going to see the movie first, so you can read the screenplay in the characters voices."
"Amazing and exciting story!!"
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Best Teen & Young Adult Theater

Acting for Young Actors: The Ultimate Teen Guide
Acting for Young Actors , aimed at teens and tweens, lets kids hone their skills and develop their craft. With comprehensive chapters on auditioning, rehearsal, and improvisation, plus a primer on how young actors can break into film, theater, and television, Acting for Young Actors is every kid's ticket to the big time. Mary Lou Belli is the coauthor of The Sitcom Career Book , published by Back Stage Books.
Reviews
"Good book for adults working with kids."
"Bought for an aspiring teen actor who found the book very informative."
"Purchased as a gift."
"My son is reading this and getting great tips!"
"Good instruction directly to teen actors."
"Perfect gift for my 15 year old nephew, an aspiring actor!"
"Purchased as a christmas present for young acting student."
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Best Teen & Young Adult TV & Radio

Doctor Who: Character Encyclopedia
A cult favorite around the world, Doctor Who is the longest-running science fiction television show of all time. "For a splashy look at the entire list of the Doctor's adversaries (and friends), check out the new Doctor Who Character Encyclopedia ."
Reviews
"He didn't get it for Christmas Day but it arrived a few days later which is ok cuz it was a nice after Christmas surprise."
"I thought this might be a bit “young”, but the recipient seemed to really enjoy the book."
"This was a gift for my husband he LOVED it!"
"great book for Dr Who fans."
"Got this for my sons 10th bday."
"The full color pictures are fabulous and helps identify those aliens you just cannot quite remember the name."
"I got this for my GF who loves doctor who... OK I do to :).. Anyways, she loves it and she keeps cheating and looking ahead into who people are before we find out :P... other than being a spoiler on the show if you haven't caught up, it's an AMAZING book."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Performing Arts Biographies

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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