Deschutes Public Library

From her humble beginnings in small town Texas to her life as a rock superstar, Janis Joplin remains a musical icon.

Race. You know it at a glance: he's black; she's white. They're Asian; we're Latino. Racism. I'm better; she's worse. Those people do those kinds of things. We all know it's wrong to make these judgments, but they come faster than thought. Why? Where did those feelings come from? Why are they so powerful?

Learn the backstory of the KKK, from men playing pranks after the Civil War to the violent and racist organization it’s known as today.

Stories of ten impostors-- many of them teenagers-- push questions of identity, deception, and gullibility to the extreme.

The history of knights, from their everyday lives to their clothing, training, heraldry and orders, as well as their role in literature and film, and the decline of traditional knighthood.

A look at the deaths of several famous people throughout history and the circumstances surrounding those deaths.

Ana is a 17-year old HIV positive girl who’s had a difficult childhood and can only hope things will get better.

One of thousands of children who fled strife in southern Sudan, John Bul Dau survived hunger, exhaustion, and violence. His wife, Martha, endured similar hardships. In this memorable book, the two convey the best of African values while relating searing accounts of famine and war. There's warmth as well, in their humorous tales of adapting to American life. For its importance as a primary source, for its inclusion of the rarely told female perspective of Sudan's lost children, for its celebration of human resilience, this is the perfect story to inform and inspire young readers.

If you had only six words to write your life story, what would you say?

Hannah was bullied as a young girl, but when she enters a prestigious boarding school she decides to change everything in a quest to be popular.

This fact-based book documents Andersonville, a Civil War prison camp in Georgia, where thousands of Union prisoners died in the last fourteen months of the war. The text contains profanity and graphic descriptions of violence.

Offers a visual study of pop culture, trivia, and strange-but-true tales that cover everything from popular urban myths to the best and the worst of the worlds of sports, music, politics, and modern life.

The author interprets the people, events, influences and art that made up the brief life of Sylvia Plath.

You probably know Rosa Parks: the civil rights activist who refused to give up her seat on a city bus. But did you know a teen girl named Claudette did it first?

"Everything you need to know to turn your love of music--and desire to play it--into something real"--P. [4] of cover.

In a country torn apart by war, a teenage girl blogs her story of family, friendship, and life under American occupation.

From clothesline codes to surveillance satellites and cyber espionage, Janeczko uncovers two centuries' worth of true spy stories in U.S. history.

1968 was a year to be remembered, all around the world (and into outer space!)

In their own voices--raw and uncensored--inmates sentenced to death as teenagers talk about their lives in prison, and share their thoughts and feelings about how they ended up there. Susan Kuklin also gets inside the system, exploring capital punishment itself and the intricacies and inequities of criminal justice in the United States.

A group of pioneers traveling west must survive a horrible winter in a mountain pass in any way they can.

When did language begin? How did early humans populate the globe? By looking closely at four of the most significant hominins ever discovered, the authors explain how Turkana Boy, Lapedo Child, Kennewick Man, and Iceman have influenced debates about the nature of the earliest members of the family Hominidae.

A collection of original essays and expanded testimonials written to teens from celebrities, political leaders, and everyday people. While many of these teens can't see a positive future for themselves, we can. We can show LGBT youth the kind of happiness, potential, and satisfaction their lives hold if they can just get through these early years.

A behind-the-scenes look at the fast food industry.

What does being a feminist really mean? Learn about the women’s rights movement and how the struggle for equality continues in current times.

This extreme sport is not just for boys— though they could take some tips from this book, too!

Sarah Emma Edmonds enlisted because she believed in the Union cause; Melverina Peppercorn joined to stay near her twin brother. Although women were not allowed to enlist as soldiers in the Civil War, many disguised themselves as men and fought anyway.

This book lays out the inside scoop on the biggest issues affecting our planet, such as global warming and overflowing landfills; offers dozens of tips on how to shop, dress, eat, and travel the green way; includes interviews with teens like you who are involved with fun, innovative green causes; shows that being environmentally conscious can be a natural part of your life -- and your generation's contribution to turning things around.

From ’zines to beautiful leather journals, this book will walk you through all the steps of creating a unique book.

Ryan joined the Army directly after 9/11; he shares stories of friendship, combat, and patriotism in this memoir.

Leave your fast-food, junk-food fix behind and try out some great recipes with real ingredients!

A history of some notable basketball shots and players.

"Readers learn about Mattel Toys and the background behind Barbie's concept and development, how it was a solution for girls who wanted to imagine adult roles rather than just play mother, and details about inventor Ruth Handler."--Amazon.com.

A middle-grade adapted version of the New York Times bestseller about humanitarianism and providing Muslim children around the world with an education is enhanced with photos, maps, illustrations, and a special afterword by the author's daughter who worked with him as an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program.

Have fun with these 95 eco-smart projects, using odds and ends that would wind up in the landfill.

This book reports on the work of forensic scientists who are excavating grave sites in James Fort, in Jamestown, Virginia, to understand the people who lived in the Chesapeake Bay area in the 1600s and 1700s.

Cheryl moved to New York City at age 14 to pursue a modeling career; one event changes her life.

A highly autistic young adult shares his life experiences in a unique format.

Bethany Hamilton, a teenage surfer lost her arm in a shark attack off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii. Not even the loss of her arm keeps her from returning to surfing, the sport she loves.

Charles Darwin and his wife, Emma, were deeply in love and very supportive of each other, but their opinions often clashed. Emma was extremely religious, and Charles questioned God's very existence.

A story of one teen’s year in jail— how he got there, and how he finds redemption.

Ashley spent nine years in foster care after being taken away from her mother. She endured many caseworkers, moving from school to school and manipulative, humiliating and abusive treatment from one foster family. See how she survives and eventually thrives against the odds.

In a time when a proper young lady’s biggest goal was to catch a husband, Edith followed an unconventional path.