This season, a number of authors are bringing noteworthy adult nonfiction to a younger audience. Here we round up some new and forthcoming titles adapted for kids and teens, including memoirs, calls to action, and more.
Beyond Possible: One Man, 14 Peaks, and the Mountaineering Achievement of a Lifetime
by Nims Purja (Jan. 4, 2022 National Geographic Kids, $28.90; ISBN 978-1-4263-7455-5). Ages 10–14.
In this memoir, young readers follow Nepalese climber Nimsdai Purja from his childhood growing up in Nepal, to a career as an elite soldier in the British army. Purja shows how his early life shaped him and enabled him to go beyond what people though was possible, as he recounts his journey to scale all 8,000 meter “Death Zone” mountains in seven months.
Disability Visibility
In 17 essays, the writers with disabilities who contributed to this collection offer keen insight into their experiences, examining life’s ableism and inequality, and its challenges and losses.
Draw Your Day for Kids!
Baker shares with young readers the benefits of keeping an illustrated journal. Drawing daily, she says, is a relaxing and reassuring way to express yourself, as well as a practical way to hone artistic and observational skills and creativity.
Dreams from My Father
An intimate look at the 44th president’s early days, this compelling journey traces his odyssey through family, race, and identity—long before he became one of the most important voices in America. This edition includes a new introduction from the author, full-color photo insert, and family tree.
How to Fight Racism
In the wake of protests and a call for change, many kids are eager to confront racism but aren’t always sure how. Tisby uses history to explore how racism has affected America since before its founding and how it has continued to grow, as well how social justice is rooted in the Christian faith.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Grann revisits his bestselling investigation into the shocking crimes against the Osage people. In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma, thanks to the oil that was discovered beneath their land. Then, one by one, the Osage began to die under mysterious circumstances, and anyone who tried to investigate met the same end.
Make Your Bed with Skipper the Seal
In this children’s adaptation, McRaven shares life lessons from Navy SEAL training and encourages young readers to become their best selves. As Skipper the seal embarks on Navy SEAL training, he and his hardworking friends learn much more than how to pass a swimming test, including the need to take risks and persevere through tough times.
One Life
Adapted from Rapinoe’s bestselling memoir, this book spans from the Olympic gold medalist’s childhood, when she learned to play soccer, to 2016, when she became the first high-profile white athlete to take a knee in support of Colin Kaepernik. It also details how she sued the U.S. Soccer Federation along with her teammates over gender discrimination.
Photo Ark ABC: An Animal Alphabet in Poetry and Pictures
National Geographic Explorer and photographer Sartore and author Levy collaborate to bring the Photo Ark project to young animal lovers. Each animal is showcased in an original poem by Levy; the photos are part of Sartore’s mission to photograph all of the animal species in human care, with special attention given to rare and endangered species.
A Rebel in Auschwitz: The True Story of the Resistance Hero Who Fought the Nazis from Inside the Camp
In occupied Warsaw during the summer of 1940, Witold Pilecki, a Polish underground operative, accepted a mission to uncover the fate of thousands interned at a new concentration camp, report on Nazi crimes, raise a secret army, and stage an uprising. The name of the camp was Auschwitz.
The Story of More
This YA adaptation of acclaimed geochemist and geobiologist Jahren’s nonfiction work explores climate change and tells how we—as individuals and collectively—can contribute to creating a more sustainable future.
We're Better Than This
Part memoir, part call to action, this young readers’ edition dives into the life of late U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings—from childhood through his time as chairman of the House Oversight Committee—and his tireless fight for justice. The book includes a full-color insert featuring photographs from the congressman’s life.
Women in Art
Highlighting the creative contributions of female artists, this board book edition of the original bestseller features simpler text and Ignotofsky’s signature illustrations reimagined for younger readers, in hopes of giving them artistic role models to grow up with.
