Great YA Non-Fiction for February

For President's Day, why not try these two titles from our Young Adult collection? The first title is: Washington at Valley Forge by Russell Freedman. This is an insightful retelling of the hardships encountered by Washington and his troops at Valley Forge during the Winter of 1777-78. The author uses first person accounts, paintings and photos of historical sites to guide the reader through this difficult period. Mr. Freedman's portrayal of Washington is of a man who not only was willing to share in the hardships with his men, but someone who was clear eyed about what was necessary to turn a rag-tag band of men into an effective army. Washington emerges as a hero. His troops looked up to and honored him.

The next title is: Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson. This work, based on Swanson's adult book, Manhunt, reads like a novel. The pacing, narrative and phrasing makes this work truly standout. We learn about John Wilkes Booth, how the assassination plot grew and what happened immediately after Booth shot Lincoln. We follow the government's attempt to track the killers and what happened to the persons involved in the investigation. This is a great read for YAs, willing to take a chance on non-fiction. It is full of photographs and period documents.