Enrique's Journey Sonia Nazario

Many of us have relatives who also live far away from us and sometimes we go years without seeing them. Enrique’s Journey is about a teenage boy who is left behind in Honduras located in South America. His mother, Lourdes, is an illegal immigrant who makes it through to the U.S. and starts taking any cleaning services position. Years pass and Enrique grows older without his mother. He lives with his grandmother and his aunt and uncle. Each time Enrique receives a phone call from his mother he gets upset because he doesn’t get a firm answer from her. He wants her to come back home or to take him where she is because he misses her. Years pass and Enrique is not 13 anymore; he is 17 and he is getting worried his mother might not care about him anymore. So he makes a decision and leaves Honduras and heads up North. I feel he made the right decision because back in Honduras as he was getting older he began stealing from people and doing drugs. His journey wasn’t easy because he got robbed, hit and caught by the Mexican patrol a lot of times. When he finally made it to the U.S. he changed a lot. At one point he did not feel the love from his mother anymore so he was a rebel. I think he acted this way because his mother was gone for almost four years. He just went through a lot of things without her. At the beginning of the book his father was an alcoholic and he abandoned Enrique and Becky for another family. His mother leaves but not to make him suffer because she really wants the best for her kids. Yet many people out there still live this way and for many kids a mother’s love can’t be compared to anything.

Maria P.

House Rules by Rachel Sontag

Through the book, House Rules, Sontag tells the unbelievable story of her family and their struggle trying to deal with her father’s obsessive and controlling ways. If you've read the book, A Child Called It, by Dave Pelzer and found it to be an incredible book, than chances are you would enjoy reading House Rules as well. However, unlike the book, A Child Called It, House Rules does not involve physical abuse but instead emotional abuse. Rachel Sontag is writing about her family’s struggle while also demonstrating emotional abuse can be as severe as physical and sexual abuse. House Rules tells about the life of Rachel Sontag, a ten year old girl living with her sister, Jenny, her mother who is a social worker and her father who is a well-respected doctor. Rachel is the type of daughter any parent would love to have. She respects others, does well in school, is involved in activities and does everything she is told to do. While she would be the perfect daughter to one, her father wishes she was never born. Rachel’s father is extremely strict even on topics most wouldn't notice. She is forced to have short hair and nails because, according to her father, it gives her a more respected view from others. If she ever disobeys, she must write him a well written apology letter. This is one of the few unbelievable things he does that makes Rachel feel as if she is in a prison with no escape. If you are curious to find out what else her father makes her go through, I recommend you read House Rules.

Ariana E.

Hole In My Life by Jack Gantos

Jack Gantos’ book, Hole In My Life, is one of the first biographies he wrote. If you like to read action and suspense this would be a good book to read.Jack moved a lot during his last year of school so it was hard for him to finish that final year. After he graduated, his family was going to move back to his home town which was Puerto Rico. He did not like this idea. He wanted to go to college in Florida because in Puerto Rico it’s not as good as Florida. Months later he decided to come back on his own and rent a place

with a family friend and make some money so he could start school and do what he always wanted. Things started to get difficult and he just couldn't make enough money so he decided to get involved with some wrong activities. This would take about a month sailing a boat with one other person but once this job was done he would have enough money for college plus some extra money to waste. Everything worked out well and he was about to get paid his money but that’s when he ran into some cops who had been looking for him. Everything ended up going to waste and he got nothing.

Edwin S..

House Rules By: Rachel Sontag

House Rules is a very popular book for students who like Psychology. One of the things you learn about in Psychology is abuse and all the affects it has on the people who get abused and also the people who are around all the abuse. This book is a very good example of how emotional and mental abuse can affect people and their behaviors. Rachel, her sister Jenny and her mom were all victims of mental and emotional abuse. Their father was the one who attacked them mentally and physically. You never find out in the story what causes it but if you know the general reasons for being abusive, like he is, you can pick up on some of his past that has caused him to be the way he is. I would have to say this is a very good book for people who want to learn and see real examples of abuse. I do think anyone can read this book. You can read it even though you might not know anything about mental or emotional abuse. I think you would get different reactions to the book because of the content described and this book will open your eyes to realize people actually go through this kind of stuff. For example, some people might think the father is just very strict and some people might say he is crazy. I think this book would also be popular for any mature audience because this book does get a bit graphic in the middle of the story when Rachel is in the foster home. The audience needs to be able to handle the hardships Rachel faces when she leaves home, goes to college, then drops out of college and tries to start a new life without her family, except for her sister Jenny. I would say any reader has to be prepared to not be able to put down this book. Once you start reading, it sucks you in and you want to keep finding out more and more about what is going on at that moment.

Andrea S.

A Child Called By: Dave Pelzer

Dave Pelzer’s book, A Child Called It, is a work of non- fiction. This book is a great book to read if you’re one of those persons who likes to read about people’s lives. You will enjoy reading A Child Called It because it tells a story about child abuse in California caused by his own mother. He had to clean or wash dishes or whatever his mother told him to do to get something to eat. If he didn’t do whatever she told him to do he would get punished for not doing it. He was treated so badly and experienced terrible abuse when he was just a little child. While talking with his mother when doing dishes to acquire something to eat he was rewarded with the left overs of his brother’s cereal. In fact, after that he got help from his school and was removed from his home. Since then his life changed completely. There was no more abuse for him which was great because he had a better life, more safety, was healthier and was treated better. This book is a great book to read. I really recommend it to people to read because although it is a sad story involving violence and sad moments, you will love to read it. It is an emotional story that makes you think many things and react in many ways. It is a powerful book to read and I think you will enjoy it. I totally recommend this book.

Bianca E.

No Easy Day by Mark Owen

No Easy Day by Mark Owen is a fantastic book to read. If you want a book that is action-packed and you are fascinated about the assassination of Bin Laden, then read this book. It gives all the details from the eyes of one marine. 


Mark Owen is the main character of the book. He does talk about the other men who are on each mission with him. Each mission has different men alongside him. Mark starts out by describing what training he went through to get to where he is now. Before he was assigned the mission to assassinate Bin Laden, he had to go through other missions first. Usually each chapter tells about each new mission. 

The book is a timeline from when Mark first begins his training to the killing of Bin Laden. The book even gives you two sections of pictures to better explain and make sure you understand what weapons were used and what tactics were used. This book is high on detail and very good at description. I really liked this book because of the description and that it’s all real. 

If you want to feel like you’re the one that’s on the field right there with Mark, I highly suggest you read this book.

Vincent W.

A Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

Corrie ten Boom’s book, The Hiding Place, is certainly an interesting book. However, it wasn’t the book for me. 

This book is a personal story of why the Holocaust is so horrible and what Corrie had to endure or suffer to be able to live free again. Although I found this book really horrifying, I found there wasn’t enough action. Half the book tells about her family members and I found there were so many of them, I couldn’t keep track of all of them. This story, for me, picks up half way through when you find out Corrie’s family is helping Jewish people escape from the Nazis through an underground tunnel. Corrie’s family then gets caught and they are sent to the concentration camp where only Corrie survives to tell the story. 

I feel like this book would be great if I read it again but, because there are so many characters, I don’t feel I know them personally and that dragged down the book for me. I guess the real reason I didn’t like this book is because I didn’t really understand it. The second half of the book is great and also I have read a lot of other Holocaust books that blew my mind and this didn’t do that for me.

Trevor A.

A Child Called "IT" by David Pelzer

Dave Pelzer’s book, A Child Called "IT", is non-fiction. When you hear nonfiction, you think of a boring book and why would you care about what happened in someone else’s life? Not with this book. 

A Child Called "IT" is about the author, Dave, and how he survived continuous years of child abuse from his mother. His mother had a drinking problem and when she drank she became angry and tried to solve her problems with violence. David would show up at school with cuts and bruises and the other kids would just make fun of him. The school officials tried to help but the mother would always lie her way through it. Dave’s brothers would tell lies just to get David into trouble. His father is in denial about what is happening in his family and completely ignores everything. 

This biography comes from an earlier time period but still today child abuse and alcohol addictions are an ongoing problem. David could have been helped by so many people but they just overlooked him like nothing was wrong. By reading this book, it really opened my eyes to seeing how child abuse is a horrible, continuous problem even to this day. People need to stop overlooking it because it can be stopped if the right people get involved.

Brittany C.

A Child Called "It" by David Pelzer

David Pelzer’s book, A Child Called It, is a true story that reveals the frightening truth about child abuse. If you enjoy reading books about real life situations and the struggles people face then you will enjoy reading this book. David Pelzer is both the author and the narrator of the story. 


The book is written in a way that really captures your attention because it is written by a man who has gone through the hardships being shared in this book. The book is based on a young boy's fight to stay happy and well despite the fact he has a very abusive mother. He is forced to go through multiple punishments each day, some so harsh they nearly kill him. Many of the punishments David endured are things I would never even imagine. 

The book shows how alcohol can effect and change people in multiple ways. David’s mother was a victim of alcohol abuse and turned to beating David as a way to let out her frustration with her own life. 

This book really opened my eyes to the reality of child abuse. For me, it’s hard to imagine lives different from my own but by reading this book it is apparent not everyone lives a life similar to mine. If you are interested in seeing how people overcome struggles and thrive, even in a time of hardship, then this is a book for you.

Lily M.

A Child Called It by David Pelzer

A Child Called It by David Pelzer is a book about Dave’s horrible past. Dave talks about how his mother changed drastically over time from a sweet loving mother to an evil witch who tortured him past his breaking point. Despite his brutal beatings, Dave managed to survive well after he lost all hope that one day he would be free to live a normal life. Thanks to his school administrators, especially the nurse, Dave is set free from his mother because of some child abuse charges. 

I would recommend this book because of the unheard of torture methods on a child. I believe this book would also help people become more aware of child abuse and help fight child abuse. I was shocked just by the way his mother would do such hideous things to him that would probably have been done only to a prisoner of war. But, yet again, Dave was fighting a war for his freedom. Dave was a very brave boy who lost hope at the end of the battle but surprisingly, when he did not expect it, his day of freedom came.

Damian G.

Biography Information

Biography Books are located against the back wall of the LRC across from the reference section. Books are shelved in alphabetical order. If you are looking for Martin Luther King, the label will read B King, M you will find several of his biographies written by different authors.

Rather read it online: Try our Databases: Biography in Context or Gale Virtual Reference Library (Remember if you're accessing these at home you will need login information located in the LRC.)

You might also like to try these websites for reliable and credible biographical information.
Bio.com Watch videos and read about famous and historical people

Biography Center Search over 500 biographies. Look up a person in alphabetical order or by catagory such as dancing or auto racing.

Finding biographical information made easy, brought to you by your friendly school libarians.

Recommended Reading: Hard Knock LIfe

Here are five true stories about teenagers who grew up in a world of gangs, drugs and violence. All eventually found their way out to a successful life away from the streets.

365.42 HEN
Henry, Nathan L. Good behavior.
In jail at 16 for armed robbery, tales of a rough life filled with guns, drugs, and violence, Henry reflects from jail on his life so far.

B DeLaCruz,J
De la Cruz, Jesse. Detoured : My Journey from Darkness to Light. 
Jesse De La Cruz grew up in the barrios of California leading a life that led to him to become a convict heroin addict and gang member. He eventually served about thirty years of his life in prison. He eventually enrolled in college and graduated with bachelors and masters degrees.


B McCall,N
McCall, Nathan. Makes Me Wanna Holler : A Young Black Man  in America. 
McCall’s story takes us through his troubled childhood, to prison and finally to a successful career as a journalist at the Washington Post.


B Rodriguez,L
Rodriguez, Luis J. Always Running : La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. 
By the time he was 12, Rodriguez was a veteran East L.A. gang member. He witnessed many shootings, beatings and arrests as he lost an ever greater number of family and friends. He eventually was able to break out of the gang life and become an award winning writer.


B Ruiz,M
Ruiz, Mona. Two Badges : The Lives of Mona Ruiz.
Ruiz has been a gang member, high school dropout, disowned by her family, an abused wife and a mother on welfare. But finally, she overcame all obstacles and became a police officer serving her community.

Shaq Impaq by Bruce Hunter

This book gives information about Shaquille O’Neal from the time he was a junior in high school until the end of his rookie season. It tells about everything from the influence his dad played in his life to his average game stats. It also talks about his relationships with players and other things about his life. The book is based on comments from Shaquille’s former teammates, friends and coaches. I like this book because it gives a lot of information about Shaquille O’Neal, who is one of the biggest names in basketball. It is a really good book to read if you like Shaq.


Reid R.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without me? (and other concerns)- Mindy Kaling

The author of this book, Mindy Kaling, has many different perspectives on her life. She is a child of immigrants, a self-conscious chubster, a pre-teen girl in a clique, a college student, a broke twenty year old and eventually a comedy writer and actress. Mindy Kaling puts her life down on paper in a way in which anyone can relate and laugh. She makes fun of herself and makes her readers laugh while doing it. In her book, Mindy goes through stages of her life, explaining her hilarious personal experiences and even mentioning some other famous characters. She eventually gets to the part of her life where everyone knows her as a comedy writer for “The Office” and even an actress on the show. This famous show has given Mindy additional acting opportunities and even more silly stories. Hopefully she will share these in a sequel to this great, light, laugh-out-loud read. I can say this book is a perfect read for teens because lots of action is happening and it will definitely keep your attention. It also is relatable to teen life which makes it much more enjoyable. I recommend this book to anyone who has a good sense of humor or any fan of the hit show “The Office”.

Marianne U.

Tweak by Nic Sheff

This book is an intense book to read because it’s a true story and everyday people deal with drug problems just like the people in "Tweak" did. I liked this book because it was not boring. I'm not really into fairy tale happy ending books and this one kept my attention because something was always happening. I like that the book represents real people and the problems with which they have to deal every day.

Grace S.

The Elephant Man by Christine Sparks

One of the reasons I liked this book was because the plot line was really interesting and the characters were intriguing. Once you start reading this book you won't want to stop reading it. It's not your typical read as every chapter takes you more into the life of John Merrick, the elephant man, and the rest of the characters who enter his life and help him gain confidence.

Sonia R.

The Personal Computer

The book titled, The Personal Computer, is an interesting book for any computer enthusiast. In the book you as the reader learn the events the computer has gone through from viruses to simple programming. Not only do you learn about the PC you also get a brief bio of the programmers and companies that have helped the PC become what it is today. And even a law student would be interested because of all the lawsuits mentioned by the software developers. Did you know the Beatles sued Apple Computer Inc. and Microsoft got sued for including Internet Explorer with their operating system?

The book also explains how young college students were becoming millionaires overnight just by developing software for the PC at no cost to the companies. The book also talks about how Bill Gates and Paul Allen sparked interest in computers. If Bill and Paul didn’t realize until later the complicated programming involved with Altar PC, Microsoft probably would not exist as it does today. I was very entertained learning about all the hardships the now millionaires had to go through and how far computers have advanced. As the book states…in 2030 we will have computers a million times more powerful then we do today; a million is a large number.



Zachary Gebis

A Child Called "It" by David Pelzer

“A Child Called It” is indeed a nonfiction book. There are a couple of books written by the author, Dave Pelzer, and if you have read any of them you know this is a very good and interesting book about his childhood life. The story starts off with a happy family. His mother is a stay at home wife and his father is a firefighter. Somewhere along the way, the mother becomes an alcoholic and mistreats Dave. The abuse is immense and it seems as if his other brothers don't get that abuse. Dave gets locked up in the basement and sent to the hospital a couple of times because of his mother. Dave's life turns into hell when his father notices this and won't put a stop to his alcoholic wife and her abuse toward Dave.

Nancy G.

Only the Strong Survive by Larry Platt

Larry Platt's book, "Only the Strong SurviveS, is a really good book. I like how he put it together because it told Allen Iverson's life story from beginning to end in just 255 pages. It wasn't confusing at all. If you read this book I think you will love this story. You will enjoy reading it because everyone can relate to the book since everyone has some kind of struggle to go through. Allen Iverson had a really tough life but he got though all of his struggles and became one of the best basketball players in the NBA. Because of his struggles, he became a targeted person and everyone judged him.

Lamar M.

THE GLASS CASTLE - Jeannette Walls

There are many reasons why I liked this book. The most important reason is the love and innocence of a smart young girl that keeps her believing in her parents even though they hadn't been good parents at all. Another reason I loved this book is because when I was reading it I could feel a huge emotion, like if I was part of it. I also realize kids who live with alcoholic people suffer more than what I thought. I also liked it because it gives you a perfect example that it is better to confront your errors right away instead of running away from them.

I believe other students would not just enjoy this book but would also identify with it. I think after reading this book, readers would have a better idea of what they want to do with their life.

Lourdes P.