How lucky young people are today in their choices of memoirs. Today I’m celebrating that many of our students are able to see themselves, not just in fiction but in the stories that people are willing to share of their lives, their struggles, their memories and their triumphs. Originally I had a place-holder poster up called “memoirs and biographies”, but this morning as I started filling it, I realised there is such a wealth in just the recent memoirs that they should be celebrated on their own. If you are of a certain age you’ll remember when “The Diary of A Young Girl, by Anne Frank” was just about the only option for young people in the memoir section. Not that it isn’t a wonderfully written tale about puberty with the second world war playing a part, but there is so much more now!

My distinction between Middle School and Young Adult is based on publisher recommendations and also that in this hyper-vigilant world of adults being more scared of the printed word than what students are subjected to on-line, I’m erring on the side of caution. Which means I also need to say that not all of the books on the list are for all communities. Sigh.

But if your memoir section is in the need of a revival, most of these books were published in the last two years, and feature a variety of formats, including some great graphic memoirs. Enjoy.

By Nadine Bailey – middle school teacher librarian, currently living and working in Dubai, formerly in Beijing China, Singapore and a bunch of other cities around the world. Passionate about our students seeing themselves and their worlds in literature and developing curiosity and a passion for reading and learning.

The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed in this blog post are solely my own and do not reflect the positions, policies, or opinions of any current or former employer. Any references or examples provided are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements or official statements from any organization I have been associated with.