Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP by Mirin Fader

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Mert A.

Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP is a book that details Giannas Antetokounmpo’s rise to greatness.

In 2008, if I told you that a skinny Nigerian kid living in Greece was going to become the face of the NBA and win 2 MVPs, would you believe me? If you said no, you would agree with the majority of people. However, if you said yes, would you stick with your answer if I told you that this kid had illegal immigrant parents, and he had to sell on the streets every day to get his family food to eat? If you would still say yes, you would have predicted the rise of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Giannis had to go through many struggles as a kid. He would go with his mom to sell sunglasses for a couple of euros each just to try to get food on the table. Sometimes, he would have to go to sleep with a rumbling stomach, imagining the food that he wasn’t able to eat. He would always try to smile, so his brothers wouldn’t start to worry. His family would get evicted a lot, and they would have to move to a different apartment often because they couldn’t pay the rent. However, basketball was a way out. Giannis would forget about all of his worries when he was on the court, playing his heart out. He would dream of playing in the NBA and having his family all with him along the journey.

Giannis’s childhood was difficult, but he worked hard and didn’t complain. His story should be a lesson to all of us: Anything is possible as long as you put in the effort and work extremely hard. His childhood shows us that we should never count anyone out based on their circumstances.

The author, Mirin Fader, did a great job including interviews and quotes from people who played a role in Giannis’s childhood. His mom, brothers, and former coaches all had quotes in this biography of Giannis Antetokoumpo.

While reading about Giannis’s rise to stardom, I was not able to put the book down. It was so intriguing to read about the struggles that he faced and overcame to get to where he is today, and I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Giannis Anteokounmpo. Also, anyone who wants to learn a thing or two about the challenges that some people face would find this book interesting, too.

-Mert A.

The Man Who Walked Between The Towers

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Austin S.

“Once there were two towers side by side. They were each a quarter of a mile high; one thousand three hundred and forty feet. The tallest buildings in New York City.” In honor of September 11^th, I want to share one of my very first books, The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. This is the true story of Philippe Petit, a tight rope walker from France, who accomplished this impossible feat. In August of 1974, he walked between the Twin Towers of and the World Trade Center, without a safety net!

It took Philippe Petit six years of planning for his world famous walk in the sky. With the help of some friends, he used a bow and arrow to shoot the cable across the two buildings. With thousands of people watching on the streets below, Philippe walked and ran across the 120 foot cable wire. While the words tell the story, the illustrations are the very best part! The pictures really help to capture the size and strength of the towers and their symbolic meaning.

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is a story of hard work and bravery. Philippe Petit shows us how one person’s incredible dream can come true. I recommend this book to readers all ages and hope it inspires others to reach for their own impossible dreams. On the twentieth anniversary of September 11^th, this book remains a tribute to the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. The skyline of New York City looks really different today. However, Mordicai Gerstein’s illustrations of the Twin Towers will help generations of kids to remember.

Today the 9/11 Memorial Museum honors all those who lost their lives on September 11^th. There is an exhibit that remembers Philippe Petit and his famous walk. I hope that anyone visiting New York City will check it out!

-Austin S.

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein is available for checkout at the Mission Viejo Library.

Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington

Posted on August 19, 2021 by Oliver H.

Up from Slavery is an autobiography written by Booker T. Washington. He describes his experiences as a slave during the American Civil War, and his new life after he was freed from slavery. Washington experienced many hardships and struggles, especially during the early years of his life. However, he did not seem to harbor feelings of resentment or bitterness toward anyone. Throughout his life, he maintained focus on his main desire, which was to gain an education. He overcame many challenges to achieve this goal. He even worked as a janitor at his school so that he could afford the tuition. He was a successful student, and he went on to build a school called the Tuskegee Institute.

This true story was very enjoyable to read. I admire Booker T. Washington’s hard work and persistence even when discouraging things happened to him, such as being mistreated because of his race. He was always determined to make the best of every situation. I admire his ability to get along with people of different races and backgrounds. By treating other with kindness and respect, he achieved great success toward creating equality between all races.

I also admire Washington’s love of education. As a slave, he did not even know how to read. When he was freed from slavery, his main goal was to learn how to read. By the end of his life, he had written many books, and he was the head of a large institute of learning. He also became a famous orator. His life’s work was to help other people gain an education. I believe he is an excellent role model because everyone should strive to gain an education and to never falter when faced with trials.

I was even surprised to learn from this book that I have a distant relative named Collis P. Huntington, who was a donor to help support Booker T. Washington’s school. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a true and inspiring story about someone who achieved great success against all odds.

-Oliver H.

Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Authors We Love: JK Rowling

Posted on July 6, 2021 by Ayati M.

Arguably one of the best writers of modern times, Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born in Bristol, England on July 31, 1965. Better known as JK Rowling, she is the author of the famed Harry Potter series. Harry Potter is definitely in my top five favorite book series, but the story of JK Rowling is just as captivating.

Growing up in Gloucestershire with her younger sister, JK Rowling loved books. In fact, she wrote her very first book about a rabbit when she was just 6 years old. She went to school at Wyedean Comprehensive School, and later attended the University of Exeter where she studied French and Classics.

The idea of Harry Potter first occurred to Rowling on a delayed train to London in 1990. Throughout the next couple of years, Rowling planned the next few books of the series.

After many rejections, Bloomsbury Publishing House finally accepted Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The novel became a bestseller, and its movie was made in 2001.

In 2012, the digital platform “Pottermore” was released, which sparked a new craze of Harry Potter in the digital world. (Seriously, who hasn’t taken the House Sorting Quiz on there?)

As for her personal life, JK Rowling married Jorge Arantes in 1992 and had a daughter, Jessica, in 1993. J.K. Rowling has been married to Dr Neil Murray since 2001, and they currently live in Edinburgh with their son and daughter.

The impact of the Harry Potter series is one of high importance. Before Harry Potter, children’s literature sales were dropping, due to the fact that children were not reading very much. With the publications of the Harry Potter books, children became very interested and excited to read!

Plus, in the midst of a global pandemic, JK Rowling launched “Harry Potter at Home” in March 2020, which allowed more people around the world to enjoy Harry Potter while they stayed at home through videos of celebrities reading the books out loud as well as the ebook and audiobook becoming free.

If you are reading this post, I’m sure that you are aware of the wonderful possibilities and opportunities that open up to children every time they flip the pages of a new book.

Of course, we cannot forget some of JK Rowling’s other works, which include Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, as well as a crime fiction series called Cormoran Strike, which Rowling wrote under the pen name of Robert Galbraith.

As a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, I believe that JK Rowling’s work is truly magical. The details of her books are so vivid; I can easily visualize myself walking through the Great Hall and watching first-years get sorted into their house. I have seen dragons and mermaids; I have heard the chugging of the Hogwarts train and the voice of Headmaster Dumbledore addressing the school. In my opinion, the most admirable quality of the books is that readers of all ages can enjoy them, as new generations continue to discover the magic of JK Rowling’s works.

-Ayati M.

The works of J. K. Rowling, including biographies, are available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. They may also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Nathan Pesta Biography

Posted on June 20, 2021 by Jeremy L.

Nathan Pesta, going by the name of Npesta on Youtube and Twitch, is a famous content creator with a large following. Like many other content creators on these platforms, not many people know about his personal life. Pesta was born on August 1st, 2002 in Pennsylvania, where he would continue to live even today. His followers know him for streaming on Twitch and uploading stream highlights to YouTube, but the large majority of the internet knows him for having a very loud and funny reaction to beating a level in the game Geometry Dash. Ever since this reaction became a meme and was featured in a Pewdiepie video (a very famous Swedish Youtuber), Pesta’s Youtube and Twitch channels have been growing exponentially, with his Youtube having 160 thousand subscribers and his Twitch having 53 thousand followers. Along with Geometry Dash, he also loves to stream other games such as Super Mario Maker, Osu! Mania, Minecraft, and others. Pesta has also hired an editor who goes by the name Doggie on Youtube and Twitch. Unlike Pesta, Doggie only streams and uploads content related to Geometry Dash. Pesta hiring Doggie as an editor has contributed to his massive growth, as Doggie’s edits are really good at amplifying Pesta’s funny and vibrant personality. Today, because of the Covid-19 virus, Pesta has taken leave from college (due to online classes being expensive and therefore not worth it). This has allowed more time for Pesta to stream and make content, as he does not have to worry about school work.

-Jeremy L.

Anne Frank: The Biography by Melissa Müller

Posted on December 20, 2020 by amandinek.

Being a student that has always found history about the holocaust to be interesting, Melissa Müller’s Anne Frank: The Biography was a fascinating biography.

Most know who Anne Frank was, a little girl who displayed her story through writing. Anne Frank’s journal is a treasured diary that is loved and appreciated by millions around the world and continues to be cherished every day. Müller’s recreation gives more factual information about Anne Frank’s life instead of Anne’s words alone. This book gives insight before Anne started writing and what happened after the Franks were caught hiding. With pictures included, a family tree, and much more, this novel is very detailed and allows the audience to truly understand how harsh life was as a Jewish individual. Müller dives deeper down into Anne’s personality and what type of person she was at school and at home. This biography answers questions that were never answered in Anne’s diary such as the major discussion revolving who the tattletale was who initially caused the capture of the Frank family.

This novel is 330 pages long and it may be considered a difficult read for some but if you do need a good and captivating nonfiction story, this is a must do! By the end, one definitely will become more educated about this subject and how hard it was living in this era for some people.

– Amandine K.

Anne Frank: The Biography by Melissa Muller is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Earthrise: My Adventures as an Apollo 14 Astronaut by Edgar Mitchell

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Brandon D.

When I first looked at Earthrise, I did not not want read it. My mom got it for me for a Boy Scout merit badge and I was not excited to read. I did not read it for at least 2 weeks, and then I was out of other things to read. So I decided I would try it out and see what happened. It was one of the best books I have ever read.

Earthrise is about astronaut Edgar Mitchell. In the book, our astronaut friend tells us his adventures as an Apollo 14 astronaut. The Apollo 14 was the 3^rd spacecraft to visit the moon! Edgar Mitchell tells us about his early days as a kid living on a farm, his life in the navy, his training to become an astronaut, and his amazing experiences in space! The narrative in this book took me away. When he would describe what the moon looked like, or what Earth looked like from space, I could easily imagine I was there with him. This book did not disappoint me. When you first look at it, it looks like some boring old biography on some astronaut no one knows about. But trust me, you’ll like it,

-Brandon D.

Earthrise: My Adventures as an Apollo 14 Astronaut by Edgar Mitchell is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Mirabella S.

The Glass Castle is a memoir by Jeanette Walls describing her turbulent childhood years, and how she and her siblings survived poverty and neglect against all odds. Her father was an alcoholic who she longed to trust, but who let her down time and time again. Her mother was an artist with her head in the clouds, with little grip on the realities of hunger and child safety. The Walls family lived a “nomadic” lifestyle, often voluntarily living without a roof over their heads. Despite the many struggles of their childhood, the Walls children became successful in life. They succeed in spite of their parents.

The tone of the novel is set when within the first chapter, Jeannette burns herself cooking food over an open flame (at age three) and her father subsequently breaks her out of a hospital. What follows are the many, some humorous, several depressing, exploits of Jeanette’s father Rex Walls. One of the main focuses of the memoir is Jeannette’s relationship with Rex, who cares for her deeply, but who can’t give up alcohol for his children. An ongoing question that the reader must ask is whether this love is genuine, and whether his stated care for Jeanette justifies his many flaws. Rex always promised his children that he would build them a house made entirely of glass- a glass castle. It is up to the reader to interpret whether this castle was ever intended to be built.

This book truly is a must-read. It is not simply a novel; it is a recording of real life. It is full of danger and emotion, and brimming with moments that will make you laugh, and (quite often) cry. If you are looking for a page turner of a success story, look no further.

-Mirabella S.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wells is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

I Am Malala

Posted on September 25, 2018 by emilio04vargas

I Am Malala is a story about Malala Yousafzai. Malala was born in Mingora, Pakistan. Mingora is a place where not many women have that many rights. Malala always wonder why this is and why she isn’t able to go to school. That rule wasn’t in place, but Mingora was taken over by the Taliban, and they enforced that rule and many other harsh ones.

Because of the circumstances she is in, Malala starts writing blogs about what has happened under the pen name “Gul Makai”. Shortly after, the Taliban start getting forced out of town by the Pakistani army. The Pakistani army force the Taliban out of town, but they still stay in the rural areas on the borders of town.

Then, someone at The New York Times sees Malala’s blogs and features her in a documentary. The documentary is about protecting girl’s rights and education. The Taliban see the documentary, and Malala becomes a target. As she’s on her way to her father’s newly reopened school, two Talibans stop the bus, and one shoots Malala in the head. Malala miraculously survives, and is taken to the United Kingdom for treatment. The news spread extremely quickly, and people around the world are now praying for Malala’s recovery. After Malala gets discharged from the hospital, she joins the rest of her family in Birmingham. She continues to this day to campaign for women’s rights and mainly for their education.

-Emilio V.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Posted on September 17, 2018 by emilio04vargas

Shoe Dog is a book about Phil Knight and his journey of eventually creating one of the world’s biggest shoe and sportswear brands ever.

Phil Knight was born on February 24, 1938 in Portland, Oregon. Growing up, Phil was always into running. He would frequently run the many trails around Oregon. Phil was also a key member of Cleveland High School’s track team. One day he decided to take a trip around the world, and that’s where his adventure started. He visited Japan in 1962 and discovered the brand of running shoes that was known as Tiger (Today the brand is known globally as Asics). Phil fell in love with the shoes and wanted to take them back to America to sell.

He got a meeting with Onitsuka and was able to make a contract so that he could sell their shoes in America. Following this, Phil formed Blue Ribbon Sports with his track coach Bill Bowerman. The shoes were very well received and over the next few years Phil and Bowerman opened retail spaces in Santa Monica, California, and Eugene, Oregon. The business was growing very well with profits doubling year after year. Eventually, due to a lack of understanding and repeated issues, Phil and Bowerman split from Onitsuka and formed Nike. Nike’s first shoe, the Cortez, debuted at the 1972 Olympics. The Cortez was an instant hit. It was incredibly popular, and still is to this day.