May 31 Meeting

School’s out for some and almost out for others! And we had a lot of books to talk about at this past meeting.

These books were given nominations:

Finding Orion by John David Anderson

“When Orion Kwirk’s grandfather dies, his family (and him) take a trip to his hometown of Greenburg, Illinois. They attend his “funeral” and are sent on a quest to recover his ashes. They learn a lot about him on this quest. This was an excellent book.”

-Eleven

The Line Tender by Kate Allen

“Lucy Everheart is a pretty normal girl. Besides from her mother who swam with sharks and her father who is a rescue diver. Lucy’s mom died when she was out on a boat with sharks. Just when Lucy thinks she’s gotten over it, her best friend, Fred, drowns. Lucy then sets out to finish the field guide with pictures she illustrated and text by Fred, and tagging sharks which was her mother’s dream before she died. With help for her father, Robin, a marine biologist, Mr. Patterson, a senior citizen that’s Lucy’s neighbor, and Sookie, a fisherman friend of her parents, can she set up to finish what her mom started and figure out the secret Fred was trying to tell her?”

-Emma

The Owls Have Come To Take Us Away by Ronald L Smith

“A strange and haunting story about a boy who strongly believes in the grays (aliens) even though his family is strongly against it. Simon goes up against all odds with one close friend and two unlikely allies.”

-Keira

“One day, while Simon is camping with his family, he is abducted by aliens. No one believes him, however, and his parents send him to a psychiatrist. This novel is a great sci-fi story and I enjoyed it very much. It is Simon’s journey to overcome his fear and learn more about these mysterious aliens.”

-Eleven

The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo

“You’re not a feather picker, are you? Alastair, the african grey parrot, doesn’t think he is, until his sister Aggie is separated from him and he is shipped off to live with a crazy old lady. How much can parrots handle?”

-Keira

A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry

“One day, a wolf named Swift’s pack is killed. He is alone now, and he must figure out how to be a lone wolf. He then begins his journey to find a new home, and he faces many challenges on the way. This was a great book.”

-Eleven

The Wizenard Series: Training Camp by Kobe Bryant and Wesley King

“From five different perspectives, the story of a lower-class team’s magical transformation through basketball training camp. A must-read!”

-Keira

And these are some of the books we really enjoyed and would recommend to fellow readers, but didn’t think were quite up to Newbery-level of excellence.

Ben Braver and the Incredible Exploding Kid by Marcus Emerson

“A hilarious story about a kid struggling with his identity and fitting in, this book is a good read no matter what genre you like!”

-Keira

Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen by Niki Lenz

“A story about an antagonist-gone-protagonist, falling in love with Bernice, the fat bully with a bad record, is inevitable. As Bernice struggles with morality and family, she uncovers many allies who are by her side through thick and thin.”

-Keira

Birdie by Ellen Spinelli

“A sweet, heartfelt book written in flowing verse about a girl who wants to fly away with the birds but struggles to let go.”

-Keira

Camp by Kayla Miller

“An amazing follow up graphic novel to Click and Camped Out. I am amazed at the speed Kayla Miller published these because the plot is amazing and the drawings are beautiful. Hope to see more soon!”

-Keira

Eventown by Cory Ann Haydu

“If everything is the same, everyone is happy, right? Elodee thinks so until she discovers the truth about their eerie new town and how change can sometimes be good.”

-Keira

Glitch by Sarah Graley

“Izzy lives on video games and pizza, so when she gets sucked into her newest video game, she is thrilled. But she gets so caught up in it that she loses track of her real life…and her best friend, Eric. A beautiful graphic novel about a gamer girl and her friendship struggles, even in the virtual world.”

-Keira

Immoral Code by Lillian Clark

“The blurred line between right and wrong is stepped across many times in this revenge driven novel about five friends with one (slightly illegal) goal.”

-Keira

Just Jaime by Terri Libenson

“A beautifully written book with hilarious illustrations about two best friends in middle school, facing puberty, cliques, popularity, gossip, love and most of all, friendship.”

-Keira

Just South of Home by Karen Strong

“Cousin Janie is good at getting people into trouble, so when she steals something from a haunted church, it’s no surprise to Sarah. But are the ghost tales really true? An amazing novel about friendship, family and history.”

-Keira

Mike by Andrew Norriss

“Floyd loves tennis. He’s played it all his life and is amazing at it. But then Mike comes to visit him and won’t leave him alone. The problem…tennis. An amazing tale of self-discovery, chasing your dreams and being your own best friend.”

-Keira

Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt

“When a butler is sent to you by your grandfather, of course things are going to change. But Carter doesn’t realize it will force him to face the truth about his father and his brother.”

-Keira

Ruby In The Sky by Jeanne Zulick Ferrulo

“Ruby feels like she is drowning when her mother gets arrested. She hates her new town, and she hates that her dad is gone. But can she find her wings with the help of the “crazy” bird lady next door?”

-Keira

Samantha Spinner and the Spectacular Specs by Russell Ginns

“They aren’t your average purple sunglasses! (Although since when are they average). Coming to you from yours truly, Samantha Spinner, another book about secret gifts, brothers and disappearing uncles.”

-Keira

Secrets of a Fangirl by Erin Dionne

“Sarah-Anne’s secret geek always stays hidden. She has a list of rules to keep her inner geek and her outer sporty and popular girl separate. But when she enters a very geeky fandom contest, she realizes she is going to have to part with half of herself. The question is, what will she choose?”

-Keira

Stu Truly: First Kiss by Dan Richards

“A hilarious novel about a boy who falls in love, gets a job, saves a fashion show and kisses a girl for the first time in one novel. Sweet and funny.”

-Keira

As you can see, we had a busy few weeks between meetings! Our next meeting is Friday June 7 at 4pm. If you are interested in joining us, send an email to elizabeth.ayscue@wakegov.com for information. We’ll see you there and happy reading!

 

 

 

May 3rd Meeting

Welcome back to another exciting session of Mock Newbery at Eva Perry Library! We have meetings scheduled through August as of now, but I’ll be updating our meeting schedule for the fall session as the summer progresses.

We had a lively introductory meeting and some new faces who are excited to read some upcoming middle grade books! Speaking of, here are the books are members reviewed and rated this week:

Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera

“Nalah runs the best crew in Mega City, a female-dominated city in a post-apocalyptic world. Nalah wants to get her crew off of the streets and into the famed towers. This book asks the question, “What is home?” I enjoyed Dealing in Dreams very much.”

-Eleven

Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-McGinnis

“In this tale of feathers, December, an ordinary girl, is obsessed with birds. She has an odd scar on her back, which she believes is where her wings once came through and will again. She believes her mom is waiting in the sky for December to find her wings. December is moved to a new foster home with this woman, Eleanor. There’s something about Eleanor that’s different from the other. Can she find her wings, or will Eleanor be the calling of home that December has never had?”

-Emma

Finding Orion by John David Anderson

“Orion Kwirk, or Rion as everybody calls him, thinks his family is weird. His father makes a living off making odd flavored jelly beans and his mom works at a planetarium and is obsessed with space. When his life is starting to seem normal, a singing clown comes to tell Orion, his two sisters and his parents that their grandfather, Papa Kwirk, has died. At the funeral in his father’s hometown, Orion and his two sisters, Lyra and Cass, and his parents discover that their grandfather isn’t in the coffin like he should be. Papa Kwirk has set up a game through his father’s childhood. This just might be what the Kwirk family needs to come together again and find out just what it means to be a Kwirk.”

-Emma

Sorry Not Sorry by Jaime Reed

“Janelle and Alyssa were friends in middle school. But now, they are rivals. Suddenly, Alyssa, who has type-1 diabetes, health declines, and her kidneys begin to fail. Janelle is the only one who can save her. This book explores themes of friendship, and I enjoyed reading it.”

-Eleven

Our next meeting will be May 31st, but we have limited space, so please send an email to Liz Ayscue, our coordinator, at elizabeth.ayscue@wakegov.com before dropping by. See you next time and happy reading!

March 29 Meeting

Our final meeting of the session had our best turn out yet! We had a lot of fun playing Story Cubes, talking about the books we’d been reading and hearing some scary stories from one of our members.

Here are some of the books our members reviewed this past meeting:

How I Became A Spy by Deborah Hopkinson

“This book is a great mystery adventure. It takes place in WWII. Bertie the main character solves a mystery with his friends.”

-Gania T.

Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

“Jingwen’s immigration experience in Australia isn’t ideal. But it was his father’s dream to come here, so Jingwin decides to make all the cakes his father couldn’t make and he believe it will fix everything. He and his little brother embark on this baking adventure in secret. A hilariously illustrated book that will make you laugh and cry!”

Keira R.

Tell Me Everything by Sarah Enni

“When someone’s cruel words almost shut down Ivy’s favorite anonymous social media app, she decides that gifts for the users will make everything better. Little does she know she’s about to get caught in a web of lies, secrets, friendship and love. A beautiful and stark piece about the impact of words, social media and artists.”

Keira R.

Stolen Girl by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

“Nadia arrives in Canada and hopes to forget the war and lead a normal life. But her memories haunt her and make her question her identity. Was she a Nazi? Did she meet Hitler? Nadia’s experience is truly shocking, but her new parents’ undying love will break your heart and mend it again. A beautiful tribute to WWII.”

Keira R.

And while this graphic novel adaptation probably won’t be up for the Newbery award, it is adapted from a Newbery Medal-winning book. Our members really enjoyed reading this new graphic novel. See the review below.

The Giver (Graphic Novel) by Lois Lowry, illustrated by P. Craig Russell

“Jonas lives in a perfect community where everything is the same. When he receives his life assignment, he finds out that there could be more to life than this sameness, if he is willing to find it. I really like the illustrator’s art.”

Eleven

We are on a break from all regular library programming in April, but our meetings will resume in May and run until August. See this post for our meeting schedule for the summer session.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to join us! elizabeth.ayscue@wakegov.com

March 15 Meeting

Hello all! We had a fun meeting this past Friday. Everyone has been reading some awesome books! See our reviews below

The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo

“Alastair and Aggie are siblings, but they’re also African Grey Parrots, and they’re stuck in a pet shop. Alastair likes writing poems in his spare time. Pete, the owner of the pet shop, hates these parrots and breaks Alastair’s wing when Alastair bit him. Alastair wants to escape with his sister to a made up paradise. But Fritz, a part-time worker for Pete, buys Aggie, and an elderly lady, Albertina Plopky, or Bertie, buys Alastair. Alastair’s plans are ruined now, what can he possibly do to get back to his sister now?”

-Emma M.

Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday by Natalie C. Anderson

“A book of great mystery, adventure and sadness. A great read for asping ’emotionalists'”

-Mana P.

Just Jaime by Terri Libenson

“This book was about a seventh grader and her problems and how she is trying to solve them on her last day of school. this book switched perspective between Jaime and her friend named Maya.”

-Kaavya V.

Sal and Gabi Break The Universe by Carlos Hernandez

“I would definitely nominate this book for a Newbery award. I love the idea of a multiverse and that it can be used for the greater good. enemies become friends and the hardships of life are explored. The humor is great too, and I learned a lot about Cuban culture.”

-Eleven

Glitch by Sarah Graley

“This book is an action packed adventure full of fun. Izzy is a great protagonist who learns from her mistakes. The concept of a video game adventure like this. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends.”

-Eleven

Secrets of a Fangirl by Erin Dionne

“Sarah Anne is a girl who is torn between two sides of herself: her geeky side, and her popular girl side. She can’t decide who she wants to be. In the end, she chooses and figures out who she wants to be. I would recommend this book.”

-Eleven

We also played another rousing game of Story Cubes and Literary Hangman!

Sound like fun? Join us for our FINAL meeting before summer on March 29th at 4pm at the Eva Perry Regional Library. We’d love to see you there!

For more information, email: elizabeth.ayscue@wakegov.com

February 22 and March 1 Meetings

Hello all! We’ve had an exciting past two meetings, discussing some of the upcoming middle-grade releases, and we’ve already had some books our members think should be nominated!

Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera

Focused by Alyson Gerber

The Last Last Day of Summer by Lamar Giles

The Missing Piece of Charlie O’Reilly by Rebecca K. S. Ansari

Sorry Not Sorry by Jaime Reed

Tell Me Everything by Sarah Enni

And our members have read a few great books that they would recommend but wouldn’t nominate for the award.

Halo: Battle Born by Cassandra Rose Clarke

“I really enjoyed this book even though I know nothing about the Halo video games. The story kept me engaged the whole time. I would recommend this book to other teens.”

-Eleven

Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin

We also played a few Story Cubes games, which turned out quite interesting!

Our next meeting will be March 15th at 4pm at Eva Perry Regional Library. Come join us for book talk, games and snacks! This will be our penultimate (or our next-to-last) meeting before we take a break in April.

Any questions can be referred to elizabeth.ayscue@wakegov.com. We hope to see you there!

February 1st Meeting

Happy 2019 everyone and welcome to a new session of Mock Newbery club! We’ve already had some reviews rolling in, even this early into the year. We had a few graphic novels to peruse in our first meeting in January, and they have been a pretty big hit so far.

Click by Kayla Miller

“An adorable graphic novel about friend groups and fitting in. A picture is truly worth 1000 words and this book proves it.”

-Keira R.

Catwad by Jim Benton

“Catwad is a comedy comic about two cats, Catwad and Blurmp. Catwad is a sensitive cat while Blurmp is a funny cat.”

-Gania

“Catwad was really funny. It shows how good friends stick with their friends, even when their friend is not being nice to them. Catwad and Blurmp always kept me laughing and entertained. I really liked this book.”

-Eleven

“A hilarious graphic novel about friendship between two polar opposites (who happen to be cats).”

-Keira R.

Interested in meeting twice a month to talk about and read books that aren’t even out yet? Join us at our next meeting, February 22nd at 4:00pm. Email elizabeth.ayscue@wakegov.com for more information. We’ll see you there!

Until then, happy reading!

 

Aaaaaand The 2018 Mock-Newbery Goes To…

WINNER:

Nightbooks by J.A. White

Runners-Up:

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Illegal by Eoin Colfer

The other books that were nominated and made it to the voting round were:

The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller

Good Dog by Dan Gemeinhart

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

The War Outside by Monica Hesse

The Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras

 

Keep an eye out for our 2019 reviews! We’ll be starting back up in late January with our next book club session! 🙂

 

 

Summer 2019 Meeting Schedule

Our summer meeting schedule is ready to go! See the dates below.

We meet the first and last Friday of the month in the conference room at Eva Perry Regional Library from 4pm to 5pm. Mock Newbery Book Club is open to grades 6-8 (9th and 10th graders are welcome to join our Mock Printz Club!).

May 3
May 31

June 7
June 28

July 5
July 26

August 2
August 16
August 30

We hope to see you there! Any questions can be directed to club leader, Liz Ayscue, elizabeth.ayscue@wakegov.com.

Our 2018 Booklist

Get ready to read some great middle-grade books during the busy fall 2018 publishing season! We aren’t reading these in any particular order–just read what looks good to you, and report back to the club about it! Click the title to see if the book is available at the library, and to read a summary. This list will be updated as we add great new books to it.

The Faithful Spy by John Hendrix

“This is a biography of a spy named Dietrich Bonhoeffer who is different from his family. This is a nonfictional book about how he plots to kill Hitler.” – Kaavya V.

Rebound by Kwame Alexander

A Sky Full of Stars by Linda Williams Jackson

Sunny by Jason Reynolds

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead

“This book is about a young girl who meets a green magical creature. They were trying to find where the creature came from. This book was good because of the interesting plot.” – Kaavya V., October 2018

Everlasting Nora by Marie Miranda Cruz

“I would give the book a ‘good’ because it was very predictable and I really like suspenseful books instead. It is about a girl named Nora and she was learning about family and friendship.” – Kaavya V., September 2018

Nightbooks by J.A. White

“Recommended. Nightbooks is an enticing horror story for any age. When Alex, who has always loved creepy things and keeps his stories in his “nightbooks” is lured into a strange apartment by a witch and gets his life flipped around, he is determined to escape somehow and befriend the other prisoner, Jasmine, who is in turn as standoffish as possible. Writing and reading his stories for the witch every night to survive, he explores the mysteries of the apartment.” – Josephine H., September 2018

“This book is amazing. It is about a boy who gets trapped in a magical sweatshop. He wants a girl named Yasmin and they try to escape.” – Ben R., September 2018

“Nightbooks” is about a boy, Alex, who gets trapped in a witch’s apartment and must tell scary stories to keep out of danger. And unless he finds a way to escape, he will stay stuck forever.” – Meghana M.

“This book was a very good plot-twisting book. It was about a boy named Alex who got trapped in a witch’s apartment. There he met a girl named Yasmin and together they try to escape.” – Kaavya V.

“A truly haunting, thrilling tale that will have you finishing it in one sitting.” – Keira R.

“I really like Nightbooks. I recommend people who like horror to read it because it has a great climax at the end. It is aout a boy who gets trapped by a witch, and has to write stories to satisfy her. How will he escape??” – Gania T.

Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis

Just Like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard

“A heart touching story about a girl who will do anything to make sure she doesn’t lose her grandpa.” – Keira R.

“In this book a girl named Robinson who lives with her grandpa always gets into fights at school. She always is questioned about her skin color and behaviors. This book is an exciting good book.” – Kaavya V.

March Forward, Girl by Melba Beals

Granted by John David Anderson

Hurricane Child by Kehryn Callendar

Illegal by Eoin Colfer

“Ebo wakes up one morning to find his older brother gone–he left for Europe without him. He sets out to catch up, and when he does, they must weather (literally) all kinds of inconveniences as refugees with close to nothing. This graphic novel, told in flash backs, is incredibly descriptive.” – Josephine H.

“this book was really good. It’s a graphic novel about the plight of refugees trying to get into the US. This book supports an important issue. We should have more graphic novels.” – Sophia S.

Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Pinkney

Ebb and Flow by Heather Smith

“Ebb and Flow is a novel in verse that reveals Jett’s “rotten bad year” piece by piece while he stays with his grandmother in a bittersweet tone.” – Josephine H.

“A rhythmic, free-verse novel about a boy who just wants to escape reality and his past, and who discovers the healing power of a summer at the beach with grandma.” -Keira R.

Toaff’s Way by Cynthia Voigt

The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller

“An enticing but melancholy novel about a girl not being able to give up hope on her mother with depression, or her miracle flower, the cobalt blue orchid.” – Keira R.

The Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras

“This is a fantastic book about a girl in a family of outcasts stepping out to leave her father’s shadow and save her family.” – Ben R., September 2018

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

“Amal has her plans all set out–finish her schooling and head off to college and become a teacher…until her mother gives birth to their family’s fourth daughter. While Amal goes to the market to shop for dinner, she comes across a rude man. He turns out to be very important, and of course she finds out after talking back. Together she and the other servants in his house (that she now has to work in) must find a way to change their fates and the entire village for the better.” – Josephine H.

Calling All Minds by Temple Grandin

The Language of Spells by Garrett Weyr

Endling: The Last by Katherine Applegate

“This book is very good. It’s a fantasy novel and pretty long. Byx is the last Damine, maybe. She has heard of a mythical colony of Damines. With her lovable partners, she goes on a quest to find them. This book is a fun adventure full of exciting plot twists and discovery.” – Sophia S., September 2018

Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea by Lynne Rae Perkins

The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

“This is an amazing adventure book about two friends finding their purpose and escaping their enemies in a city filled with ghosts.” – Keira R.

“Cass has a special ability to see ghosts. Cass and her ghost friend Jacob are ghost hunters, who hunt bad ghosts. They go through many adventures.” – Gania T.

“This book is about a girl who can travel back and forth between the lands of the living and the dead. Her best friend is a ghost, too. But what happens when she gets stuck? (Also, she’s a Gryffindor!)” – Meghana M.

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

One True Way by Shannon Hitchcock

Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake

The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi

“This is an amazing book because it addresses concerns in the modern world, while still having an amazing plot and extremely likable characters.” – Keira R., September 2018

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

“This book is about a 12 year old girl who lives in a museum filled with artifacts of Indian gods. Aru experiences the magical world of the Indian gods during her autumn break. When an evil force is trying to stop time and control it. She connects to the world with a deep (a candle-holder from Diwali ceremonies).” – Gania T., October 2018

You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly

“A heartfelt story about two special kids learning to survive middle school in their own way, getting over family dilemmas, and bonding over scrabble.” – Keira R.

The House That Lou Built by Mae Respicio

The Truth As Told By Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

“Mason Buttle is a 7th grader who has recently lost his best friend. He is picked on by his schoolmates. Many things change when Mason finds a new friend, Calvin. He helps Mason get over his friend.” – Gania T.

Checked by Cynthia Kadohata

“Checked is about a boy named Conor who lives with his dog Sinbad and his dad. Both Conor and his dad are very passionate about hockey. But them something happens to Sinbad and Conor is forced to make the hardest decision of his life.” – Meghana M., October 2018

The War Outside by Monica Hesse

“This book was a good book about WWII. It was in two different perspectives from two girls whose parents were from Germany and Japan that had to move to Crystal City, TX.” – Kaavya V.

Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz

Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome

The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christina Uss

Good Dog by Dan Gemeinhart

“An amazingly heartbreaking story about the most brave and loyal dog protecting his boy, even though he cannot be with him anymore.” – Keira R.

City of Islands by Kali Wallace

“Good! Mara lives in a city of islands diving for her mistress day after day. Two years ago her guardian went missing in a storm; she was a bone mage. When Mara comes across ancient bones that may or may not be of the founders of the city, she says an old story of her mother’s…and the bones answer her.” – Josephine H.

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

“This is a heart wrenching novel about a black boy shot by a white cop. lending racist prejudice, history and fiction, this book  is a beautiful piece of art.” – Keira R.

“It’s a story about an African-American boy who gets shot by police and becomes a ghost. The policeman’s daughter can see him and they try to get justice.” -Ben R.

“Nominated. When Jerome, a young African-American boy, gets wrongly shot and killed by a white police officer, he becomes a ghost. No one can see or hear him–except for the officer’s daughter, Sarah. Switching between his existence while living and dead, they work to make awareness of all the other Ghost Boys in the world.” – Josephine H.

The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson

Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein by Linda Bailey (JB SHELLEY)

The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

“A hilarious graphic novel about a Russian girl trying to fit in at a far-from-normal summer camp.” -Keira R.

Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty

“A truly enchanting novel about a girl learning about the changing world around her, leaving her clan, and reuniting one very lost family. The best fantasy book I have read!” – Keira R.

 

 

2017 Mock Newbery Awards

The Wake County Public Libraries Teen Leadership Corps/Reading Corps would like to congratulate the following authors and publishers for providing young readers with distinguished works of literature that have opened our minds and hearts in 2016:

OUR WINNER:

Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin

Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

HONOR BOOKS:

Pax  by Sara Pennypacker, Published by Balzer & Bray/Harper Teen

When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin, Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan, Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor, Published by Katherine Tegen Books

     2016 Mock Newbery Contenders:

                                                                   

Click on title to request the book from Wake County Public Libraries!

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor – nominated by Rayyan, Kaviya, Haley, Riley, Tanvi, Benjamin, Amulya & Ella – This is a great story about a boy who grew up in a minimum security prison trying to help put his life back together after a nosey district attorney rips it apart.- Benjamin; This book follows Perry who lives in jail with his mother.  He has to leave everything he knows behind because the state superintendent believes that living in a jail isn’t a good environment for a child.  This story is truly inspirational and is definitely good enough to be Newbery.

The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan – nominated by Eliza, Caleb,  Kaviya, Ella, Haley, Rayyan & Benjamin –  A great book that follows two boys who work without pay on a cacao plantation.  Their world is turned upside-down when a fiery girl arrives. Guaranteed to rip your heart out of your chest! – Benjamin

Booked by Kwame Alexander – nominated by Haley and Benjamin – A fantastic story of a boy trying to survive the year after two major bombshells rip his life apart.

Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin – nominated by Tanvi, Amulya, Ayesha, Hannah, Haley, Ella & Quinn – The setting and the characters are described wonderfully and the whole story just seems to make me think about things a way I would have never thought of them before. – Quinn, This book was very inspirational and changed my view on life.  It had very realistic and developed characters, a descriptive setting, and a great plot!  It was a very enjoyable read. –  Amulya

Free Verse by Sarah Dooley – nominated by Haley,  Kaviya,  Kayla, & Riley – An inspiring story about loss.  Written partly in verse, the main character Sasha’s story will shed a new light on life. – Tanvi;  A beautiful story with strong character development and a writing style that carried you through this change of heart. – Kayla

Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford

Ghost by Jason Reynolds – nominated by Benjamin

Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eager – nominated by Caleb, Benjamin, Haley, Amulya, Hannah & Riley – A story about learning to love and growing up, with a great theme of family and a hint of magic. – Hannah; The book definitely keeps you wanting to turn the page to keep reading.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about adventures to new places and adjusting to them.  I loved the plot, characters and the story itself. – Riley

The Inquisitor’s Tale, or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz – A collection of stories about 3 kids and their Holy dog.  This book is and incredible ride full of twists and turns. – nominated by Hayden

Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern – nominated by Ella, Hayden, Kaviya, Riley, Ayesha & Tanvi – This book takes you inside the mind of a fourth-grader.  With a very relatable conflict, this book is a beautiful story about dealing with life’s problems.

Lily and Duncan by Donna Gephart – nominated by Tanvi, Caleb, Ella, Kaviya & Riley – A tale of friendship, courage and believing in yourself when others don’t.  And having faith even if you think if you hold on any longer you may break into a million pieces. – Nikki

The Littlest  Bigfoot by Jennifer Weiner – nominated by Tanvi

Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Allison McGhee – nominated by Sarah, Caleb,  Kayla, Rayyan & Eliza – A heart-wrenching story that honestly portrays sisterly love. – Eliza

Mayday by Karen Harrington – nominated by Rayyan, Caleb, Benjamin & Ayesha – This story revolves around a selfless boy determined to make the best of the worst situation.  A touching and sweet story that will break and heal your heart over and over again. – Ayesha

Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban – nominated by Micah, Tanvi, Rayyan, Haley, Hayden, Ella, Marissa, & Amulya – You really feel like you can connect with the characters, even if they go through way worse than most of us ever have. – Micah; The main character is so deep emotionally and relatable.  The author makes you feel like you are right next to Manami as these events happen.  The settings and characters were all shaped so well. – Marissa

Pax by Sarah Pennypacker – nominated by Caleb, Kaviya, Amulya,    Benjamin, Eliza,  Ella, Hayden, Rayyan,  Nikki, & Riley – A story that goes down a twisty rode, that makes your heart leap with excitement and sadness. – Nikki;  An amazing book with characters that almost seemed to come alive through the pages. – Riley

Soar by Joan Bauer – nominated by Sam, Caleb, Benjamin & Hayden – A great book about a boy leading a shattered town to rebuild around baseball. – Benjamin

Some Writer:  The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet – nominated by Ella, Haley, Hannah, Benjamin & Hayden

Summerlost by Allie Condie – nominated by Rayyan, Tanvi, Sarah, Haley & Hannah – A rich, fulfilling tale of friendship and loss that will shred your heart and stitch it back together again.  I didn’t want to put it down! – Sarah

When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin – nominated by Caleb and Hayden – I would read this 11 times! – Hayden

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk – nominated by Quinn,  Caleb, Samantha, & Kayla  -A wonderfully written story about a girl who realizes that adults can’t solve all of her problems when she is the only one who stands up for the innocent.  Amazing! – Caleb

Other favorites:

27 Magic Words by Sharelle Byars Moranville

Agents of the Glass:  A New Recruit by Michael D. Beil – Very fun read – Caleb

Audacity Jones by Kirby Larson – Kirby Larson weaves an energetic and plot-driven story about a young heroine that will capture your heart immediately. Bringing a much needed heroine in a world of mostly heroes, combined with powerful characters, Audacity Jones is an inspiring story for both boys and girls. – Tanvi

A Bandit’s Tale by Deborah Hopkinson – A beautifully forged story about a young boy’s new life in the American suburbs. Providing a juicy plot to a historically accurate story, this book is a must read for historical fiction lovers. – Tanvi

Brambleheart by Henry Cole

The Cat Who Came in Off the Roof (not eligible for Newbery) by Annie Schmidt

The Courage Test by James Preller

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey – An interesting book that give you a whole new perspective on police work! – Rayyan

The Dog, Ray by Linda Coggin (not eligible for Newbery but medal-worthy) -Very touching story with developed characters, good setting and overall a great read!-Amulya

Eleven and Holding by Mary Penney – I liked the author’s writing style and the story has some nice twists at the end, and a very realistic ending.

The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island by Dana Levy

Firefly Code by Megan Blakemore – Technology, utopian community, and friends. A story that tests the ability of people accepting people for who they are, even if who they are is way off from what you imagined. – Nikki

Framed (A T.O.A.S.T. Mystery) by James Ponti

The Gallery by Laura Fitzgerald – The characters were well-developed, and the mystery made it hard to put this book down. – Kaviya

Gertie’s Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasley

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Regan Barnhill – Good and deep story – Caleb

Going Where It’s Dark by Phyllis Naylor – This is a well-written realistic fiction novel about a kid going caving. If you like books that show kids’ struggles and their successes, this is the book for you! – Hayden

I Am Drums by Mike Grosso –

Impyrium by Henry H. Neff

It Ain’t So Awful,  Falafel (not eligible for Newbery) by Firoozeh Dumas

Jubilee by Patricia Reilly Giff

Julius Zebra by Gary Northfield

Just Like Me by Nancy J. Cavanaugh – This was an interesting book and I really enjoyed it. The characters were realistic. Three Chinese sisters bond during an extremely competitive summer camp. The story is told through the diary entries of one of the sisters. This is a book for 11 and up. – Hayden

The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd

The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly

The Lost Compass by Joel Ross – I liked this sequel to Fog Diver  as much as I liked that first book.  The plot was good and made sense.  The characters were still very 3-D and I didn’t want to put the book down.  The plot was also really believable and realistic.  I could imagine everything that was happening.  It’s important to read the first book before this one though. – Sarah

Maxi’s Secrets by Lynn Plourde

The Maypop Kidnapping by Cynthia Surrisi – An entertaining mystery that will keep you hooked until the surprising ending. – Haley; This book shows that even though old friends can’t be replaced, new friends can be made. – Marissa

The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin by Elinor Teele – An amazing story, with amazing characters!  You will be riveted to the very end! – Eliza

Midnight War of Mateo Martinez by Robin Yardi

Momotaro:  Zander and the Lost Island of Monsters by Margaret Dilloway

The Most Important Thing:  Stories About Sons, Fathers and Grandfathers by Avi

The Nine Lives of Jacob Tibbs by Cylin Busby

The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart by Lauren DeStefano

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo –  It is very descriptive and has a lot of feeling in it. – Quinn

Samurai Rising:  The Epic Life of Minomoto Yoshitsune  by Pamela Turner

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks

School of the Dead by Avi – A thrilling mystery filled with twists, turns and ghosts!  Gripping! – Caleb

The Scourge by Jennifer Nielsen

The Secret Sea by Barry Lyga

Secrets of Bearhaven by K. E. Rocha

The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse by Brian Farrey

The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

Simon Thorn and the Wolf’s Den by Aimee Carter – A masterpiece told through writing that always keeps you wondering. – Nikki

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart

Some Kind of Happiness by Claire LeGrande

Sticks & Stones by Abby Cooper – Setting is well-described and the story is interesting – Sam

Talking Leaves by Joseph Bruchac

Terror at Bottle Creek by Watt Key –  Full of suspense, action, and 3-dimensional characters, the ultimate adventure book. – Ella

Time Stoppers by Carrie Jones

To Catch a Cheat by Varian Johnson – This book had an amazing plot and was overall a good read.  The characters were very developed and this book definitely deserves to be Newbery. – Amulya, An interesting story that will give you a whole new perspective on spying. – Rayyan

Tru and Nelle by G. Neri

Turn of the Tide by Rosanne Parry

Under Their Skin by Margaret Haddix

Waiting for Augusta by Jessica Lawson – A very well-written story about a boy who knows what it’s like to be left behind.  An inspiring plot that will change how you think of life (and golf).

We Will Not Be Silent by Russell Freedman

A Week Without Tuesdays by Angelica  Banks

What Elephants Know by Eric Dinerstein – A well-developed story that perfectly captures the bond between a small child and many enormous elephants. – Rayyan

Wild Robot by Peter Brown – An inspiring story that proves that robots are more than just machines–they’re wild animals! – Rayyan

Wish by Barbara O’Connor

The World From Up Here by Cecilia Galante

What we’re reading for our next meeting:

We will begin reading 2017 titles in January!!

2016 Winners!!

2016 Mock Newbery Winner:

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

Mock Newbery Honors:

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton

Wish Girl by Nikki Loftin

The Toymaker’s Apprentice by Sherri L. Smith

Congratulations to these middle school kids for a fantastic year of reading!

 

Last in a Long Line of Rebels, by Lisa Lewis Tyre

Summary: When the city of Zollicoffer, Tennessee, where her family lives, announces plans to seize their one hundred seventy-five year old house through eminent domain, twelve-year-old Louise Mayhew needs to come up with a way to save it–and her ancestor’s Civil War diary linking the house to the Underground Railroad, as well as a hidden treasure, seem to offer her family the best chance of saving their home.

Nancy Paulsen Books

First Friday of October Meeting

We had some passionate discussion on a few titles, and it was so fun!
Please put your own comments on these titles:
The Curious Tale of the In-Between
Dear Hank Williams
Fog Diver
Old Wolf
We are continuing to read read read.  Our first nominations are scheduled for the end of this month!

Crenshaw, by Katherine Applegate

Summary: A story about a homeless boy and his imaginary friend that proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.

Feiwel and Friends

Find it at WCPL

Serafina and the Black Cloak, by Robert Beatty

Summary: In 1899, a twelve-year-old rat catcher on North Carolina’s Biltmore estate teams up with the estate owner’s young nephew to battle a great evil and, in the process, unlocks the puzzle of her past.

Disney Hyperion

Find it at WCPL