2012 Mock Newbery Winners

Ms. Martha — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:03:27 +0000

After reading a total of 224 titles since April, 2011, our group of 20 kids (grades 6-9) got together tonight and decided the Eva Perry Mock Newbery results.

2012 Eva Perry Mock Newbery Award:
Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys

2012 Eva Perry Mock Newbery Honor Books:
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
Bird in a Box, by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Michael Vey: the Prisoner of Cell 25, by Richard Paul Evans
Words in the Dust, by Trent Reedy

We are very proud of their work and ultimate consensus, which accurately depicts this year’s book club.

Good work, kids!

Getting Down To It…

Ms. Martha — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:56:31 +0000

On December 16, 2011, we gathered to discuss titles. We compared Between Shades of Gray with Bird in a Box. We talked about A Monster Calls. Jay praised Michael Vey. We remembered Queen of the Falls. We compared Small Acts of Amazing Courage with Words in the Dust. And we discussed Wonderstruck - with and without pictures. All in all it was a very productive meeting!

So now it’s your turn… tell us what you think!

Top 7 Nominations for 2012 Newbery Award

Ms. Martha — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:18:46 +0000

December 2 we met and came up with a Top 4 in addition to the Top 3 we each nominated 6 weeks ago. This post includes both, as our final nominations for this year, excluding those Top 4 with only 1 vote. I recognize that this is a very long list even without listing the 21 titles with only 1 vote. But I expect that the kids’ comments that go along with them will be worth scrolling down to read!

Amelia Lost: the Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart, by Candace Fleming
. “You come to bond with Amelia.” – Yates
The Aviary by Kathleen O’Dell
. “It captivated me.” – Ruchi
. “It was amazing that Clara overcame her worst nemesis, fear, which we all struggle with.” – Rebekah
Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys
. “…keeps going back to flashbacks… with a big twist.” – Ram
. “It touched my heart. I could feel and breathe every word.” – Ruchi
Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney
. “I think the different points of view made this story great.” – Mehlynn
. “…characters were as familiar to me as my friends.” – Surya
The Cheshire Cheese Cat: a Dickens of a Tale, by by Carmen Deedy
. “…characters are varied and well-written into the framework of the story.” – Kyle
City of Orphans by Avi
. “The plot and setting are great.” – Mukil
. “..the kind of story that makes you want to learn more.” – Andrew
. “..occasionally made my heart start racing… I felt like I was in the book.” – Bonnie
The Dragons of Silk by Laurence Yep
. “I love how the generations are connected and overlapping…” – Yael
. “..made me feel as if I were part of the family, living their lives and being with them.” – Bonnie
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
.”…had me reading until the end…” – Ajay
The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier
. “While simple, it is very exciting. It makes you want to be the characters.” – Andrew
The Great Migration: Journey to the North by Eloise Greenfield
. “Story is told in prose and gives a great feeling of the kind of culture that existed among them.” – Kyle
Hidden by Helen Frost
. “The emotions felt by the characters penetrated the pages and controlled the reader’s emotions so well.” – Sachi
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
. “The poetry format matched the story and made it even better.” – Yael
Kick by Walter Dean Myers
. “…the multiple points of view was what I liked.” – Ajay
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans
. “The writing is very enticing…” – Andrew
. “Everyone will wish Michael were real.” – Rebekah
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
. “…very different plot.” – Parv
. “Great and gripping story.” – Patrick
No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko
. “…I couldn’t put it down.” – Yael
Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
. “I thought that the voice the author uses is amazing.” – Meylynn
. “I dreamed about the characters.” – Surya
. “…could really bond with the characters.” – Gokul
The Only Ones by Aaron Starmer
. “..plenty of detail so you aren’t left with a cookie-cutter story.” – Patrick
Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg
. “…ending made me feel strongly for her and her struggles.” – Bonnie
The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone
. “Character development and the details made the story’s plot…” – Ponni
Saving Zasha by Randi Barrow
. “…made the story realistic for me.” – Ponni
The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley
. “Molly takes you along her amazing and unsure adventure.” – Rebekah
Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan
. “The characters were awesome.” – Surya
. “..showed how to be a person on your own.” – Aparna
. “… I can bond with the character.” – Gokul
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
. “The idea of “magic powered by creativity” was amazing.” – Yael
. “An action-packed story filled to the brim in the feelings of an unwanted populace.” – Kyle
The Wikkeling by Steven Arntson
. “Description of futuristic setting is put into words in near-brilliance…” – Kyle
. “…gave me the creeps. ..good visualization and joyful to read.” – Surya
Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy
. “I could feel the main character as if she were me.” – Surya

Bluefish, by Pat Schmatz

Ms. Martha — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:19:06 +0000

Summary: Everything changes for thirteen-year-old Travis, a new student who is trying to hide his illiteracy, when he meets a sassy classmate with her own secrets and a remarkable teacher.

Candlewick

Find it at WCPL

Breaking Stalin’s Nose, by Eugene Yelchin

Ms. Martha — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:16:04 +0000

Summary: In the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union, ten-year-old Sasha idolizes his father, a devoted Communist, but when police take his father away and leave Sasha homeless, he is forced to examine his own perceptions, values, and beliefs.