First Top 3 Nominations !

Our group met October 28 and came up with the following titles to nominate for the 2012 Eva Perry Mock Newbery Award!

Amelia Lost: the life and disappearance of Amelia Earhart, by Candace Fleming
.     “The only non-fiction book I have ever cried at the end of.  Enough said.” – Yates
Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys
.     “I really feel for these characters.  And to feel like you are in this book, it’s tough because you didn’t know it was this bad but you thought you knew…” – Mehlynn
.     “Had a twist at the end… kept me engaged in the book.”  – Ajay
.     “…The description of the scenery and characters’ actions builds a mental world where each page is a scene for a play. The great ending leaves a bittersweet taste in the mouth, giving the reader just enough info to be complete, but leaving the rest to the imagination.” – Jasper
Bird in a Box, by Andrea Pinkney
.      “… you could tell what the characters were feeling…” – Mukil
.      “No matter who you are you can relate to at least one of the three characters.  Great way to make it all wind together.” – Patrick
.     “perspectives of each character had a different personality which gave the time period in an interesting spin.   Brilliant climactic ending and overall a heartwarming story.” – Jasper
The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens
.     “The character development and setting and description make this a well-rounded, distinguished book.” – Andrew
.     “The plot and setting grew and developed…” – Jessica
The Floating Islands, by Rachel Neumeier
.     “…the strongest part was the plot; it made me HAVE to read the next chapter, and the next, until it ended.” – Yael
The Great Migration Journey to the North, by Eloise Greenfield
.     “Tells the tales of several who trade their difficult lives in the South and head North.  Story is told in prose and gives a great feeling of the kind of culture that existed among them.” – Kyle
Hidden, by Helen Frost
.     “This had understandable poems; it felt like I was with the characters the entire time…I feel that the style of writing went with the story very well.” – Jessica
Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai
.     “This book was written in verse.  Beautifully.  I loved the way the author described how she felt…” – Mehlynn
Kick, by Walter Dean Myers
.     “It was written in multiple points of view, which I like.” – Ajay
No Passengers Beyond This Point, by Gennifer Choldenko
.     “…I couldn’t put it down.  The ending was amazing, completely unpredictable and changed how I thought about the whole story..” – Yael
Okay for Now, by Gary Schmidt
.     “This has so much feel and meaning.  It felt like you were in Doug’s shoes and you saw the different complications.” – Aparna
.     “The writing kept me engaged… made me feel surprise or sadness or joy along with the main character.” – Bonnie
.     “…the first person narrative in this book far exceeds most.” – Jasper
.     “…I could tell exactly what the character is thinking.” – Mukil
The Only Ones, by Aaron Starmer
.     “..was not boring, and has plenty of detail so you aren’t left with a cookie-cutter story.” – Patrick
Queen of the Falls, by Chris Van Allsburg
.     “This had such a fantasy “feel” to it, it did not seem like nonfiction.  The book’s ending made me feel strongly for her and her struggles.” – Bonnie
.     “…I felt very connected…” – Jessica
The Romeo and Juliet Code, by Phoebe Stone
.     “… the best part was how there were general themes kind of in the background of the story that could be easily not noticed.” – Kyle
Saving Zasha, by Randi Barrow
.     “The way the author described the events made it easier to connect with the characters, and it made the story more realistic for me.” – Ponni
The Unwanteds, by Lisa McMann
.     “…the creativity makes it a page turner.” – Andrew
The Wikkeling, by Steven Arntson
.     “A different twist.  You could feel the story and how the characters’ talents helped the solution.  Unpredictable.” – Aparna
Words in the Dust, by Trent Reedy
.     “The characters and plot make it as though you are right next to the characters.” – Ponni
.     “…very captivating…It opened up a whole new world for me.” – Mehlynn

If you have other titles we have not considered yet this year, please send a copy to us (see About Us).  We will be pleased to consider all titles that meet the Newbery criteria.

Short List #3 (First Top 3 Nominees)

Now that Newbery “season” is ramping up, here is our third short list.  We try to follow the process that the official Newbery committee uses as closely as possible, so this list comes as a result of a Top Three Vote where each of our club members nominated their three favorite books and told us why they think they are Newbery contenders.  All the books that were nominated are included in this list.

• After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
  **”You can really connect with the characters…” – Bonnie
• Alcatraz versus The Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson
  **”…really funny.” – Jay
  **”…very funny book with great characters.” – Kyle
• The Cardturner by Louis Sachar
  **”The struggle of the relationship between the uncle and nephew had me wanting to read more…” – Abby
• The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby
  **”The plot and characters were fantastic and had depth…” -Breanna
• Hawksmaid by Kathryn Lasky
  **”Character development was AMAZING…” -Ruchi
  **”Another heartbreakingly beautiful masterpiece.” – Zoe
• Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus
  **”The real-life characters are great as well as the fictional ones.” -Kyle
  **”I loved the friendship between the captain and the Japanese fisherman.” – Surya
• Heist Society by Ally Carter
  **”The plot is riveting, and the characters fit into the storyline very well.” -Kyle
• Keeper by Kathi Appelt
  **”Only Kathi Appelt can write plots this amazing and have it all come together to create a beautiful, wonderful story about love and growing up and true family…” -Breanna
• Lost Children by Carolyn Cohagan
  **”…interesting plot and well-developed characters.” -Ponni
• Mindblind by Jennifer Roy
  **”… a great job making the teenage characters sound like real, intelligent people.” -Breanna
  **”You can feel the character’s emotions running through you..” -Ruchi
• Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
  **”The amount of emotion I felt while reading this book was purely amazing…” -Jasper
  **”I felt that I was in the book when it all happened..” -Mukil
• On the Blue Comet by Rosemary Wells
  **”…brings character development, description, and a sense of realness all into an entertaining plot!” -Jasper
• One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
  **”Full of action and keeps you reading.” -Patrick
  **”…unique and touching… the ending was great.” -Bonnie
• Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
  **”It makes you feel for the character.” – Parv
  **”This really hooked onto me.” -Surya
  **”Inspirational story… full of action.” -Patrick
  **”Even the minor characters were developed well.” – Ponni
• The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
  **”I could connect well with the character and understand the awkwardness of being new…” – Alicia
• Smells Like Dog by Suzanne Selfors
  **I thought it was a really creative story.” – Alicia
  **”The writing left a stronger impression than even the plot.” -Sachi
• Somebody Everybody Listens To by Suzanne Supple
  **”…plot was very moving.” – Abby
• The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
  **”I like how there are many small stories all from different points of view. The end is very completing.” – Mukil
• Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
  **”Full of suspense.” -Patrick
• A Whole Nother Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup
  **”I liked how they added new characters into the story…” – Jay
• Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen
  **”I understood through brief description… well-written book.” – Gokul
  **”The setting gave me a great idea of the time period.” – Jasper

Short List #3 – Our Top Three Vote

Now that Newbery “season” is ramping up, here is our third short list.  We try to follow the process that the official Newbery committee uses as closely as possible, so this list comes as a result of a Top Three Vote where each of our club members nominated their three favorite books and told us why they think they are Newbery contenders.  All the books that were nominated are included in this list.

• Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko
  **”Very unique plot.  Wonderful writing…” –April
• Alcatraz versus the Knights of Crystallia by Brandon Sanderson
  **”Brandon Sanderson can write in a way that makes you know intimately all the characters…” –Ezra
• Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry
  **”When you read the book you feel as if you are really there.” –Kaeli
  **”What really stands out to me is how well the author describes, grows, and develops the characters.” –Ben B
• Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
  **”Since this  is written from the perspective of an autistic kid… I felt like I got inside his head and realized how autism affects someone.” –Anna
• Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner
  **”It flowed well and I never got bored with it.” –Zoe
• Daughters of the Sea: Hannah by Kathryn Lasky
  **”You can really picture the characters.  Very well written.” –Abby
• Discordia: The Eleventh Dimension by Dena Salmon
  **”This book stood out for me, having a love of video games.  I love the whole idea of gaining levels, and I think it is very creative.” –Jay
• Dormia by Jake Halpern
  **”It was definitely a fun read…” –Ruchi
• The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
  **”This book really resonated with me.” – Layne
  **”You can really feel the main characters, as if you could walk out into the street and meet them.” –Chaz
• The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb
  **”This gave me some insight on a time period that I’ve never heard much about.” –Bette
• I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb
  **”The consistent humor kept me in stitches the whole book.” –Alex
• If the Witness Lied by Caroline Cooney
  **”Addresses important issues, realistic, good characters, VERY GOOD PLOT…” –Hannah
• Jane in Bloom by Deborah Lytton
  **”This book contains some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever encountered…” –Layne
• Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
  **”I refused to close the book until I’d read every word.” –Layne
  **”The main character did something that you would never expect to happen, much less work, but when it did I was able to accept it as possible in the circumstances.” –Rachel
• Kaleidoscope Eyes by Jen Bryant
  **”I could really connect with the ever-changing characters.” –Alex
• Mare’s War by Tanita Davis
  **”The two stories flow and work together and characters 3-dimensional.  Writing style is beautiful, as it does not have to rely on a captivating plot to keep the reader reading.” –Chaz
  **”By the middle of the book I couldn’t put it down.” –Jasper
• The Maze Runner by James Dashner
  **”The story was very exciting and I couldn’t put it down.” –Ben O
• Mike Stellar: Nerves of Steel by K. A. Holt
  **”This book has a creative plot that makes you want to keep reading.” –Jay
• Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta
  **”This is your classic baseball book – the underdog wins.  But the way it happened was unexpected, and it was humorous.” –Patrick
• My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison
  **”I must admit that Ms Rallison spins a fairy tale full of romance, action and humor.  She can write like few can, and I think we need to reward her.” –Ezra
• Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French
  **”It was fun to read, educational, and one of those books that really makes the reader stop and think.” –Breanna
• Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes
  **”This actually made me view some things in life completely differently, and I learned a lot about army families.” –Breanna
• The Red Blazer Girls by Michael Beil
  **”I felt as if I were one of the Red Blazer Girls solving the mystery myself.” –Kaeli
• A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck
  **”I felt like I was in the book and friends with Bob.” –Jasper
• Scat by Carl Hiaason
  **”4 plots all come together… very memorable.” —Hannah
  **”The characters were AMAZING!” –Bette
• Watersmeet by Ellen Jensen Abbott
  **”Attention to detail.  Amazing characters.  Nice plot.  Actually kept me interested!” –Bette
  **”It really opened my eyes and helped me realize the horrors of prejudice.  I felt like I was this girl experiencing everything she was.” –Zoe
• When the Whistle Blows by Fran Slayton
  **”The best aspect is the relationship of the boy and his father growing throughout the book.” –Rachel
  **”I felt like I knew all the characters as close personal friends.” –Ben O
• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
  **”Plot is unique, story interesting, all while touching deeper themes.” –Chaz