NEWBERY AWARD - WINNER

AUTHOR - KATHERINE PATERSON

GRADES - 4-6

😪WARNING! THIS BOOK HAS BEEN BANNED!😪

NEWBERY AWARD  - WINNER - 👍

The Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, to the author of "the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children”.


NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY -TOP 100 CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF LAST 100 

    YEARS👍

SCHOLASTIC - 100 GREATEST BOOKS FOR KIDS👍

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL -TOP 100 NOVELS FOR CHILDREN #10  👍

HORN BOOK - FANFARE

TIME Magazine - 100 GREATEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN👍

AMAZON'S TOP 100 BOOKS FOR CHILDREN👍

GOODREADS - 100 100 BOOKS TO READ IN A LIFETIME #29  

LEWIS CARROLL SHELF AWARD - 👍

Given to books that belong on the same shelf as  Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland .

This is a beautiful story about two children who form a special relationship as they create their own fantasy world. A tragic accident is a reminder to enjoy life when you can. The story also comments on the idea of allowing children to be children in a society which hurries academics and places children on harsh schedules. THIS NEWBERY AWARD WINNER IS ONE OF THE BEST OF THE BEST. 

1. At the end of the story, Jess allows May Belle to follow him to Terabithia. Why 

    did he do that?


    Answers will vary. He wanted to keep the spirit of Terabithia alive. He 

    thought that Leslie would approve of sharing their secret. 

2. Who is to blame for Leslie’s death?


    Answers will vary. It was her fault for swinging over the raging creek 

    water alone. 

3. Leslie and Jess enjoyed being together. Who benefited most from this 

    relationship?


   Jess benefited the most from this relationship. He was afraid of life and 

   somewhat introverted. Leslie opened up his imagination and made him 

   less fearful. 

AUTHOR - STACEY RODERICK

GRADES - 2-4

FIRST AND BEST LIST TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY - WINNER

What a great way to introduce bugs to children. Each bug is featured on four beautifully illustrated pages. On the first two pages there is a question about the bug and a close-up drawing. Readers/listeners are asked to name the bug. After turning the page, they see the entire bug in its surroundings. The accompanying text offers interesting information that is most appropriate to this age group. This book begs to be read aloud. 

How about making their own book based on this one? Each child can find a bug on the internet and follow the same format as the book.

AUTHOR - KAREN CUSHMAN

GRADES - 5-8

NEWBERY AWARD -HONOR BOOK - 👍🏿

The Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, to the author of "the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children”.


SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW

HORN BOOK -FANFARE SELECTION

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN.-  BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - RECOMMENDED FOR RELUCTANT YOUNG 

     READERS

BOOKLIST - EDITORS' CHOICE

GOLDEN KITE AWARD👍🏿

INTERNATIONAL READING ASSN. - TEACHERS' CHOICE

AMERICAN BOOKSELLER "PICK OF THE LISTS"  

SOUTH CAROLINA BOOK AWARD  

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY -100 TITLES FOR READING AND SHARING

PARENTING MAGAZINE - READING MAGIC AWARDS

CARL SANDBURG LITERARY ARTS AWARD  

INTERNATIONAL BOARD ON BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - HONOR LIST

This Newbery Award Honor book is the one you want your children to read if you are studying medieval times. The author presents a vivid picture of manor life. The story is told in diary form by a clever fourteen-year-old girl  named Catherine, who is also called Birdy. She lives in a manor with her rich parents during medieval times. She leads a miserable life. Her father is always trying to marry her off so he can increase his wealth. She hardly ever goes anywhere, and spends most of her time doing chores around the manor. She wonders why she cannot be a monk. She wishes she could be alone, wear nothing, and drink in the ale house. Once, her mean father wanted to kill her dog because it kept barking and digging at its head. Birdy took the dog to her friend, Goat boy where he found a candied fig in its ear. As you get to know Birdy, you will find that she is a rebellious girl. While she can solve many problems, she is having a hard time trying to figure out how to avoid marrying a man named Shaggy Beard. She is not ready to be married. She never even had a boyfriend.  Any teen could easily identify with Catherine. Historical fiction at  its best! 

1. There are some things in Catherine’s life that she enjoys. If she had
  no 

    restrictions, how do you think she would spend her time?
    

    She would spend much time with Perkins, the goat boy. She
 thinks he is 

    very smart.  She loves her Uncle George. She likes to listen to his stories

    about
 distant lands. He also brings her presents.
  She would go ice-

    skating, drink ale, and walk around naked.  She enjoys entering spitting 

    contests and being with he pet bear.


2. There are many things which make Catherine unhappy. How are they the 
same

    or different from what makes you unhappy?
    

    Catherine is not happy about her prearranged marriage. She wishes 
that

    she was a common villager so she could choose her own mate.     

    She is unhappy with her chores and responsibilities. She hates 
spinning

    and writing. 
    

    When the river freezes, the boys go ice-skating. Catherine becomes

   
 upset because she is not allowed to go.
    

    She doesn’t understand why girls cannot become monks or horse
 

    trainers. 

    She wishes that she could be alone, walk around naked, 
 and drink in ale

    houses. 

    She is always getting scolded. She was grounded for two days for 

    entering a spitting contest. 

3. If you had the opportunity to marry someone who had millions of dollars, but 

    you didn’t love the person, would you do it? Explain. 

AUTHOR -REBECCA L. JOHNSON

GRADES - 5-7

VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)A PERFECT TEN -👍

This magazine is the leading library journal dedicated to the needs of young adult librarians, the advocacy of young adults, and the promotion of young adult literature and reading. Its most prestigious award is a Perfect Ten. This is given to a book that gets a five star rating for quality and a five star rating for popularity. 

JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION

KIRKUS REVIEWS - STARRED REVIEW

How did the Chernobyl explosion occur? What happened to the people and who lived in the area? What happened to the plants and animals? Although the explosion released four hundred times more radioactivity than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, animal life flourished in the area. How was this possible? These answers and many more are found in this short, informative, highly interesting, easy to read book. It received the highest middle school honor - a prestigious Perfect Ten from VOYA 

1. At the beginning of chapter 3, one of the scientists was talking about the

    
amount of radiation going through him. Why did he allow that to happen? 
If you

    were a scientist, would you go into a poisonous area? Explain. 

2. Some reviewers call this book amazing. What do you think? Explain. 

3. Some people went back to their homes in the Exclusion Zone. If you lived

    there, would you go back? Explain. 

AUTHOR - AVI

GRADES - 4-7

NEWBERY AWARD - WINNER - 👍

The Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, to the author of "the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children”.


VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES (VOYA) - “Historical Fiction at its Finest" - 

    PERFECT TEN 👍

VOYA Founded in 1978, Voice of Youth Advocates, or (VOYA),

This magazine is the leading library journal dedicated to the needs of young adult librarians, the advocacy of young adults, and the promotion of young adult literature and reading. Its most prestigious award is a Perfect Ten. This is given to a book that gets a five star rating for quality and a five star rating for popularity. 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

BOOK SENSE - TOP TEN

BANK STREET COLLEGE OF EDUCATION - BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF 

    THE YEAR👍

COLORADO BOOK AWARD  

This historical novel is about a fourteen-year-old boy named Crispin who lived in England during the fourteenth century. After his mother died, he became a serf for the estate of Lord Furnival. He did not know that he was really the Lord’s illegitimate son. However, the steward knew this and planned to kill him so that he would not inherit the Lord’s wealth. False charges were made against Crispin and a reward was issued to kill him. This resulted in Crispin being chased all over the countryside as he dodged one narrow escape after another. Readers will find themselves on the edge of their seats as they follow this boy from town to town, while getting a taste of medieval life. For your adventure lovers, Crispin is pure excitement. It is one of the few books to win the Newbery and receive a Perfect Ten from VOYA.

1. At the end of the story, Crispin put a knife to the neck of John Aycliffe and they

    made a deal. What would you have done?       

    Answers will vary. If he killed Aycliffe, how would he have escaped? 

2. Why do you think Crispin placed the cross of lead on Aycliffe’s chest
 at the end 

    of the story?

    
Crispin did not want the inheritance. He just wanted to be free. 

3. When Crispin grows up, what do you think he will be doing?      

    Answers will vary. He could continue working with Bear to 
promote 

    freedom. 

AUTHOR - PATRICIA C. WREDE

GRADES - 5-7

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL -STARRED REVIEW

BOOKLIST  - EDITORS ' CHOICE

Princess Cimorene lives in the kingdom of Linderwall and she hates it.  She likes to fence and learn about magic, but her parents tell her that these activities are not proper for a princess. They want her to practice her sewing and dancing, which she finds very boring. To make matters worse, they want her to marry Prince Therandil. She refuses and decides to run away.  She discovers a cave which is inhabited by dragons. Most of them are rather friendly. They have to be on the lookout for wizards who are trying to steal their magic. Cimorene learns of an evil plan by the wizards which will allow them to control the dragons, however, no one believes her. She enlists the aid of the Stone Prince and a witch to help the dragons. This is the first of a series of four books called The Enchanted Forest Chronicles. It is followed by Talking to Dragons, Searching for Dragons, and Calling on Dragons. Using a female lead, the author portrays dragons as the “good guys” and wizards as the “bad guys.” 

1.  Compare and contrast Cimorene to yourself. Use
 personality and examples of 

     behavior in your answer.     

     a) Cimorene is rebellious. She runs away from 
home because she does not 

         like the life a princess is supposed to lead.     

      b) She is brave. She doesn’t mind living with fire-
breathing dragons. She kills 

          a bird that attacks her.     

      c) She is smart. She learns how to make a spell that
 will fireproof her from 

          the dragon’s breath. She 
acts stupid so she can learn why the wizards are

          in  the cave. She tricks the jinn into giving her a wish. 

      d) She is loyal. She tells Kazul everything, and risks
 her life so that the evil 

          dragon does not become 
king.      

      e) She is friendly. She makes friends with Myron 
and Kazul. The other 

          princesses enjoy her 
company. Prince Therandil and the stone prince 
also 

          like her.

 2.  Several characters in this story make terrible mistakes. Among them are 

      Prince Therandil, the Stone Prince,
Woraug, and the wizard king. Which was 

      the worst mistake and how did it affect the outcome of the story?    

        a) Prince Therandil accidentally takes a stopper out 
of a bottle and a

            giant appears. He threatens to kill 
the prince and Cimorene. This 

            affects the outcome
 of the story because the giant eventually gives 

            them
 two wishes. Cimorene is able to make a fireproof 
spell so she 

            doesn’t get burned by the dragon’s 
breath.     

       b) The Stone Prince was turned to stone because he 
wasn’t paying 

            attention. He was supposed to get 
the king a drink from the Water

            of Healing. He picked up the gold slipper instead of the tin one.
 

            This caused him to turn to stone.     

        c) Woraug works with the wizards in order to become king. Cimorene

             tells how he did it and 
Woraug gets turned into a frog. That is what


             happens to dragons who stop acting like dragons.   

        d) The wizard king doesn’t think that Cimorene and 
the others would 

             throw water on him because he is 
standing next to Morwen. 

             However, the prince does 
not throw water on both of them and the 

             wizard king
 melts. Morwen only gets wet.

AUTHOR - KATE SMITH MILWAY

GRADES - 3-6

SKIPPING STONES HONOR AWARD - ☮️

promotes an understanding of cultures, cultivate cooperation and/or encourage a deeper awareness of nature, ecology and diversity. Award winning books foster respect for multiple viewpoints and closer relationships  within human societies.  


NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY AWARD☮️

This is an annual list of 25 books created by the International Literacy Association which enhance student understanding of people and cultures.

SOCIETY OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS, INTERNATIONAL, K-6 SOCIAL 

     STUDIES HONOR BOOK👍

This multi award winner is based on a true rags-to-riches story. A young boy from Ghana buys a hen and sells the eggs. He saves his money and buys another hen. Eventually, he goes to college, where he learns how to be a chicken farmer. He becomes a very successful adult as his farm grows to be the largest in South Africa. It all began from a small loan given to the boy's mother. A list of organizations that provide loans are provided at the end of the book. They are always looking for donations.

1. How did determination bring success to Kojo?
   

    Kojo had to walk two hours to buy his first hen. He went to the
 market to 

    sell his eggs. 

    He found bits of fruit and grain on the ground, which he collected for food

    for his hen. 

    He saved his 
money and bought more hens. Eventually, he saved enough


    money to go to school. After he learned how to farm, he
 needed money to

    purchase hens. The bank refused to give him a 
loan, so he went to the 

    president and persuaded him to lend him the money. Through lots of hard

    work, he built the  largest poultry 
farm in South Africa.


2. At the end of the story, he makes Adika promise to  loan money to 
another 

    family. Why did he ask her to do that?
    

    Without a loan, Kojo's mother would not have  given him some coins to 

    buy his first hen. He also needed a loan to buy a chicken farm. He knew 

    how important it was for people to help others.


3. In this story, Kojo only needed a few coins to make a lot of money. 
    

    Suppose someone gave you $100.00? How would you use this money to 

    
make a profit?   

AUTHOR -KATHERINE APPLEGATE

GRADES - 4-6

New York Times Bestseller

Publishers Weekly Bestseller

#1 Indie Bestseller

Publishers Weekly - Starred Review

Booklist - Starred Review

Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books - Starred Review

Shelf Awareness - Starred Review

This free verse humorous tale was inspired by the aquatic care given by the personnel at the Monterey Bay Aquarium who  rescue injured sea animals. Readers will come to love Odder, a young otter, who loves to play and does not always listen to the warnings of others. As a result, she gets attacked by a shark, which forever changes her life. Odder is the narrator of this story and her insights are often very funny. When describing her life, she says, “I would sleep and drink, drink and sleep, sleep and drink - pups have it easy - unlike their moms. (Don’t ask where dad was. Otter fathers aren’t exactly Parent of the Year material.”)

1. If you could talk to Odder, what would you ask her?

2. If you were an otter, would you rather live in the 
aquarium or in the ocean? 

    Explain.

3. At the end of the story, if Odder was given a choice, would she live in the ocean

    or stay in the aquarium? Explain.                                                 

AUTHOR -KACEN CALLENDER

GRADES - 5-8

CORETTA SCOTT KING - HONOR BOOK ☮️

The Award is given to an African American author and illustrator for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions. The Coretta Scott King Book Award titles promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream of a pluralistic society.The Award is further designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace and world brotherhood.

RAINBOW LIST: TOP TEN LGBTQ BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS☮️

LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD - WINNER☮️

Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the "Lammys", are awarded yearly by Lambda Literary to recognize the crucial role LGBTQ writers play in shaping the world. The Lammys celebrate the very best in LGBTQ literature.

EL DIA DE LOS NINOS/EL DIA DE LOS LIBROS SELECTION☮️

Highlighting diverse children’s books to honor the culture and languages of all children

WALTER AWARD - HONOR ☮️

The Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children's Literature recognize diverse authors whose works feature diverse main characters and address diversity in a meaningful way.

CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN’S LITERATURE 

     BEST BOOKS ☮️

a committee of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL) identifies the best in multicultural books.

JANE ADDAMS CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD☮️


The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award annually recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people.

ROBERT F. SIBERT BOOK AWARD 👍

This award is presented annually to the writer and illustrator of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year.

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE 

     - WINNER👍

BOSTON GLOBE - HORN BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION AND POETRY -    

   WINNER 👍

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

Twelve-year old King is in a state of conflict and grief through most of this coming of age novel. While mourning the sudden death of his older brother, he recalls a conversation with him regarding his best friend Sandy who is gay. His brother told him to end the relationship because others would think he was gay too. King follows his brothers advice, however, he later regrets this decision as he thinks he may be gay.

King’s father complicates matters by imposing his homophobic views on his son.

In the meantime, Sandy runs away from his abusive father and reunites his friendship with King, who helps him find a place to hide. 

While questioning his sexual identity, King is being pursued by a girl who wants to be his girlfriend. He reluctantly agrees even though he does not have romantic feelings toward her. This story is filled with never-ending turmoil that does not get resolved until the very end. This is a fantastic read as tension continually mounts from chapter to chapter. If I were in charge, King and the Dragonflies would be in every middle school library.

1. What do you think was King’s most difficult 
decision?

2. What do you think would have happened if King went with Sandy to New York?

3. If you were King, what would you have done differently?                                             

AUTHOR - NIKOLE HANNAH JONES AND RENEE WATSON

GRADES  2-5

😪WARNING! THIS BOOK HAS BEEN BANNED!😪

PHYLISS WHEATLEY BOOK AWARD - NONFICTION WINNER

given to the best book written about slavery in the past five years

NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY AWARD☮️

This is an annual list of 25 books created by the International Literacy Association which enhance student understanding of people and cultures.

CYBILS- ☮️

seeks out and recognizes books that represent diversity, inclusion, and appropriate representation for children and teens

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 0 2021👍

A TIME MAGAZINE BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF 2021👍

A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOKS OF 2021👍

NW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY - BEST BOOKS 2021👍

BARNES AND NOBLE BEST PICTURE BOOK - 2021

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF 2021

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW

A young black girl is asked to trace her roots as part of a school assignment. She doesn’t know anything about her family tree. She seeks help from her grandmother and learns about the lives her ancestors led before they were kidnapped and taken to America. Young readers will discover the hardships endured by slaves and how they kept the faith over many years in their struggle to be free. If you are searching for a way to explain “Why Black Lives Matter,” this book is a good way to begin your presentation.

1. If you were kidnapped and taken to another country, what would be your 

    biggest concern?

2. What do you think Black Lives Matter means?

                                              PAGE 11