MORE MUST READS THAT ARE NOT FOR SALE AT THIS TIME- GRADES - 7-9

AUTHOR - KADIR NELSON

GRADES - 4 AND UP

CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD -HONOR - BEST ILLUSTRATED BOOK

CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD - WINNER - BEST WRITTEN BOOK 👍🏿

The Award is given to an African American author and illustrator for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions. The Corretta 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.

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.

ROBERT F. SIBERT MEDAL - 

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

ORBIS PICTIS - 

The Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children recognizes books which demonstrate excellence in the "writing of nonfiction for children." It is awarded annually by the National Council of Teachers of English to one American book published the previous year.  

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

We Are the Ship is must reading for baseball fans of all ages. The award-winning illustrations take readers on a time machine through the first half of the twentieth century when black ballplayers had to fend for themselves as they played under terrible conditions. Fields were often cow pastures and spectators were often hostile. Segregation made traveling a nightmare. Yet, in spite of these obstacles, the Negro Leagues endured. Who were these players? The author/illustrator answers this question and many more in this book which is more like a work of art than a story.  

1.What do you think was the most difficult part of playing in the Negro 
Leagues?   

   Answers may include - unable to get lodging or food, name calling
 from 

   the fans, traveling and playing four games in a day. 

2. Why do you think Major League baseball finally allowed blacks to play in their 

    leagues? 

    Answers will vary. 

3. What was the most interesting or important piece of information that you 

    learned from reading this book? 

AUTHOR -KIMBERLY WILLIS HOLT

GRADES - 5 -7

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD - WINNER 

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS

BOOKLIST - EDITORS' CHOICE

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

BOSTON GLOBE - HORN BOOK  - STARRED REVIEW

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

The story centers on Toby Wilson who is experiencing the toughest summer of his life. His mother left home to become a country singer, his dad can’t cook, his best friend’s older brother is fighting in Vietnam, and the girl of his dreams is interested in someone else. However, his life is about to change, as Zachary Beaver, the fattest boy in the world, has just come to town. This is a tale of love, death, and acceptance. 

1.What is your opinion of Toby? Would he make a good friend?
 Give three 

   reasons to support your answer.
 

   It is hard to imagine anyone not liking Toby because he is so 

   considerate. When Zachary is left alone, he brings him food.
 He is also

   responsible for getting Zachary baptized. 

   
When Scarlett asks him to babysit for her sister, he does so even 

   
though he knows Scarlett likes Juan. 


   When Juan comes to Toby for advice on how to make Scarlett 
happy,

   he decides to play matchmaker.
 

   Toby realizes that Juan couldn’t go to the party in honor of 
Scarlett’s 

   grandfather, because he didn’t own any nice  clothes. 

   He rides his bike to Charlotte's house and blindfolds her. Then 

   he
 takes her to Juan’s house and drops her off. He rides away, 
forcing 

   them to work out their differences. 

   When Toby doesn’t go to Wayne’s funeral, he realizes that he hurt 

   Cal’s feelings. Toby apologizes and the boys become good friends 

   again. 


3.Do you think Toby’s mom will come back? Explain. 

4.What do you think will happen to Zachary? 

AUTHOR -COLIN MELOY

GRADES - 5 - 7

VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES (VOYA) A 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

NEW YORK TIMES -  BESTSELLER

INDIE - BESTSELLER

E.B. WHITE -  READ-ALOUD MIDDLE READER AWARD

While a twelve-year-old girl is baby-sitting her brother, he is kidnapped by a group of crows who take him into a place called the Impassable Wilderness, which borders Portland, Oregon. This area is so thick with vegetation, that no one ever goes there. The girl and her friend Curtis decide to rescue her brother and find themselves in a world filled with animal bandits, warring coyotes, military birds and a power struggle for control of this secret world. This is Book one of The Wildwood Chronicles. It is followed by Under Wildwood and Wildwood Imperium.

1. After Prue’s brother was taken, she waited a day before deciding to go into the 

    Wilderness alone without consulting her parents. What would you have done? 

    Answers will vary. 

2. Why do you think Curtis decided to stay in the Wilderness, rather than 

    return to his home? 

    Curtis felt important here. The other bandits respected him. He

    made many friends. In Portland, he was a loner. 

3. Why would Prue and Curtis be good people to have as friends? 

    They were very loyal. Prue was loyal to her brother and Curtis was

    loyal to the bandits. They were caring. They cared about each other

    and the animals in the woods. They were likable. The woodland

    creatures became good friends with both of them. 

4. Do you think Prue will return to the Wilderness? Explain.

    Probably. At the end of the story, Curtis‘ parents told her to say hello to 

    him the next time she saw him. 

5. Do you think Curtis will leave the Wilderness? Explain. Answers will vary. 

6. How did Curtis’ parents feel at the end of the story? 

    They seemed to be happy because they knew their son was happy. They

    told Pru to say hello to him. 

AUTHOR -ROBIN BRANDE

GRADES - 6 - 10

AUTHOR -ROBIN BRANDE

GRADES - 6 - 10

HONORS/AWARDS

VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES - 

A 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.  

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION -BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS

BOOK SENSE - CHILDREN'S PICK LIST

NCSS/CBC –NOTABLE CHILDREN'S TRADE BOOK IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL STUDIES

This powerhouse of a story focuses on a high school freshman who finds herself ostracized from just about everyone because she apologized to a boy who had attempted suicide as a result of a church condemning him because he was gay. The protagonist, Mena Reece, tries to reconcile her belief in God, while accepting Darwin’s theory of evolution. This brings her at odds with her parents, her church, and just about all of her friends. The one bright light in her life is Casey, her lab partner. As this relationship evolves, so does Mena, as she struggles to find her identity. The author tackles the issue of whether or not intelligent design should be taught in conjunction with evolution. The result is a masterpiece and is must reading for anyone who needs to “get a handle” on this controversy.


Compare and contrast Mena to yourself. Use personality and examples 
of behavior in your answer.
   

Mena is shy and and does not like to be the center of attention. She
 has difficulty facing her problems. When the youth group begins
 to tease her and push her around, she does not respond to them by
 fighting back. She goes to the girls’ room rather than be teased in
 the cafeteria.
    

She loves to write. She always carries a notebook with her. She
 enjoys writing as Bible GIrl on Kayla’s blog.
    

She is a good person as evidenced by her apology to Denny. She
 knew that the church and the youth group hurt him and she wanted to make him feel better. She also felt bad about lying to her parents
 and eventually tells them the truth.
   

Mena is very determined. When she realized that the youth group
 was spreading hate and causing problems for her science teacher,
 she decided to do whatever it took to stop them.
    

She worries a great deal. She is afraid that Casey will not like her 
once he realizes that she is not very smart. She also worries about 
her fading relationship with her parents.
    

According to Casey, she is funny.
    

She believes in God and the bible.
    

She loves science. 

AUTHOR -CAROLL PLUM-UCCI

GRADES - 7 - 12

MICHAEL L. PRINZ AWARD - HONOR 

an American Library Association literary award that annually recognizes the "best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit".  

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW

INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION - CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD

When Christopher Creed, the class freak, disappeared, it tore the town apart. Suicide, murder, kidnapping - everyone had an opinion. Readers will identify with the teen world of the haves and the have-nots. This suspenseful story will not only hold its intended audience, but it will illustrate how dangerous preconceived notions can be regarding people. A perfect book for the teen who doesn’t like to read.

1. What do you think happened to Christopher Creed?

2. This book received an award for the best book written for teens in 2002.

    How would you rate it? Explain.

AUTHOR PHILIP PULLMAN

GRADES - 5 - 12

😪WARNING! THIS BOOK HAS BEEN BANNED!😪

NEWSWEEK - TOP 100 BOOKS OF ALL TIME

GUARDIAN PRIZE FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - WINNER

BOSTON GLOBE HORN BOOK - STARRED REVIEW

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - TOP 100 CHILDREN'S NOVELS #28

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY - ALL TIME GREATEST CHILDREN'S NOVEL

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS

NEW YORK TIMES - BESTSELLER

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

CARNEGIE MEDAL - STARRED REVIEW

Something strange is happening to the children who are approaching adolescence. They are disappearing. A lady with a golden monkey lures them into a basement, where they are taken by people known as Gobblers to a place in the Arctic. One rumor says that doctors are using the children for experiments. Others say that the children are eaten by a warlike tribe.  The heroine of this story is a young girl named Lyra. She gets captured by Gobblers and escapes. She gets rescued by the boat people who are angry because Gobblers have taken many of their children. Lyra decides to help them. However, her journey will be filled with obstacles - killer flies, good and bad witches and ferocious armored bears.  This is a story for mature fifth and up who desire something a bit more intense than Harry Potter. It is the first of a trilogy. Interested readers should read The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. One of the best of the best, along with Where the Red Fern Grows, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

1. Almost everyone in this story had a daemon which was related to their
 

    personality. If you had a daemon, what shape would it take? Explain.
Would you

    like to have a daemon? Explain. 

2. Many book reviewers say that The Golden Compass is one of the best 
novels 

    ever written. What do you think? Explain.


AUTHOR PHILLIP HOOSE

GRADES - 5 AND UP

JANE ADDAMS CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD - HONOR BOOK 👍

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.  

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD  - WINNER 

NEWBERY AWARD - HONOR

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”.

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.

ROBERT F. SIBERT BOOK AWARD - HONOR 

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

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW 

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW 

WASHINGTON POST - BEST BOOK OF 2009 

THE HORN BOOK - STARRED REVIEW 

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW 

BULLETIN FOR THE CENTER OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS - STARRED REVIEW

Most people connect Rosa Parks with the Montgomery bus boycott as a result of her refusal to give her seat to a white person. However, this incident was ignited by a teen-age girl named Claudette Colvin, who was dragged off a bus by two policemen, and taken to jail where she was fingerprinted. This rebellious act was repeated by another teen a few months later. However, these two children were not considered mature enough to be the test case. Unfortunately for Colvin, she was considered to be a pariah by some and she lost just about all of her friends who regarded her as a troublemaker. To complicate matters, she became pregnant by a white man and gave birth to a white boy. 
Although Parks is given much of the credit for ending bus segregation, it was the legal system that decided the matter. It is interesting to note that two of the plaintiffs were Colvin and the other teen. Parks was not involved in the lawsuit.  
One basic message of this book is that history is often unfair. On the one hand we have Colvin, a young teen, who decided on her own to stand up to a horrible system. She had no plan or support at the time. On the other hand we have Parks, who was not only hand picked, but she worked for the NAACP and she had the confidence of knowing that once she was arrested, a support group would be waiting for her. While the author recognizes Parks for her courage, he makes it clear that Colvin should have received more credit for trying to beat the system single-handed. Although Colvin was somewhat miffed at the time, and felt that she should have received her share of positive publicity, she later realized that Parks was better suited for the role as the barrier buster. 
As noted below, this book is a National Book Award winner and rightfully so. The compelling narrative accompanied by dozens of great pictures make this story very appealing and informative. 

Chapter Five - When Claudette returned to school, many of her classmates made fun of her. Why didn't they respect her for what she did?


They could have been afraid. Claudette challenged white authority, and 

that usually meant that some African-American was going to get hurt.                                                                                                                     

Chapter Six - Sometimes it takes a great deal of courage to do the right thing. Explain how Claudette made her feelings known without breaking the law.


She braided her hair and told everyone that she was proud to be African.



Chapter Eight - At the end of the chapter, Claudette feels as though she was being thrown to the lions. What do you think that means?


She was going to be a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the city of Montgomery. This meant that she would face hostile lawyers and resentment from the people who did not want the Jim Crow laws changed. 

AUTHOR - PADMA VENKATRAMAN

GRADES - 5 AND UP

NOTABLE BOOK FOR THE GLOBAL SOCIETY 👍🏿

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

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.

VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES (VOYA) A 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. 

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW 

KIRKUS - STARRED REVIEW 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW 

INTERNATIONAL BOARD ON BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE -

   OUTSTANDING BOOK  FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. A NOTABLE BOOK FOR CHILDREN 

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY  - BOOK FOR THE TEEN

A young teen’s determination to realize her dream as dancer, and the inspiration she receives from others after losing her leg, provides page turning reading regardless of your interest in dancing. Get ready for an emotional roller coaster ride - buckle  up.

1. Do you have a passion in your life that is similar to Veda’s?
 Can you describe 

    it?


2. At the end of the chapter called In the Eye, page 93 hardcover, Veda 
 says that 

    she now understands the proverb - Beauty is in the eye of the 
beholder. What 

    do you think it means?
   

    She is referring to the way her grandmother sees her.


3. In the chapter called Acting Anger, page 100 hardcover, Veda acts 
 differently 

    toward the lady on the bus. Do you agree with what she did? 
 What would you 

    have done?


4. In the chapter called Flight of Feeling, page 204 hardcover, Veda says,
  “You’d 

    prefer to be a demon like me.” What does that mean?
  

    Veda is somewhat rebellious, while Govinda tries to get along with
 

    everyone. He needs to be a bit more assertive. He needs to tell his 

    
parents that he wants to be a dancer, not an engineer.

AUTHORS - NEIL AND JARROD SHUSTERMAN

GRADES - 7-9

GREEN EARTH BOOK AWARD - WINNER👍🏿

 is the nation’s first environmental stewardship book award for children and young adult books.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW 

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW 

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW 

KIRKUS - STARRED REVIEW 

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY - BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS 

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY - BEST OF THE BEST

BANK STREET - BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR

Neil Shusterman is one of the superstars of young adult literature. Now he has teamed up with his son to write an action packed, never a dull page apocalypse, which occurs when the governor of Arizona prevented the Colorado River from bringing water into California. What do neighborly folks due when their survival is being threatened? They do whatever is necessary which leads to chaos and mayhem. As time passes some people become “water zombies,” as they wander around very slowly searching for water. Others, like the four teens in this story, find themselves entering and escaping one life threatening situation after another as they try to find water. The authors not only give teen readers a jolt in an effort to make them aware of  water conservation, but they constructed a page turner, which, at times, forced me to accelerate my reading. 

1. At the end of the story, Kelton and Alyssa make predictions. 

    Which ones do you think will come true?

2. If you could meet Jacqui, Kelton  and Alyssa, what would you say to them?                                                     

AUTHOR - CARL HIASSEN

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”.


VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES (VOYA)  TOP SHELF FICTION  FOR MIDDLE

    SCHOOL READERS

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK

TEXAS LONE STAR READING LIST - WINNER

KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS MASTER LIST  - WINNER

MAINE STUDENT MASTER LIST - WINNER

KEYSTONE STATE READING ASSN. BOOK AWARD 

CONNECTICUT NUTMEG CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD

As the title suggests Hoot is about a group of burrowing owls. Since they are a protected species, permits are needed to build in their nesting area. A pancake company bribes a town official as they try to build their restaurant on protected land. When some middle school students learn that the owls are in jeopardy of getting killed, they try to sabotage the project. However, Hoot is more than an environmental story. The protagonist is a new boy in town who finds himself at the mercy of the school bully. Since he cannot outmuscle the boy, he uses his wits to gain the upper hand. Before the arrival of the new boy, a young teen from an abusive home ran away to live in the woods. He becomes a friend of the endangered owls as well as the new boy. Together, they work to defeat the bully and save the owls. 

1. Explain how Roy’s behavior caused people to like him. Be specific. 

    He was kind. He brought sneakers for the running boy and he provided a 

    place for Beatrice to sleep when things got out of hand at her home. 

    He was considerate. He developed a passion for saving wildlife. After his 

    mother had  miscarriage, he wanted to be sure that nothing happened to him. 

    He tried to avoid risks or do anything that would put himself in danger. 

    Roy was loyal. After he brought the running boy to the hospital, he lied to help 

    him. He also took care of him after he ran away from the hospital. Finally, he 

    protected him by  not revealing who he was to the authorities. 

2. Roy was a very determined boy. Give specific examples to support this 

    statement. 

    He never gave up trying to find out the identity of the running boy. He 

    chased him all over the place and even got hit in the head by a golf ball

    during the chase.

    He was determined to stop the owners of the Pancake House from 

    destroying the owls’ nesting place. He went to the town hall and learned 

    that the necessary permits for building the house were missing. He went 

    to school and told his class about the owls during a current events 

    lesson. He was able to elicit the support of his classmates to protest the 

    construction of the Pancake House. 

    Roy also helped save the owls by giving the running boy his digital 

    camera so that pictures of the owls could be taken. Roy used Dana as a 

    distraction so that  the running boy could remove seats from the 

    bulldozers. 

    Although he didn’t succeed, he tried to become friends with Dana. 

3. What makes the running boy so different from other boys his age? 

    He can catch a fish with his bare hands. 

    He does not go to school. 

    He lives in a junkyard by himself.

    He doesn’t wear shoes. He captures alligators and poisonous snakes.  

                                                     PAGE 28