BANK STREET COLLEGE - BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR

AUTHOR - JOYCE MCDONALD

GRADES - 6-8

A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY  - BOOK FOR THE TEENAGE

BANK STREET COLLEGE - BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR - 

     STARRED

SEQUOYAH YOUNG ADULT BOOK AWARD 

HEARTLAND AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE FINALIST  SOUTH CAROLINA YOUNG ADULT BOOK AWARD - NOMINEE

This historical fiction page turner depicts life in a racially divided Florida town during the late fifties. The cast of characters includes Dove Alderman, the fifteen-year-old white daughter of a prominent orange grower, Dove’s black friend, Gator, who stirs the pot by dating a white girl, angry Mexicans who are upset by the conditions at the migrant camp, and the menacing members of the KKK. Dove’s secure world gets shattered when she learns how her black housekeeper lost her husband in a hit-and-run. A man who worked for her father killed him. To further complicate matters, Dove finds a KKK membership card with her father’s name on it. She now faces enormous conflicts and decides to take matters into her own hands by attempting to stop the Klan from going on a murderous rampage. This powerful novel leaves no stone unturned as emotional turmoil, violent behavior, and the bravery of a young teen to make matters right, will keep readers totally engaged.

1. Did Dove do the right thing by telling Delia what happened to Gus?


    Answers will vary. When Delia learned that Dove’s father knew how her 

    husband died and never told her, she refused be his housekeeper . 

2. At one point In this story, Dove rejects her boyfriend, the most desired boy in 

    her high school, because he lacks courage to take a stand against the KKK. 

    What would you have done?

    
Answers will vary. 

3. Should black and white teens date each other? Explain.


    Answers will vary. 

4. Who showed the most courage in this story? Explain.       

    Answers will vary. It could be Dove when she tried to save Gator from the

    KKK. It could be Chase when he tried to save Gator 
from the KKK. 

AUTHOR - DEBORAH WILES

GRADES - 2-4

😪WARNING! THIS BOOK HAS BEEN BANNED!😪

CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD   👍- 

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.

ONCE UPON A WORLD CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD  👍

This award was established by Sonia Levitin and her family to “support and perpetuate the values and mandate of the Simon Wiesenthal Center & Museum of Tolerance by honoring children’s books … which deal with issues of tolerance, diversity, human understanding and social justice, thus inspiring a young reader to promote positive change in the world.”

EZRA JACK KEATS NEW WRITER AWARD

EZRA JACK KEATS NEW ILLUSTRATOR AWARD
 

JOHN STEPTOE NEW TALENT AWARD 

When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, it had dramatic effects across the South. In this story, the author presents Joe and John Henry, two boys who are best friends. Although one boy is white and the other is black, this does not present a problem for them as it does to the adults in their community. They swim together at a creek because the town pool is for whites only. When the new law mandates that the pool must be open for everyone, the boys rejoice. However, when they arrive at the pool, they learn that laws do not change attitudes. Wiles deals with the subject of racism in a manner that allows young readers to understand it. 

1. Who got punished when the people of the town filled in the pool?  
   

    Everyone - Now it cannot be used by anyone.


2. Who was more disappointed? - Joe or John Henry? Explain. 
    

    John Henry - He had never used the pool before.


3. At the end of the story, you see Joe and John Henry entering the
 store to get 

   ice pops. What do you think will happen when they get inside? Explain.
    

    Answers will vary. The store owner might not serve John Henry and 
tell 

    him to leave. The owner might also decide to obey the law.


4. How do you know that Joe was a good friend? 
    

    He bought ice pops for John Henry. He went swimming with him at the 

    creek. He has his arm around John Henry as they
 walk into the store.
 

5. Near the end of the story, Joe wants to see the town through John
 Henry's 

    eyes. What does that mean? 
    

    He wants to feel what John Henry feels.

AUTHOR - KATHERINE ERSKINE

GRADES - 4-6

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S LITERATURE - WINNER

DOLLY GRAY CHILDREN'S LITERATURE AWARD - WINNER  👍

The Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award recognizes authors, illustrators, and publishers of high quality fictional and biographical children, intermediate, and young adult books that authentically portray individuals with developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, and Down syndrome. 

KIRKUS - STARRED REVIEW

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

Caitlin is a ten year-old girl with Aspergers. She often leaned on her older brother when times got difficult. However, he was recently shot and killed in a school shooting leaving Caitlin in a bad place. With the help of the school guidance counselor, she tries to overcome her fears and anxieties. Readers will find themselves listening to the inner thoughts of this girl as she tries to find closure and develop relationships. 

1. Would you like to have Caitlin for a friend? Explain.


2. Who do you think helped Caitlin the most during this period of her life?

     Explain.
  art teacher, guidance counselor, father 

3. Besides art, what kind of work do you think Caitlin will 
be able to do when she 

    grows up?


AUTHOR - VIRGINIA HAMILTON

GRADES - 3 - 5

CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD -  WINNER  👍

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.

HORN BOOK FANFARE - HONOR BOOK

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW

NEW YORK TIMES - BEST ILLUSTRATED BOOK

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH - TEACHERS' CHOICE

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK

This book was published as a tribute to its author, Virginia Hamilton, who wrote numerous stories detailing the Black experience. The beautiful illustrations begs for the story to be read aloud. Readers will learn of the harsh treatment suffered by slaves at the hands of the overseer. According to an old folktale, an elderly slave named Toby used his magical powers which enabled some suffering slaves to fly away to freedom. This book can be used to supplement a unit on Black History, the Civil War, or related areas. The content offers much for class discussion. 

1. Why is this folktale called, The People Could Fly?
    

    This could be a wish fulfillment for many of the slaves. The title could 

    suggest that slaves use their imaginations to escape from the 

    plantations.


2. Why do you think slave children would like to hear this story? 
    

    It gave them hope and satisfaction.


3. What do you think was the worst thing about being a slave?   

AUTHOR - LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON

GRADES - 3-5

ONCE UPON A WORLD BOOK AWARD 👍

This award was established by Sonia Levitin and her family to “support and perpetuate the values and mandate of the Simon Wiesenthal Center & Museum of Tolerance by honoring children’s books … which deal with issues of tolerance, diversity, human understanding and social justice, thus inspiring a young reader to promote positive change in the world.”

OPPENHEIM TOY PORTFOLIO GOLD AWARD

Share this book just before the Thanksgiving holiday. It is a most informative and interesting account of Sarah Hale and her quest to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. This determined woman persisted for over thirty years to accomplish her goal. She also supported schools for girls and argued against slavery.

1.  If you could create a national holiday, what would it be?

 2. There is a saying that "the pen is mightier than the sword. How is that true in 

     this story                                    

AUTHOR - NORTON JUSTER

GRADES - 4-6

SCHOLASTIC - 100 GREATEST BOOKS FOR KIDS #23

TIME Magazine - 100 GREATEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN #9 

AMAZON TOP 100 BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

GOODREADS - 100 BOOKS TO READ IN A LIFETIME #52 

KANSAS WILLIAM WHITE MASTER LIST - WINNER

TIMEOUTNEWYORKKIDS.COM. - 50 BEST BOOKS FOR KIDS

KIRKUS REVIEWS - STARRED REVIEW

PARENTS CHOICE AWARD

Milo is bored with school and bored with life. One day he finds a mysterious package in his garage. He opens it and discovers what appears to be a toy car. He decides to take what he thinks is a fantasy journey, however, he soon realizes that this is not the case. At the end of the story, he returns home with a greater appreciation of life.The author cleverly uses a play on words, which makes this novel so unique and enjoyable. For example, you can actually jump to a place called conclusions. Loaded with strange characters and zany adventures, this Alice in Wonderland type story will not only delight readers in grades 4-6, but mature readers will have a field day with this one. This is a critical thinking treasure trove.

1. Tell me about your favorite place in this story. Why did you like it?  Answers 

     will vary.


2.  What do you think Milo learned from his journey?
      

     At the end of the story, he realizes that there is a lot to do
  without going 

     anywhere. He is now able to pay attention to the things around him and 

     enjoy the little things in life.


3.  In chapter 13, Milo landed on an island by jumping to conclusions. 
How did 

     that happen? Can you think of a time when you jumped to a
 conclusion?

AUTHOR -JOYCE SIDMAN

GRADES - 2-6

CYBILS POETRY AWARD -  👍

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

BOOKLIST -STARRED REVIEW

KIRKUS REVIEWS - STARRED REVIEW

CALDECOTT AWARD- HONOR BOOK FOR BEST ILLUSTRATIONS

HORN BOOK - STARRED REVIEW

CLAUDIA LEWIS POETRY AWARD

MINNESOTA BOOK AWARD
 - TITLES FOR READING AND SHARING

JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION

ABC “INDIE BEST BOOK"

Beautiful colors, figurative language, captivating illustrations - all make this book a solid winner, as the author takes us on a magical trip through the seasons.

 “In FALL, Green is tired and dusty, crisp around the edges. GREEN sighs with relief: I’ve ruled for so long. Time for Brown to take over.” 

Booklist describes it as a surprise on every page, and that is just one of the features that make this book a wonderful read-aloud. Listeners will take a new look at nature once they experience this imaginative work of art and poetry. 

Beautiful colors, figurative language, captivating illustrations - all make this book a solid winner, as the author takes us on a magical trip through the seasons.

 “In FALL, Green is tired and dusty, crisp around the edges. GREEN sighs with relief: I’ve ruled for so long. Time for Brown to take over.” 

Booklist describes it as a surprise on every page, and that is just one of the features that make this book a wonderful read-aloud. Listeners will take a new look at nature once they experience this imaginative work of art and poetry. 

1. At the beginning of the book, the author describes green as shy. Why does she 

    say that? 
   Green peeks from buds, trembles in the breeze 

2. On the next page, the author says - Yellow and Purple hold hands.
 What does

    that mean?  
    It is a metaphor describing the flowers.


3. In Spring, the author says that Blue needs sun. Without it Blue hides. What 

    does that  mean?
    The yellow of the sun causes the blue to be noticed.


4. In summer, Yellow melts everything it touches. What does that mean?  
   

    The hot sun melts many things. Can you name some of them?

5. How can Black hold secrets in the summer?
    

    You can't see that well at night. You see strange shapes without  knowing 

    exactly what they are.

6. After reading the first page of FALL, what is Green trying to say?
    

    Green has been showing itself for so long, it is tired. Now it is
 happy that 

    the leaves are turning brown.


7. In winter, White whispers,... dazzles day and turns night inside out. What does 

    that mean?
    

    Snow falls silently, makes the day sparkle, and turns everything 
white at

    night. 

AUTHOR - ELIZABETH GEORGE SPEARE

GRADES - 4-6

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”.

CHRISTOPHER AWARD  -WINNER-  👍

This award is presented to authors who "affirm the highest values of the human spirit by making a positive difference in the world."

JOSETTE FRANK AWARD - WINNER 👍

This award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally. 

NEW YORK TIMES - BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

SCOTT O'DELL - AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION

HORN BOOK - FANFARE

BOOKLIST - EDITORS' CHOICE

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK

In this story of survival, twelve-year-old Matt and his father build a cabin in the Maine wilderness. Matt must stay there for six weeks while his dad returns to Massachusetts to get the rest of the family. His inexperience with living in the wild puts his life in jeopardy. He gets rescued by two Indians, a boy and his grandfather. Matt and the boy become the focus of this story as they try to understand their different cultures. 

1. If you had a choice, would you rather live like Matt or Attean? Explain.
 

    Answers will vary. 

2. At the end of the story, Matt learned that Attean was moving because 

    his family  wanted to get as far away from the white man as possible.


    Since they did not like white people then why did they treat Matt 

    as a friend?


    Matt was a boy. He was not responsible for taking the land from the 

    Indians. He was not a threat to anyone. He also needed help to survive. 

3. If you were Matt, would you have gone with Attean and his grandfather when 

    they decided to move? Explain your answer. 

4. If you could ask Matt what was the best thing that ever happened to him, 
he 

    would say 

    _________.


    Possible Answers
   

    When he saved Attean from the bear    

    When Attean called him his brother    

    When his family arrived     

    When he sang and danced at the Indian village 

AUTHOR - BRIAN JACQUES

GRADES - 4 AND UP

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. 

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. -TOP TEN FANTASY BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 

   AND YOUTH

SMARTWRITERS.COM- “ONE OF THE BEST REDWALL BOOKS” 

BOOK CRITICS SOCIETY - TOP TEN CHILDREN'S BOOK - FANTASY

Triss is the 15th book in the REDWALL series. 

The entire collection was written for mature readers starting at fourth grade. There are 22 books and they do not have to be read in chronological order. These books have a common theme of love, peace, and living in harmony with each other and nature. They feature advanced vocabulary, subtle humor, subplots, accents, and descriptions.

In this novel, Triss, a squirrel warrior, and her two friends escape from slavery at Riftgard and are pursued across the sea toward Redwall by Princess Kurdah, Prince Bladd, and a band of freebooters who seek the rumored treasure of Brockhall. Although there is fighting and killing throughout this adventure/fantasy, the author takes great pains to portray the heroine, Triss, as a humane warrior. She is determined to do whatever it takes to destroy the Pure Ferret dynasty, however she is not a killer. In addition, the creatures, who inhabit Redwall are depicted as fun-loving and friendly. There are no gray areas in terms of characterization. Everyone is either a force of evil or a force of good. A message of peace and living in harmony is clearly delivered by Triss. 

1. What would you like most if you were living in Redwall? Answers will vary. 

2. In chapter 1, the old squirrel, Drufo, told Triss not to escape because it 

    was too dangerous. In chapter 4, he helps her to escape. Why did he

    change his mind? 

    Answers will vary. Perhaps he realized that she would die as a prisoner, 

    and that she had nothing to lose by escaping.

3. What are some of the characteristics that make Princess Kurda so unlikable? 

    She loses her temper very easily. She has slaves and is very cruel to 

    them. She will do anything to become queen, even if it means humiliating 

    her brother and getting rid of him. She is selfish and arrogant. She is a 

    braggart. She claims to be a great sword fighter but she loses her nerve 

    when Triss comes after her. She is a spoiled brat. 

4. When Triss returned home, she gave the queen’s crown to a child. She said 

    that it could be thrown into the sea if he gets tired of it. Why didn’t Triss 

    become the new queen? 

    She knew how that kingdoms did not treat animals fairly. She wanted the 

    animals to be free. 

AUTHOR - KIMBERLY BRUBAKER BRADLEY

GRADES - 4-7

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”.


SCHNEIDER FAMILY BOOK AWARD - WINNER 👍

The Schneider Family Book Award is an award given by the American Library Association (ALA) recognizing authors and illustrators for the excellence of portrayal of the disability experience in literature for youth. 

JOSETTE FRANK BOOK AWARD - WINNER 👍

The Josette Frank Award This award for fiction honors a book or books of outstanding literary merit in which children or young people deal in a positive and realistic way with difficulties in their world and grow emotionally and morally. 

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY -  100 TITLES FOR READING AND SHARING

WALL STREET JOURNAL - BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF 2015

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY - BEST OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2015

HORN BOOK -FANFARE BOOK

KIRKUS REVIEWS -BEST BOOKS OF 2015

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - BEST BOOKS OF 2015

During WWII, children who lived in London were sent to the country for safety. While separating from their parents was difficult, it was a blessing in disguise for Ada. This eleven year-old was born with a club foot and was rejected by her mother who kept her locked in the house every day. The war ended this abuse as Ada suddenly discovered the world she had been missing. Her overriding fear is knowing that she will have to return when the war is over. 

There is a sequel called The War I Finally Won.

1. What do you think Ada will do when she grows up?


    She could do something that is related to horses. She could also work for

    the government. She is smart and a 
fast learner. 

2. Do you think she will ever see her Mam again? Explain.
  Answers will vary. 

3. How did the war save her life?
     

    She had nothing to live for while she was living with her 
abusive mother. 

    In her new life, she made friends and was  allowed to grow as a normal 

    child.